American Hockey League (1987-1994)
Tombstone
Born: 1987 – Re-branded from Moncton Golden Flames
Folded: June 9, 1994
First Game: October 8, 1987 (L 4-0 @ Fredericton Express)
Last Game: May 29, 1994 (L 4-1 @ Portland Pirates)
Calder Cup Championships: None
Arena
Moncton Coliseum (6,802)11992-93 American Hockey League Guide & Record Book
Opened: 1973
Branding
Team Colors: Red, White & Blue21992-93 American Hockey League Guide & Record Book
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners: Fred Gaudet, Cecil MacDonald, Gary O’Neill, John Ritcey, Terry Taylor, George Urquhart and Robert Irving
NHL Affiliation: Winnipeg Jets
Attendance
Tap (mobile) or mouse over chart for figures. Tilting your mobile device may offer better viewing.
Source: 1994-95 American Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book
Our Favorite Stuff
Moncton Hawks
AHL Logo T-Shirt
Moncton’s last dance with professional hockey came with the Hawks, who skated at the Coliseum from 1987 through 1994. The Hawks borrowed their blue, red & white color scheme from their NHL parent club, the Winnipeg Jets.
This design is available from American Retro Apparel in white or sport grey and in sizes small through XXXL today!
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Background
The city of Moncton is located in southeastern New Brunswick, one of Canada’s Maritime provinces. Throughout the 1980’s and into the mid-1990’s the American Hockey League had a strong presence in the Maritimes. Four separate AHL clubs made their home at the Moncton Coliseum in an uninterrupted span from 1978 to 1994. The Moncton Hawks were the last of the four, following the New Brunswick Hawks (1978-1982), Moncton Alpines (1982-1984) and Moncton Golden Flames (1984-1987).
The club’s best season was its final one. The 1993-94 Hawks won three playoff series to advance to the Calder Cup Finals against the Portland Pirates. They lost the championship series to Portland 4 games to 2. Two weeks later the Hawks went out of business.
Kris Draper
The Hawk who went on to the greatest acclaim in the NHL was Kris Draper (Moncton 1990-1993). In June 1993, Moncton’s parent club, the Winnipeg Jets, infamously sold Draper to the Detroit Red Wings for $1. Draper went on to play 17 seasons in Detroit, winning four Stanley Cups and a Frank J. Selke Trophy. He is one of only six Red Wings to appear in over 1,000 games for the historic club.
Guy Larose, who played four seasons in Moncton from 1987 to 1991, was the Hawks’ all-time leader in goals (112) and points scored (206).
The Hawks’ demise in June 1994 marked the end of pro hockey in the Hub City. The Moncton Alpines (later Wildcats) of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League took up residence at the Moncton Coliseum one year after the Hawks departed. Moncton has been a junior hockey town ever since. The AHL no longer fields any teams in the Maritimes.
Links
###
One Response
Those were the days. I remember the smell of popcorn the second you walked through the doors by the bix office. When the Wildcats did AHL Night as part of the Coliseum’s final season the building had a shot of energy rip through the place when the Hawks er Wildcats appeared for warmup rocking the original Moncton Hawks dark uni. Though the Cats lost the game that bolt of energy never subsided til at long last the Hawks uniform left the ice and back into our hearts and history. Contact me if you would like some photos from AHL night. Just put AHL Night photos in the subject and I will be more than happy to share.