Springfield Indians
The Springfield Indians were a professional ice hockey team from West Springfield, Massachusetts, and are one of the founding members of the American Hockey League. Up to three interruptions they played 52 seasons in the league ( 1926-1994 ). From 1951-54 the team went under the name of Syracuse Warriors from 1967-75 and as Springfield Kings. The Indians have won seven Calder Cup championships, one of them during the period when they played as Kings (1971).
History
1926 were the Indians in the Canadian - American Hockey League at the start. The " Can-Am ", as the league was called, was founded in Springfield, and the Indians were one of the five founding members. As a farm team of the New York Rangers, they played until the season 1932/33, to be a franchise of the New York Americans from the 1935/36 season.
Due to the Great Depression in 1930 was merged with the International Hockey League for International - American Hockey League, Can- Am, which henceforth appeared under the name American Hockey League.
During the Second World War, the United States used the home of the Indians, the Eastern States Coliseum, for war purposes and the club lost its venue. Eddie Shore, which in 1939 the club bought, borrowed for the period until 1946, its players to the Buffalo Bisons from. However, after the club was not able to his previous successes in spite of well-known players, so the team 1951-54 went to Syracuse as the Warriors into the race ( while Shore was playing a local team in Springfield, unterklassigen Quebec Hockey League). The only success during this time were winning the MVP awards for Ross Lowe, the Rookie of the Year Award for Jim Anderson and All- Star team nominations for Eldie Kobussen 1948, Billy Gooden 1951, Ross Lowe, Gordon Tottle and Don Simmons 1955 and Gerry Ehman and Cal Gardner in 1958 and Harry Pidhirny in 1959.
In subsequent years it came again on various Franchise changes - so the club played 1967-1974 as a Springfield Kings as a farm team of the Los Angeles Kings from 1974-1994 and again as the Springfield Indians.
The 1990
In 1990 came the merger with the New York Islanders of the NHL. In an outstanding series you wrung favorite Rochester Americans down in six games and secured the sixth time the Calder Cup trophy. Here, the subsequent NHL goalie Jeff Hackett was honored as MVP of the playoffs.
This time the Hartford Whalers - After a dispute with respect to the Springfield Civic Center, the team was awarded a new franchise again. In the 1990/91 season, the Indians were the second strongest offensive team in the league and won the division title in the north -. Their first title after winning in 1962 The following year, they won this title again, but should this victory Springfields mean seventh and last title.
The end of the era
In the fall of 1994, the team finally moved back from Springfield. The new home was Worcester, Massachusetts, is formed around the Worcester IceCats.
The original franchise moved in 2005 finally to Peoria, Illinois to where the team is still playing today. There are few franchises that are older: The Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the NHL.
The last active player in the franchise, which still wore the shirt of the Indians, was Michael Nylander of the Washington Capitals, the 1994 four games for the Indians denied.
Since 1994, in Springfield, the Springfield Falcons home.
Members in the Hall of Fame
- Keith Allen
- Jack Arlington Butterfield
- Lorne Chabot
- Art Coulter
- Punch Imlach
- Brian Kilrea
- Chuck Rayner
- Earl Seibert
- Eddie Shore
- Billy Smith
- Clint Smith
- Lorne Worsley
Known player
A list of former players of the Springfield Indians
- Keith Allen
- Blair Atcheynum
- Bill Berg
- Marc Bergevin
- James Black
- Bruce Boudreau
- Don Cherry
- Mike Corrigan
- Yvon Corriveau
- Gerald Diduck
- Rob DiMaio
- Jeff Finley
- Tom Fitzgerald
- Mark Greig
- Ted Harris
- Alan Kerr
- Brian Kilrea
- Bill McCreary
- Michel Picard
- Barclay Plager
- Ron Plumb
- Poul Popiel
- Ken Schinkel
- Tim Sheehy
- Charlie Simmer
- Don Simmons
- John Stevens
- Bill White
- Clark Whyte
- Terry Yake
Records
- Goals in a season: Michel Picard, 56, 1990-1991
- Assists in a season: Bruce Boudreau, 74, 1987-1988
- Points in a season: Bruce Boudreau, 116, 1987-1988
- Penalty minutes in a season: Mick Vukota, 372, 1987-1988
- Shutouts in a season: Marcel Paille, 8, 1960-1961
- Most Games: Jim Anderson, 943
- Top goals: Jim Anderson, 426
- Most Assists: Brian Kilrea, 442
- Most points: Jim Anderson, 813
- Most penalty minutes: Rod Dallman, 844
Season results
- Springfield Indians 1926-1933 (Canadian - American Hockey League)
- Springfield Indians 1935-1936 (Canadian - American Hockey League)
- Springfield Indians 1936-1940 (International - American Hockey League)
- Springfield Indians 1940-1942
- Springfield Indians 1946-1951
- Syracuse Warriors 1951-1954
- Springfield Indians 1954-1967
- Springfield Kings 1967-1974
- Springfield Indians 1974-1994
Regular Season
Getting places are marked in bold
Playoffs
Playoff championships are shown in bold.