The Omaha Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team that played in Omaha, Nebraska. The Knights were members of the American Hockey Association from 1939 to 1942, until the team went on hiatus during World War II. The Knights returned to the ice, playing in the United States Hockey League from 1945 to 1951. At least two former players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Gordie Howe played for the Knights from 1945–1946 and Terry Sawchuk played from 1947–1948.
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). As of the 2023–24 AHL season, 31 of the 32 AHL teams had an official affiliation with an NHL team; immediately following season's end, the Chicago Wolves and Carolina Hurricanes finalized an affiliation agreement, resulting in all AHL teams having an NHL affiliation for the upcoming 2024–25 season. Historically, when an NHL team does not have an AHL affiliate, its players are assigned to AHL teams affiliated with other NHL franchises.
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs were a professional ice hockey team, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They played in the American Hockey League, from 1971 to 1984. Originally chartered as the Omaha Knights of the Central Professional Hockey League before becoming the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League, the organization was relocated to Montreal after five seasons due to low attendance and travel costs. The Voyageurs played their first two seasons (1969–71), as the Montreal Voyageurs and were the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens.
The Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Omaha, Nebraska, United States at the Omaha Civic Auditorium from 2005–2007. Following the 2006–07 season, the Calgary Flames announced that the team would relocate to the Quad Cities for 2007–08.
The Toledo Blades and Hornets were the International Hockey League franchise of Toledo, Ohio from 1963 to 1974. The first four years (1959-1963) of the franchise was in Omaha, NE as the Omaha Knights. After moving to Toledo for the 1963-64 season, they were renamed the Blades. The team name was changed to Hornets in 1970. The franchise left Toledo after the 1973–74 season for Lansing, MI, where they became the Lansing Lancers.
The Omaha Lancers are a Tier I junior ice hockey team and are members of the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Founded in 1986, the Lancers play at the Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Ralston, Nebraska. Previous arenas of use include the Omaha Civic Auditorium, Mid-America Center, Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum, and Motto McLean Ice Arena.
Omaha Knights may refer to:
The Central Professional Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league that operated in the United States from 1963 to 1984. Named the Central Hockey League for the 1968–69 season and forward, it was owned and operated by the National Hockey League and served as a successor to the Eastern Professional Hockey League, which had folded after the 1962–63 season. Four of the CHL's initial franchises were, in fact, relocations of the previous year's EPHL teams, while the fifth came from the International Hockey League. Its founding president was Jack Adams, who served in the role until his death in 1968. The CHL's championship trophy was called the Adams Cup in his honor.
The United States Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league that operated from 1945 to 1951. It was a post-World War II revival of the American Hockey Association, which shut down in the fall of 1942. The league playoff champion was awarded the Paul W. Loudon Trophy while the regular season champions were awarded the Directors' Cup.
The New Haven Eagles were a professional ice hockey team that played in New Haven, Connecticut. The Eagles were one of five inaugural franchises in the Canadian American Hockey League, and a founding member of the American Hockey League.
The 2007–08 AHL season was the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.
The American Hockey Association (AHA) was a minor professional hockey league that operated between 1926 and 1942. It had previously operated as the Central Hockey League, and before that as part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association. The AHA was the first professional hockey league to field teams in the Southern United States. The founding president was Alvin Warren, who also owned the St. Paul Saints.
The Quad City Flames was an American professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 2007 to 2009. They were owned by QC Sports Ventures Inc., an ownership group based out of the Quad Cities. The Flames played at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois, serving as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames. The move to the Quad Cities was confirmed on May 24, 2007. As a result, the arena's previous hockey tenant, the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League ceased operations.
Carl David "Winky" Smith was an ice hockey winger who played in seven games in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings in 1943. Smith picked up his nickname when he played on the same line as Ray Powell for the Omaha Knights following World War II. His brother Dalton "Nakina" Smith, played with him on many occasions throughout his career.
Sports in Omaha, Nebraska are supported by a high attendance at events and tax support from the City of Omaha. Omaha, Nebraska is home to several professional sports teams and modern sports venues.
The Billings Bulls were a junior ice hockey organization based in Billings, Montana. They most recently played home games at the 550-seat Centennial Ice Arena and due to the arena's small size, the Bulls frequently sold-out games. They previously played their home games in the Metrapark which had a max capacity of 9,000 for hockey games. However, a negotiating dispute with arena officials and local county commissioners resulted in the team losing its lease.
Edward Ernest H. Bruneteau was a Canadian ice hockey right winger. Bruneteau played 181 games with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League over seven seasons between 1941 and 1948. He also coached the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League for 21 games in the 1986–87 season leading the team to a 0–21 record. Ed is the younger brother of "Mud" Bruneteau, famous for ending the longest overtime game in NHL history.
William Gordon Carter is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 16 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins between 1957 and 1962. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1956 to 1969, was spent in various minor leagues.
Nebraska had more failures than success in ice hockey for much of its history. However, since the 1990s the sport has seen a massive amount of growth in the cornhusker state.
The Omaha Knights was a minor professional ice hockey team in Omaha, Nebraska. The franchise was founded in 1959 and played for four seasons before relocating to Toledo, Ohio. The team was swiftlu replaced by the identically named Omaha Knights of the Central Professional Hockey League.
The Omaha Knights was a minor professional ice hockey team in Omaha, Nebraska. The franchise was founded in 1963 as the St. Paul Rangers and played for three seasons in Minnesota. After the NHL announced that it would place a new franchise in the region, the then-Minnesota Rangers moved to Omaha, taking up the same residence as several former professional teams. As a way to curry favor with the fanbase and honor the past, the team took on the moniker of the previous three franchises and was the fourth to bear the name 'Omaha Knights'. This squad was the most successful of the bunch, lasing for nine seasons and winning three league championships.