Springfield Falcons
| Springfield Falcons | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern Conference |
| Division |
Northeast Division |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Home arena | MassMutual Center |
| Colors |
Blue, Black, Red, Gray, White |
| Owner(s) | Falcons Hockey Entertainment, LLC |
| General manager | Bruce Landon |
| Head coach | Brad Larsen |
| Captain | Ryan Craig |
| Media | The Springfield Republican WSHM-LD, WWLP WGGB-TV |
| Affiliates | Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) Evansville IceMen (ECHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1994–present | Springfield Falcons |
| Championships | |
| Division Championships | 3 (1995–96, 1997–98, 2012–13) |
The Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Providence Bruins.
Contents |
History [edit]
The Beginning [edit]
In 1994, the longtime AHL Springfield Indians team was sold to interests that moved the franchise to Worcester, Massachusetts, to become the Worcester IceCats (now the Peoria Rivermen). Ex-Indian players Bruce Landon, then the general manager of the Indians, and Wayne LaChance, a local rink owner, secured an expansion franchise for Springfield for the 1995 season. The Indians name was still under trademark, so the new owners named the team after Andy and Amelia, a pair of nesting peregrine falcons that was a popular local civic symbol. The Falcons secured affiliation with both the Hartford Whalers and the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL, keeping continuity with the Whalers' affiliation of the previous few years. Veteran defenseman John Stevens (who shared the co-captaincy that first year with Rob Murray and the last captain of the Indians) scored the franchise's first goal.
Among the Falcons' notable players have included Jean-Guy Trudel, the franchise's leading career goal and point scorer; Daniel Briere of the Philadelphia Flyers; Manny Legace, the franchise's all-time leading goaltender and former St. Louis Blues starter; Nikolai Khabibulin, former Stanley Cup winning goalie also played 23 games with Springfield; and Rob Murray, the franchise's long-time captain and inspirational leader, and current assistant coach of the New York Islanders. During the 2004 season, Springfield fans voted on the Web for the club's 10th Anniversary Team, and selected Briere at center, Trudel at left wing, Tavis Hansen at right wing, Brad Tiley and Dan Focht on defense, and Legace in goal.
Individual honors won by Falcons players have included the Baz Bastien Award given to the league's best goaltender (to Legace in 1996 and Scott Langkow in 1998), Briere winning the Red Garrett Award emblematic of rookie of the year and a nod as First Team All-Star center in 1998, Tiley winning the Eddie Shore Award for the league's outstanding defenceman in 2000, Trudel winning a Second Team All-Star award in 1999-00, and Charles Linglet was also named a second-team all star in 2009–10.
The team has finished in first place in its division twice and made the playoffs six times in its seventeen seasons, although only once in the last eleven years. After the Whalers relocated to become the Carolina Hurricanes, the Falcons were subsequently affiliated exclusively with the Jets, and with their relocated successors, the Phoenix Coyotes. The team was affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning between 2005 and 2007.
On March 19, 2007, the team announced that given its ninth straight losing season, it was exercising its option to sever relations with the Tampa Bay Lightning to become an affiliate to the Edmonton Oilers, starting in the 2007–08 AHL season, through the 2009–10 AHL season. The Tampa Bay Lightning became affiliated with the Norfolk Admirals.
The Edmonton Oilers Affiliation [edit]
On August 3, 2007, the team hired former Edmonton Oilers player Kelly Buchberger to be the head coach. After posting a .500 record, the Oilers promoted Buchberger to be an assistant coach on the Oilers staff. On June 17, 2008, assistant coach Jeff Truitt was named the team's tenth head coach. He was fired in February 2009, after 50 games, and replaced by former Houston Aeros coach Rob Daum. The Falcons finished the 2008–09 season with the worst record in the AHL.
On June 23, 2009, Edmonton Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini announced that Rob Daum would remain the head coach of the Springfield Falcons through the 2009–10 American Hockey League season. From November 25 to January 1, the Falcons went on a franchise record 17 game losing streak, recording only 5 points in that span. The Falcons finished the 2009–10 season as the worst team in the AHL once again, and was the only team that did not win 30 games. It marks the seventh consecutive year the Falcons have missed the playoffs.
On February 9, 2010 the Edmonton Oilers announced to sever ties with the Springfield Falcons, and move their affiliation to Oklahoma City, a decision that had been expected for months.
