Fort Wayne Komets

Last updated
Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets logo.svg
City Fort Wayne, Indiana
League ECHL (since 2012)
ConferenceWestern
DivisionCentral
Home arena Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
ColorsOrange, black, white
   
Owner(s)The Franke family/Scott Sproat
Head coachJesse Kallechy
Media96.3XKE (96.3 FM) (WXKE)
Affiliates Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
Website komets.com
Franchise history
First IHL Franchise
1952–1990Fort Wayne Komets
1990–1991 Albany Choppers
Current ECHL Franchise
1985–1990 Flint Spirits
1990–presentFort Wayne Komets
Championships
Regular season titles12 (1959–60, 1962–63, 1972–73, 1977–78, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09)
Division titles2 (2016, 2018)
Conference titles2 (2012, 2021)
Turner Cups7 (1963, 1965, 1973, 1993, 2008, 2009, 2010)
Ray Miron President's Cup1 (2012)
Colonial Cups1 (2003)
Kelly Cups1 (2021)
Hockey current event.svg Current season

The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team, which currently plays in the East Coast Hockey League. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They have won post-season championship titles in 1963, 1965, 1973, 1993, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2021. In all of North American professional hockey, only the Original Six teams of the NHL and the Hershey Bears of the AHL have played continuously in the same city with the same name longer than the Komets.

Contents

History

There have been two different hockey teams known as the Fort Wayne Komets. The original Komets franchise was founded in 1952 in the International Hockey League. In 1990 they moved to Albany, New York and became the Albany Choppers. They only played part of one season in Albany before folding on February 15, 1991. [1]

The second team was founded in 1985 in Flint, Michigan where they were known as the Flint Spirits. In 1990, only two days after the first Komets team left Fort Wayne, the Franke family of Fort Wayne bought the Flint Spirits, moved them to Fort Wayne, and took the Komets name and history. From 1985-1999 they also played in the IHL, then in 1999 they moved to the United Hockey League (UHL). In 2007 the UHL changed its name to the International Hockey League, which became available when the previous IHL ceased operations in 2001. In 2010 that league also ceased operations, and the Komets joined the Central Hockey League (CHL) along with the surviving members of their former league. In 2012 they left the CHL for their current league, the ECHL.

Affiliations

For the 2014–15 season, the Komets entered into a one-year affiliation with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, providing a direct line to Colorado's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. [2] [3] After a successful season and partnership proving beneficial to all parties, on July 21, 2015, the Komets announced a continuance of the affiliation with the Avalanche and new AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage on a two-year deal through the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons. [4] However, the Avalanche and Komets mutually agreed to end the affiliation one season early in 2016. [5] After a season operating independently of an affiliation, the Komets agreed to a one-year affiliation deal with the Arizona Coyotes and their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, [6] but did not extend the affiliation after the deal ended. [7]

On August 21, 2018, the Komets announced a new one-year affiliation agreement with the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights and AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves. [8] The affiliation was later extended for the 2019–20 season. [9] The affiliation with the Golden Knights ended on May 19, 2022. [10]

On July 27, 2022, the Komets announced a new affiliation agreement with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers and their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. [11]

On May 28, 2024, the Komets and Edmonton Oilers extended their affiliation agreement for the 2024-25 season. [12]

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the last ten seasons completed by the Fort Wayne Komets. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Fort Wayne Komets seasons

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGAPIMStandingYear1st round2nd round3rd roundKelly Cup
2012–13 723335137020524613854th, North 2013 Did not qualify
2013–14 72362475842152159543rd, North 2014 W, 4–1, REA L, 2–4, CIN ——
2014–15 7248182410225120010332nd, North 2015 W, 4–1, KAL L, 3–4, TOL ——
2015–16 724023728924020011961st, Midwest 2016 W, 4–3, CIN W, 4–0, UTA L, 1–4, ALN —
2016–17 724519629826421012922nd, Central 2017 W, 4–1, QC L, 1–4, TOL ——
2017–18 724620519829021610782nd, Central 2018 W, 4–1, CIN W, 4–2, TOL L, 3–4, COL —
2018–19 763626468223324811323rd, Central 2019 L, 2–4, TOL ———
2019–20 623123627021822010443rd, Central2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 51291732631701369253rd, West Conf. 2021 —W, 3–2, WIC W, 3–1, ALN W, 3–1, SC
2021–22 724025618726722512712nd, Central 2022 L, 3–4, WHL ———
2022–23 723431437527027514504th, Central 2023 L, 3–4, CIN ———
2023–24 72353034772242269965th, Central 2024 Did not qualify

