American Hockey League (1988-1993)
Tombstone
Born: June 22, 1988 – The Fredericton Express relocate to Halifax, Nova Scotia.1ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Fredericton AHL team to move to Halifax”. The Daily Item (Sunbury, PA). June 23, 1988
Moved: April 28, 1993 (Cornwall Aces)2CANADIAN PRESS. “AHL Citadels forsake Halifax for Cornwall.” The Times-Colonist (Victoria, BC). April 29, 1993
First Game: October 8, 1988 (L 6-3 vs. Newmarket Saints)
Last Game: April 11, 1993 (W 6-2 vs. Moncton Hawks)
Calder Cup Championships: None
Arena
Halifax Metro Centre (9,629)31990-91 American Hockey League Media Guide
Opened: 1978
Marketing
Team Colors: Blue & White41990-91 American Hockey League Media Guide
Ownership
Owners:
NHL Affiliation: Quebec Nordiques
Attendance
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Source: 1994-95 American Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book
Background
The Halifax Citadels were the last professional hockey team to play in Nova Scotia’s capital city. The Citadels played in the American Hockey League (AHL) and operated as the top farm club of the NHL’s Quebec Nordiques from 1988 until 1993. They were preceded in the AHL by the Nova Scotia Oilers (1984-1988) and the Nova Scotia Voyageurs (1971-1984).
The Nordiques directly owned the Citadels franchise.
In Competition
The Citadels were never a particularly strong club on the ice. Their best season was their first in Halifax during the winter of 1988-89. Under former New Jersey Devils head coach Doug Carpenter, the Citadels put together a 42-30-8 record that was good for 2nd place in the AHL’s Northern Division. But the lower-seeded Moncton Hawks ushered Halifax out of the 1989 Calder Cup playoffs via a four-game sweep in the first round.
The Citadels never posted another winning season and never won a playoff series. Despite the AHL’s liberal playoff qualifications standards, Halifax missed the Calder Cup tournament in each of their final three seasons. The Citadels finished last place in their division in both 1992 and 1993.
Right wing Mark Vermette, who played for the Citadels in all five of their seasons in the AHL, was the club’s all-time leader games (256), goals (121), assists (110), and total points (231).
Departure
Two weeks after the conclusion of the 1992-93 season, Quebec Nordiques president Marcel Aubut announced the team would move to the southeastern Ontario city of Cornwall for the 1993-94 AHL season. Renamed the Cornwall Aces, the team would play four seasons in Ontario before disbanding in 1996.
After a winter without hockey at the Metro Centre in 1993-94, the expansion Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League took up residence in the fall of 1994. The Mooseheads remain active in the QMJHL to this day.
Halifax Citadels Shop
Citadels Video
1990 Halifax Citadels 30-second TV spot.
Links
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