The Columbus Blue Jackets Affiliation [edit]
On March 25, 2010, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced a one-year affiliation agreement with a one-year option. Also introduced was a new jersey and logo. The new logo will still have a falcon holding a hockey stick, but the background will be grey, the word Falcons in red, and the word Springfield in navy blue. The new jerseys will have the Blue Jackets logo on the shoulders, with a white star on each sleeve. The new ECHL affiliation for the Falcons will be with the Evansville IceMen.
Rob Riley was named the new head coach of the Falcons on August 3, 2010, replacing Rob Daum. Riley was the former head coach at the United States Military Academy.
The Falcons opened the 2010–11 AHL season with a home-and-home matchup against the Providence Bruins. The Bruins hosted on October 8, 2010 in Providence, and the Falcons hosted on October 9, 2010 in Springfield. To honor the 75th anniversary of the American Hockey League, each team wore throwback jerseys from 1936. The Bruins wore the jerseys of the Providence Reds while the Falcons wore the jerseys of the Springfield Indians. The Falcons won the first game in Providence 5-1, while the Bruins took the following game in Springfield 6-5.
On December 21, 2010 it was announced that the Falcons had been sold from Springfield Pro Hockey, LLC to Falcons Hockey Entertainment, LLC. The majority owner is Charlie Pompea, while Bruce Landon is the minority owner, and will continue to be the president/general manager. Pompea has stated that he intends to keep the Falcons in Springfield, MA. It was also announced that day that the Falcons lease at the MassMutual Center was extended, as well as the affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The following season, Columbus decided to once again renew their affiliation with the Falcons, through the 2013–14 season.
During the 2011–12 AHL Season the Falcons honored the Springfield hockey teams that have won the Calder Cup. The teams honored include the 1960, 1961, 1962, 1974, 1990, and 1991 Springfield Indians, in addition to the 1971 Springfield Kings. The Falcons will wear commemorative jerseys for those games, and former coaches and players will be there to take part in pre-game festivities.
Following the season, Rob Riley was fired as head coach after two seasons of missing the playoffs. Assistant coach Brad Larsen was named head coach for the 2012–13 season.
On April 6, 2013, the Falcons officially qualified for the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs, ending a nine-year playoff drought, the longest in AHL history.[1]
This market was previously home to:
- Springfield Indians (1926–1994)
Season-by-season results [edit]
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | PCT | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing | Year | Prelims | 1st round |
2nd round |
3rd round |
Finals |
| 1994–95 | 80 | 31 | 37 | 12 | — | — | 74 | .463 | 269 | 289 | 5th, North | 1995 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 1995–96 | 80 | 42 | 22 | 11 | 5 | — | 100 | .625 | 272 | 215 | 1st, North | 1996 | — | W, 3–1, PRO | L, 2–4, POR | — | — |
| 1996–97 | 80 | 41 | 25 | 12 | 2 | — | 96 | .600 | 268 | 229 | 2nd, New England | 1997 | — | W, 3–2, POR | W, 4–1, PRO | L, 3–4, HER | — |
| 1997–98 | 80 | 45 | 26 | 7 | 2 | — | 99 | .619 | 278 | 248 | 1st, New England | 1998 | — | L, 1–3, WOR | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | 80 | 35 | 35 | 9 | 1 | — | 80 | .500 | 245 | 232 | 3rd, New England | 1999 | — | L, 0–3, HWP | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | 80 | 33 | 35 | 11 | 1 | — | 78 | .488 | 272 | 252 | 4th, New England | 2000 | — | L, 2–3, HWP | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | 80 | 29 | 37 | 8 | 6 | — | 72 | .450 | 253 | 280 | 6th, New England | 2001 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2001–02 | 80 | 35 | 41 | 2 | 2 | — | 74 | .463 | 213 | 237 | 5th, North | 2002 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2002–03 | 80 | 34 | 38 | 7 | 1 | — | 76 | .475 | 202 | 243 | 4th, East | 2003 | W, 2–0 HWP | L, 1–3, HAM | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | 80 | 26 | 43 | 9 | 2 | — | 63 | .394 | 179 | 234 | 7th, Atlantic | 2004 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2004–05 | 80 | 24 | 47 | — | 3 | 6 | 57 | .356 | 161 | 255 | 7th, Atlantic | 2005 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2005–06 | 80 | 28 | 43 | — | 3 | 6 | 65 | .406 | 220 | 312 | 6th, Atlantic | 2006 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2006–07 | 80 | 28 | 49 | — | 1 | 2 | 59 | .369 | 181 | 268 | 7th, Atlantic | 2007 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2007–08 | 80 | 35 | 35 | — | 5 | 5 | 80 | .500 | 214 | 257 | 5th, Atlantic | 2008 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2008–09 | 80 | 24 | 44 | — | 8 | 4 | 60 | .375 | 188 | 258 | 7th, Atlantic | 2009 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2009–10 | 80 | 25 | 39 | — | 12 | 4 | 66 | .413 | 207 | 296 | 8th, Atlantic | 2010 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2010–11 | 80 | 35 | 40 | — | 2 | 3 | 75 | .469 | 232 | 253 | 6th, Atlantic | 2011 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2011–12 | 76 | 36 | 34 | — | 3 | 3 | 78 | .513 | 217 | 231 | 4th, Northeast | 2012 | Out of Playoffs | ||||
| 2012–13 | 76 | 45 | 22 | — | 5 | 4 | 99 | .651 | 235 | 186 | 1st, Northeast | 2013 | — | W, 3–1, MAN | 0-3, SYR | — | — |
Players [edit]
Current roster [edit]
Updated May 3, 2013.[2]
Retired numbers [edit]
- #2: Eddie Shore
- #23: Rob Murray
Note: Former AHL President Jack Butterfield and Vice-President Gordie Anziano, longtime Springfield residents, have been honored with banners raised with the retired numbers.
List of team captains [edit]
- John Stevens, Rob Murray (co-captains) 1994–1996
- Rob Murray 1996–99
- Tavis Hansen 1999–01
- Jean-Guy Trudel 2001–02
- Rob Murray 2003
- Shane Willis 2005
- Ryan Craig 2005–06
- Norm Milley 2006–07
- Rick Berry 2007–08
- Tim Sestito 2008–09
- Dean Arsene 2009–10
- Ben Guite 2010–11
- Dane Byers 2011–12
- Ryan Craig 2012–13
Notable NHL alumni [edit]
List of Springfield Falcons alumni who played more than 100 games in Springfield and 100 or more games in the National Hockey League.
Team records [edit]
Single season [edit]
- Goals: John LeBlanc, 39 (1994–95)
- Goals by a Rookie: Daniel Briere, 36 (1997–98)
- Assists: Jean-Guy Trudel, 65 (2000–01)
- Points: Jean-Guy Trudel, 99 (2000–01)
- Penalty Minutes: Rob Murray, 373 (1994–95)
- Appearances by a Goalie: Devan Dubnyk, 62 (2008–09)
- GAA: Manny Legace 2.27 (1995–96)
- SV%: Curtis McElhinney, .923 (2012–13)
- Shutouts: Curtis McElhinney, 9 (2012–13)
Career [edit]
These are the top ten scorers in Falcons' history.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts |
| Jean-Guy Trudel | LW | 228 | 90 | 152 | 242 |
| Rob Murray | RW | 501 | 61 | 157 | 218 |
| Daniel Briere | RW | 169 | 88 | 129 | 217 |
| Jason Jaspers | C | 317 | 86 | 114 | 200 |
| Brad Tiley | D | 239 | 33 | 130 | 163 |
| Tavis Hansen | C | 298 | 79 | 79 | 158 |
| Eric Healey | LW | 178 | 57 | 80 | 137 |
| Jason McBain | D | 208 | 35 | 87 | 122 |
| Rob Schremp | F | 147 | 30 | 88 | 118 |
| Scott Levins | LW | 147 | 52 | 62 | 114 |
- Career Penalty Minutes: 1529 Rob Murray
- Career Goaltending Wins: 64 Manny Legace
- Career Shutouts: 9 Curtis McElhinney
- Career Games: 501 Rob Murray
Single game [edit]
- Goals: 4 Jean-Guy Trudel, Daniel Briere, Grant Potulny, Chad Wiseman
- Points: 6 Chad Wiseman
References [edit]
- ^ "First Four teams are in". American Hockey League. 2013-04-06.
- ^ "Springfield Falcons Roster". American Hockey League. Retrieved 2013-3-17.
External links [edit]
- The Springfield Falcons Official Website
- The Internet Hockey Database - Springfield Falcons
- The official website of the American Hockey League
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