Hockey As Baseball

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by TrbldWiseman

Devils are already in the works. Isles are more likely going to be done in the Fisherman-style. Guins will be the robo-Penguin style. All coming soon.

Sounds good!

[The Lone Thrashers Fan]

Can't wait for Atlanta Reincarnation 2: Electric Relocate-aroo.

[RMc]

Really like those Stags uniforms. I may have to add an expansion team using these.

They look incredibly ugly...which means they'd be perfect for the 70s!

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by RMc

They look incredibly ugly...which means they'd be perfect for the 70s!

I see that they were called the Michigan stags, but I think I'll put them in Milwaukee. Then they could be the brother to the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.

[TrbldWiseman]

After struggling to get the Washington Capitals' set to something I would consider sharing, I'm going to skip them for the time being and move on to the 1975-76 season

[TrbldWiseman]

The 1975-76 season saw the Vancouver Blazer (formerly of Philadelphia) relocate to Calgary to become the Calgary Cowboys. The league also lost the Chicago Cougars & Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades franchises in the offseason. The league added the Cincinnati Stingers and former WHL team the Denver Spurs. The Spurs would surprise everyone (including players) by relocating to Ottawa on January 2, 1976. Two weeks later the team would fold. The Minnesota Fighting Saints, while sitting in 2nd in their own division, would also fold before the season's end.

[TrbldWiseman]

One of 5 WHA expansion franchises to last until the "merger," the Cincinnati was awarded the Stingers in 1974. The team was one of the more financially stable franchises of the league. Attendance did not meet the NHL's standards and they (along w/Birmingham) were paid to disband when the league folded. The Stingers, despite this, joined the Central Hockey League in 1979 and played until the league folded 33 games into the season.

Fun fact: the Stingers are one of two WHA teams (the other being the Philadelphia/Vancouver Blazers) to never have had a white jersey.

[TrbldWiseman]

NHL: The ill-fated California Golden Seals are finally allowed to relocate. The team moves to Cleveland to become the Cleveland Barons. The Kansas City Scouts relocated to Denver to become the Colorado Rockies. The league had wished to move into the Denver (and Seattle) market earlier but the poor performances of the Scouts & Capitals delayed the moves.

WHA: With the NHL moving into Cleveland, the Cleveland Crusaders are forced to relocate. They attempt to move to South Florida but legal issues force them into moving to Minnesota. They resurrect the Minnesota Fighting Saints but fold halfway thru the season. The Toronto Toros relocate to Birmingham. Hemorrhaging money, the league abandons future expansion and begins talks with the NHL.

[TrbldWiseman]

The Cleveland Barons relocation was not official until August of 1976. As a result, the team failed to gain traction with fans. Ownership asked the league for financial help halfway thru the '76-'77. The NHL denied it, feeling the situation wasn't as dire as claimed until threats of a player strike & ownership considered folding the franchise. The league found new ownership for the '77-'78 season but the team still struggled. At the time, the Minnesota North Stars were in the same dire financial straits as the Barons. Not wanting to lose two teams, the league allowed Cleveland & Minnesota to merge teams. The team would continue on as the Minnesota North Stars.

[TrbldWiseman]

The 1977-78 season saw the floundering WHA lose three franchises: the Calgary Cowboys (which will be posted at a later date), Phoenix Roadrunners, and San Diego Mariners all fold. In 1978-79 the league loses anchor franchise Houston Aeros prior to the season. Indianapolis Racers owner, needing money to stay afloat, sells the contract of future HOFer Wayne Gretzky to the Edmonton Oilers. Another future HOFer, Mark Messier, is released after five games. The team folds after playing 25 games, leaving the league with six teams.

From The WHA Uniform Database:

"On March 22, 1979, NHL owners ratify a merger agreement with the WHA. It ended up being much less a merger rather than the NHL taking in four teams from the rapidly-sinking WHA. The deal was heavily tilted in the NHL's favor. The four teams -- the Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers (who would change their name to the Hartford Whalers at the insistence of the Boston Bruins), Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets -- would be considered expansion teams. None of their WHA histories would be recognized by the NHL, and all players (except two skaters and two goalies that each team would be able to protect) were subject to a reclamation draft by their former NHL teams. The Birmingham Bulls and Cincinnati Stingers would join the NHL-owned Central Hockey League for the 1979-80 season -- both would eventually fold."

A year after the merger, the financially unstable Atlanta Flames relocate to Calgary, AB, They are the only relocated franchise who does not change their name.

[TrbldWiseman]

Unlike their WHA predecessors, the Flames were an instant hit when they landed in Calgary. The team would be a powerhouse in their Conference during the '80s - making two Stanley Cup Finals and winning it all in 1989.

[TrbldWiseman]

Moving on from the pros, gonna tackle some minor and junior league teams from 1960-80.

[TrbldWiseman]

Started as the Kitchener Greenshirts in 1951, the team relocated to Peterborough in 1955. They are the oldest continually operating team in the Ontario Hockey League (Canadian Juniors). From 1955-66 they were sponsored by Toronto-Peterborough-Transport & wore their logo until 1974 when the team switched to their current maroon and white color scheme.

[TrbldWiseman]

Founded to celebrate Canada's Centennial, the '67s were meant to fill the void in Ottawa's Junior hockey scene after two teams left/folded in 1963. Because their home arena wasn't ready in time for the start of their inaugural season, the '67s played their first 11 games in Hull, QC. The logos used for this were first used for the 1979-80 season.

[TrbldWiseman]

[TrbldWiseman]

Founded in 1977 to be the Philadelphia Flyers top farm team, the Mariners were the first AHL team to win the Calder Cup in their inaugural season. The team would appear in 5 Calder Cup finals in their first 7 years (winning three). In 1983 the team became the NJ Devils farm team and, in an unusual move, kept the team colors. The team was relocated to Utica after the 1986-87 season.