Des Moines Capitols | |
---|---|
City | Des Moines, Iowa |
League | International Hockey League |
Division | South |
Operated | 1972–1975 |
Home arena | Des Moines Ice Arena |
Colors | Red, Gold, White |
Owner(s) | Crawford C. Hubbell |
General manager | Ken Wilson |
Head coach | Dan Belisle |
Franchise history | |
1961–1972 | Des Moines Oak Leafs |
1972–1975 | Des Moines Capitols |
Championships | |
Turner Cups | 1 (1973–74) |
The Des Moines Capitols, were a minor league professional ice hockey team in Des Moines, Iowa, playing at the Des Moines Ice Arena. They were members of the International Hockey League from 1972 to 1975, and previously known as the Des Moines Oak Leafs. In 1973, Danny Gloor won the Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.
In 1973–74, the Capitols won the Fred A. Huber Trophy as regular season champions, with a record of 45 wins, 25 losses, and 6 ties, totalling 96 points, despite having the most travelling of any team in the IHL. In the 1974 playoffs, the Capitols defeated the Saginaw Gears in six games to win the Turner Cup. The same season, Peter Mara was awarded the Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy, as the league's leading scorer and the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy, as outstanding playing ability and sportsmanlike conduct; and Frank Demarco won the rookie of the year.
The Houston Aeros were a professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (IHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL). The team played in Houston, Texas, at The Summit from 1994 until 2003 and the Toyota Center from 2003 to 2013. In the IHL, the team operated as an independent minor league team from 1994 to 2001, though the team occasionally accepted players on loan from various National Hockey League (NHL) clubs for development. Upon joining the AHL for the 2001–02 season, they became the primary affiliate of the one-year-old NHL expansion team, the Minnesota Wild, a partnership they maintained until the franchise's relocation in 2013. While the team's only formal partnership with the Dallas Stars was a partial affiliation agreement during the 2004–05 season, Dallas occasionally sent some of their prospects to the Aeros on individual loans from 1993 to 2005, until the establishment of the Iowa Stars gave Dallas its own primary farm team.
Ralph Gerald Backstrom was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and later a coach, entrepreneur and hockey executive. He played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, and Chicago Black Hawks between 1956 and 1973. He also played in the World Hockey Association with the Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics, and New England Whalers from 1973 to 1977. With the Canadiens, he won the Stanley Cup six times, and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year in 1959. After retiring he served as head coach of the University of Denver Pioneers for several years in the 1980s.
Edward Charles John "Eddie" Litzenberger was a Canadian ice hockey right winger from Neudorf, Saskatchewan. Litzenberger was "donated" to the Chicago Black Hawks by the Montreal Canadiens in his first year in the National Hockey League (NHL). At the time the Black Hawks were struggling to survive as a franchise, and the league governors decided to help the team remain viable.
Eric Vail is a Canadian former ice hockey player who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings. He helped Calgary reach the 1981 NHL playoff semifinals for the first time in club history.
Grant David "Knobby" Warwick was a professional ice hockey right winger who played 9 seasons in the National Hockey League. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1942. Grant is the brother of Bill Warwick.
James Michael Carey, is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Vezina Trophy for the NHL's best goaltender in 1996.
Guyle Abner Fielder is an American former professional ice hockey center. He is most known for his time in the minor Western Hockey League, where he played from 1952 to 1973. Fielder also played 9 regular season and 6 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1951 and 1958. He is the fourth-leading scorer in professional ice hockey history, behind Wayne Gretzky, Jaromír Jágr and Gordie Howe, and holds the career records for minor-league ice hockey for the most games played, assists and points scored.
The Des Moines Oak Leafs were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Des Moines, Iowa, playing at Des Moines Ice Arena. The Oak Leafs were members of the United States Hockey League from 1961 to 1963, and the International Hockey League from 1963 to 1972. After 1972, the team was renamed the Des Moines Capitols.
Claude Verret is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted in the eighth round, 163rd overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.
Kenneth Athol Wilson was a minor league hockey general manager and owner for forty years. He was born in Craik, Saskatchewan. His career as a manager spanned sixteen years in the International Hockey League, five years in the Continental Hockey League and single seasons each in the National Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Eastern Hockey League. Wilson was known for identifying young talent; his players won league-wide Rookie of the Year awards seven times.
Marvin Wayne Edwards was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. He played 61 games in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and California Golden Seals between 1969 and 1974. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1955 to 1974, was spent in various minor leagues, professional and amateur. Internationally, Edwards played for Canada "Belleville McFarlands" at the 1959 World Championships, winning a gold medal.
Thomas Robert Mellor is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played 26 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1973–74 and 1974–75 seasons. Internationally Mellor played for the American national team at the 1972 Winter Olympics, winning a silver medal.
Peter John Mara is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward.
The Trio Grande was a line of professional ice hockey forwards who played together for the New York Islanders from the late 1970s through the early 1980s. The line consisted of Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier at center, Clark Gillies at left wing and Mike Bossy at right wing.
The 1973–74 IHL season was the 29th season of the International Hockey League, a North American minor professional league. Nine teams participated in the regular season, and the Des Moines Capitols won the Turner Cup.
Michael Houser is an American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing with the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League (AHL). He has previously played with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Scott Owens is an American former ice hockey player and coach. Owens was the long-time head coach of Colorado College.
Frank DeMarco is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.