Category: American Hockey League

Craig Charron on the cover of a 1998-99 Lowell Lock Monsters Program from the American Hockey League

Lowell Lock Monsters

February 6, 2018

The Lowell Lock Monsters were a minor pro hockey franchise that joined the American Hockey League in 1998. The team played at the brand new $24 million Tsongas Arena that opened earlier that year on the campus of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. The Monsters never able to replicate the popularity and success of Lowell’s wildly popular Spinners minor league baseball team and the city really wasn’t large or wealthy enough for both clubs to thrive. Local owner Elkin McCallum sold the franchise to the NHL’s New Jersey Devils in 2006, who changed the name of the team to the Lowell Devils. The AHL franchise ultimately departed for Albany, New York in 2010.

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Hampton Gulls Hockey

Hampton Gulls

December 7, 2017

Southern Hockey League (1974-1977) American Hockey League (1977-1978) Born: October 1974: The Fayetteville Arsenal relocates to Hampton, VA Folded: January 31, 1977 Re-Born: 1977 Folded

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Goaltender Pelle Lindbergh on the cover of the 1981-82 Maine Mariners Media Guide from the American Hockey League

Maine Mariners (1977-1992)

April 19, 2017

The Maine Mariners were a popular minor league hockey club that played for 15 seasons at Portland’s Cumberland County Civic Center. The Mariners’ glory years came in the late 1970’s and early 80’s as the top farm club of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Maine won the American Hockey Leagues’ Calder Cup in each of their first two seasons. After the Flyers moved the original franchise to Utica in April 1987, the Boston Bruins swooped in and created a new black-and-gold clad version of the Mariners that skated five more seasons from 1987 through 1992. The Bruins-era Mariners came to an end with the club’s move to Providence, Rhode Island in May 1992.

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Binghamton Rangers American Hockey League

Binghamton Rangers

February 9, 2017

American Hockey League (1990-1997) Born: 1990 – Affiliation change from Binghamton Whalers Moved: June 8, 1997 (Hartford Wolfpack) First Game: October 5, 1990 (L 2-1 vs. Hershey

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Richmond Robins American Hockey League

Richmond Robins

January 21, 2017

The Richmond Robins were the top farm club of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers during the early and mid-1970’s. The Robins endured five straight losing seasons, even as the Broad Street Bullies-era Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups.

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