Adirondack Red Wings

Adirondack Red Wings
CityGlens Falls, New York
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
Operated1979–1999
Home arenaGlens Falls Civic Center
ColorsRed and White
AffiliateDetroit Red Wings
Franchise history
1971–1972Tidewater Wings
1972–1975Virginia Wings
1979–1999Adirondack Red Wings
2002–2020San Antonio Rampage
2020–presentHenderson Silver Knights
Championships
Division titles3
(1985–86, 1988–89,
1993–94)
Calder Cups4
(1980–81, 1985–86,
1988–89, 1991–92)

The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, United States at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.

History

Desirous of promoting a winning atmosphere, Detroit ensured that the Adirondack Red Wings would have, for a minor league franchise, an unusually stable, veteran-laden roster. Veterans such as Glenn Merkosky, Jody Gage, Greg Joly, Norm Maracle and Dennis Polonich bolstered a team that saw over thirty players have 200 or more games with the franchise, including nine with over 300 and two (Merkosky and Joly) with over 400. In consequence, the Red Wings missed the playoffs only once in their twenty-year history. They played for the Calder Cup four times, winning each time.

The Red Wings' uniforms were identical to the parent club, with the white jersey featuring the distinctive red sleeves that the Detroit franchise has worn since 1956. During their final two seasons, the Adirondack Red Wings also wore a third jersey, based on Detroit's throwback design from 1991–92, replacing the word "DETROIT" on the front of the jersey with the winged wheel logo.

The Red Wings prospered as Detroit's top affiliate. However, by the late 1990s, the parent club wanted to move the affiliation closer to Detroit in order to ease movement of players between the minors and the NHL. In early 1999, the Detroit Red Wings announced plans to move the team to Rossford, Ohio—a Toledo suburb—for the 2000–01 season. The Red Wings later suspended operations of the team following the 1998–99 season. As part of the agreement to relocate the franchise, the city of Rossford was to build a $48 million entertainment complex that included a 12,000-seat arena. However, the arena deal fell apart in late 2000.[1] The franchise remained dormant until 2002, when it was purchased by the ownership of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs and resurrected as the San Antonio Rampage.[2]

The franchise was replaced by:

Coaches

General managers

Season-by-season results

Adirondack Red Wings rafter banners hang at the Cool Insuring Arena in 2024

Regular season

Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL Points Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing
1971–72 76 22 45 9 — 53 197 275 6th, West
1972–73 76 38 22 16 — 92 258 221 3rd, West
1973–74 76 22 44 10 — 54 216 307 6th, South
1974–75 75 31 31 13 — 75 254 250 1st, South
1979–80 80 32 37 11 — 75 297 309 4th, North
1980–81 80 35 40 5 — 75 305 328 2nd, South
1981–82 80 34 37 9 — 77 299 285 5th, South
1982–83 80 36 39 5 — 77 329 343 4th, North
1983–84 80 37 29 14 — 88 344 330 2nd, North
1984–85 80 35 37 8 — 78 290 336 5th, North
1985–86 80 41 31 8 — 90 339 298 1st, North
1986–87 80 44 31 — 5 93 329 296 2nd, North
1987–88 80 42 23 11 4 99 306 275 3rd, South
1988–89 80 47 27 6 — 100 369 294 1st, South
1989–90 80 42 27 11 — 95 330 304 2nd, South
1990–91 80 33 37 10 — 76 320 346 5th, South
1991–92 80 40 36 4 — 84 335 309 2nd, North
1992–93 80 36 35 9 — 81 331 308 2nd, North
1993–94 80 45 27 8 — 98 333 273 1st, North
1994–95 80 32 38 10 — 74 271 294 4th, North
1995–96 80 38 32 8 2 86 271 247 2nd, Central
1996–97 80 38 28 12 2 90 258 249 2nd, Empire State
1997–98 80 31 37 9 3 74 245 275 4th, Empire State
1998–99 80 21 48 8 3 53 184 280 4th, Empire State

Playoffs

Season 1st round 2nd round 3rd round Finals
1971–72 Out of Playoffs
1972–73 W, 4-3, Hershey L, 2-4, Cincinnati — —
1973–74 Out of Playoffs
1974–75 L, 1-4, New Haven — — —
1979–80 L, 1-4, New Brunswick — — —
1980–81 W, 4-2, Binghamton W, 4-2, Hershey — W, 4-2, Maine
1981–82 L, 2-3, New Brunswick — — —
1982–83 L, 2-4, Fredericton — — —
1983–84 L, 3-4, Maine — — —
1984–85 Out of Playoffs
1985–86 W, 4-2, Fredericton W, 4-1, Moncton — W, 4-2, Hershey
1986–87 W, 4-2, Moncton L, 1-4, Sherbrooke — —
1987–88 W, 4-3, Rochester L, 0-4, Hershey — —
1988–89 W, 4-1, Newmarket W, 4-3, Hershey — W, 4-1, New Haven
1989–90 L, 2-4, Baltimore — — —
1990–91 L, 4-13, Hershey † — — —
1991–92 W, 4-1, New Haven W, 4-0, Springfield W, 2-1, Rochester W, 4-3, St. John's
1992–93 W, 4-0, Capital District L, 3-4, Springfield — —
1993–94 W, 4-2, Springfield L, 2-4, Portland — —
1994–95 L, 0-4, Albany — — —
1995–96 L, 0-3, Rochester — — —
1996–97 L, 1-3, Albany — — —
1997–98 L, 0-3, Albany — — —
1998–99 L, 0-3, Rochester — — —

† Two game combined total goals series in preliminary round.

Notable alumni

Team records

Career goals: Glenn Merkosky: 204
Career assists: Glenn Merkosky: 212
Career points: Glenn Merkosky: 416
Career penalty minutes: Gord Kruppke: 1,028
Career games: Glenn Merkosky: 430

Former affiliates (6 stations)

References

  1. ^ "New home is no home". Albany Business Review. November 20, 2000.
  2. ^ Fischel, Mark (January 30, 2003). "San Antonio Rampage "Stampede" into the AHL". Hockey's Future. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved June 17, 2005.