Records as of the conclusion of the 2023–24 regular season. [13]

Players

Retired numbers

The Komets have honored over 40 personnel in three sections - Executive Builders, Team Personnel and Media - in the Komets Hall of Fame established in 1988. They have also retired numbers to honor 16 people over the course of their history. [14]

Fort Wayne Komets retired numbers
No.PlayerPositionTenureDate of honor
1 Chuck Adamson G 1962–1967October 26, 2013
2 Guy Dupuis D 1991–2011October 29, 2011
5 Terry Pembroke D 1964–19781988
6 Lionel Repka D 1958–19691988
11 Len Thornson C 1957–19691988
12 Reg Primeau C 1960–19691988
16 Eddie Long RW 1952–19661988
18 Rob Laird LW 1974–1989March 6, 2002
26 Colin Chin C 1986–1996November 17, 2007
30 Robbie Irons G 1967–19811988
33 Nick Boucher G 2007–2012October 26, 2013
40 Bob Chase Media1953–20161993
58 Ken Ullyot Owner1958–19821988
59 Colin Lister Owner1959–19851988
77 Steven Fletcher LW 1990–2002November 17, 2007
91 Colin Chaulk C 2002–2013February 19, 2017
504 [a] Al Sims [15] Coach1989–93, 2007–13March 25, 2017
  1. ↑ For his career wins as coach

Notable NHL alumni

List of Fort Wayne Komets alumni who played more than 100 games in the IHL and 100 or more games in the National Hockey League/World Hockey Association.

List of Fort Wayne Komets alumni who played more than 25 games in the ECHL and 25 or more games in the National Hockey League.

Franchise records

Scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed regular season.

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; * = still active with the team

PlayerPosGPGAPts
Len Thornson C7634128071219
Eddie Long RW801425427852
Colin Chaulk C581187497684
Terry McDougall C507249395644
Colin Chin C660246390636
John Goodwin LW480200387587
Guy Dupuis D945126417543
Reg Primeau C452200342542
Merv Dubchak RW437321218539
Robbie Laird LW520223276499

Regular season

Team records

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Miller, Chuck. "The IHL's Dirty Little Secret: the 1990-91 Albany Choppers". Chuck the Writer.
  2. ↑ Bailey, Chuck (July 24, 2014). "Komets announce affiliation with NHL's Avalanche and AHL's Monsters". WANE-TV . Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  3. ↑ Sebring, Blake (July 24, 2014). "Colorado affiliation could be different and better for Komets". The News-Sentinel . Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ Sebring, Blake (July 21, 2015). "Komets put together two-year deal with Avalanche". The News-Sentinel . Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Komets, Avalanche Terminate Affiliation". OurSports Central. July 19, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Coyotes Announce ECHL Affiliation With Fort Wayne Komets". Tucson Roadrunners . July 31, 2017. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  7. ↑ Sebring, Blake (June 18, 2018). "Fort Wayne Komets, Arizona Coyotes and Tucson Roadrunners end affiliation". The News-Sentinel . Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Komets announce affiliation with NHL's Vegas Golden Knights". Fort Wayne Komets. August 21, 2018. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Golden Knights And Fort Wayne Komets Renew ECHL Affiliation Agreement". Vegas Golden Knights . August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Komets Seek New Affiliation". Fort Wayne Komets. May 19, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Komets Announce Affiliation with the Edmonton Oilers". Fort Wayne Komets. July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Komets to continue partnership with Edmonton". Fort Wayne Komets. May 28, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Fort Wayne Komets Statistics and History [ECHL]". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Komets Hall of Fame". Fort Wayne Komets. August 15, 2015. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ Cohn, Justin A. (March 23, 2017). "Sims thrilled about Komets saluting 504". The Journal Gazette . Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Komets Historical Win". Fort Wayne Komets. 2008. Retrieved March 28, 2008.[ dead link ]
  17. ↑ "54th win sets new Fort Wayne franchise record". Fort Wayne Komets. 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2008.[ dead link ]
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