St. John's Maple Leafs
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St. John's Maple Leafs | |
---|---|
Maple Leaf Gardens Limited | |
Media | CJYQ |
Affiliate | Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) |
Franchise history | |
1978–1982 | New Brunswick Hawks |
1982–1986 | St. Catharines Saints |
1986–1991 | Newmarket Saints |
1991–2005 | St. John's Maple Leafs |
2005–present | Toronto Marlies |
Championships | |
Regular season titles | 1 (1993–94) |
Division titles | 3 (1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97) |
Conference titles | 1 (1991–92) |
Calder Cups | 0 |
The St. John's Maple Leafs were a minor ice hockey team in the
While the AHL had a strong presence in Atlantic Canada in the 1980s and 1990s, largely due to the desire of several National Hockey League Canadian franchises to continue to pay players sent down to the minors in Canadian dollars, by 2004, St. John's was the last remaining team in the region prior to its relocation to Ontario.[1]
History
The Leafs' AHL franchise was established in
The team initially played their home games at Memorial Stadium. The St. John's Maple Leafs played their inaugural game on May 8, 1991, in front of a sold-out crowd, where they defeated the Fredericton Canadiens 5–3.[3] The team made it to the Calder Cup finals in their inaugural season, losing a seven game series to the Adirondack Red Wings four-games-to-three. The Leafs were crowned division champions for the 1992–93 and 1996–97 seasons, and won the regular season title during the 1993–94 AHL season.
In 1993, municipal workers for the City of St. John's voted to strike including the city staff operating the St. John's Memorial Stadium. Prior a game in February, the Maple Leafs team arrived at the stadium on a bus, where they were met by a picket line of strikers who then surrounded the bus and began rocking it with the team and personnel on board. Local police were able to intervene, allowing the bus and Maple Leafs to escape unharmed. Following the incident, the Leafs took an extended road trip and the Toronto Maple Leafs threatened to pull the team out of the province.
The Maple Leafs were a successful team throughout their time in St. John's and made multiple appearances in the AHL
Their 2005 playoff loss marked the end of 34 consecutive seasons of the AHL's presence in Atlantic Canada, which began in 1971 with the
Equipment manager
Shannon (Shaq) Coady was the original stick boy for the St. John's Maple Leafs, after winning a local contest at the age of 14.
Mascot
The St. John's Maple Leafs' team mascot was a puffin named "Buddy." Buddy wore a Maple Leafs home jersey with the number 92 to commemorate the year he was introduced. The puffin design was selected from a fan contest to create a mascot for the Leafs' second season. Buddy remained the mascot until the team's departure in 2005. Buddy was reintroduced as the mascot for the St. John's IceCaps wearing an IceCaps home jersey with his familiar number of 92. Buddy also served as the mascot for the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL.[9] Chris Abbott, the man in the costume, died in St. John's on February 1, 2022.[10]
Media
St. John's Maple Leafs games were broadcast by VOCM news radio, (and by CJYQ in later seasons) and on local television by Cable Atlantic, which was acquired by Rogers Communications in 2001. Brian Rogers was the long-time voice of the St. John's Maple Leafs,[11] after taking over the role from George MacClaren[12] in 1994.
Affiliates
- Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL, 1991–2005)
- Greensboro Generals (ECHL, 2002–03 season)
- Pensacola Ice Pilots (ECHL, 2004–05 season)
Coaches
- Marc Crawford (1991–1994)
- Tom Watt (1994–1995)
- Mike Foligno (1995–1996)
- Mark Hunter (1996–1997)
- Al MacAdam (1997–2000)
- Lou Crawford (2000–2003)
- Doug Shedden (2003–2005)
Notable alumni
- Kevyn Adams
- Jean-Sebastien Aubin
- Patrik Augusta
- Don Beaupre
- Lonny Bohonos
- Sebastien Centomo
- Rich Chernomaz
- Marcel Cousineau
- Marc Crawford
- Nathan Dempsey
- Kelly Fairchild
- Brad Leeb
- David Ling
- Donald MacLean
- Ken McRae
- Mike Minard
- Yanic Perreault
- Felix Potvin
- Joel Quenneville
- Chris Snell
- Shawn Thornton
- Jimmy Waite
- Kyle Wellwood
- Brian Wiseman
- Bob Wren
Season-by-season results
Regular season
Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991–92 | 80 | 39 | 29 | 12 | — | — | 90 | 325 | 285 | 2nd, Atlantic |
1992–93 | 80 | 41 | 26 | 13 | — | — | 95 | 351 | 308 | 1st, Atlantic |
1993–94 | 80 | 45 | 23 | 12 | — | — | 102 | 360 | 287 | 1st, Atlantic |
1994–95 | 80 | 33 | 37 | 10 | — | — | 76 | 263 | 263 | 2nd, Atlantic |
1995–96 | 80 | 31 | 31 | 14 | 4 | — | 80 | 248 | 274 | 3rd, Atlantic |
1996–97 | 80 | 36 | 28 | 10 | 6 | — | 88 | 265 | 264 | 1st, Canadian |
1997–98 | 80 | 25 | 32 | 18 | 5 | — | 73 | 233 | 254 | 4th, Atlantic |
1998–99 | 80 | 34 | 35 | 7 | 4 | — | 79 | 246 | 270 | 2nd, Atlantic |
1999–00 |
80 | 23 | 45 | 8 | 4 | — | 58 | 202 | 277 | 5th, Atlantic |
2000–01 | 80 | 35 | 35 | 8 | 2 | — | 80 | 247 | 244 | 3rd, Canadian |
2001–02 | 80 | 34 | 27 | 17 | 2 | — | 87 | 256 | 240 | 3rd, Canadian |
2002–03 | 80 | 32 | 40 | 6 | 2 | — | 72 | 236 | 285 | 3rd, Canadian |
2003–04 | 80 | 32 | 36 | 8 | 4 | — | 76 | 225 | 265 | 7th, North |
2004–05 | 80 | 46 | 28 | 5 | 1 | — | 98 | 244 | 232 | 2nd, North |
Playoffs
Season | Prelim | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991–92 | — | W, 4–1, CB | W, 4–0, MON | bye | L, 3–4, ADK |
1992–93 | — | W, 4–1, MON | L, 0–4, CB | — | — |
1993–94 | — | W, 4–1, CB | L, 2–4, MON | — | — |
1994–95 | — | L, 1–4, FRE | — | — | — |
1995–96 | — | L, 1–3, SJNB | — | — | — |
1996–97 | — | W, 3–1, BNG | L, 3–4, HAM | — | — |
1997–98 | — | L, 1–3, SJNB | — | — | — |
1998–99 | — | L, 2–4, FRE | — | — | — |
1999–00 |
Did not qualify | ||||
2000–01 | — | L, 1–3, QUE | — | — | — |
2001–02 | W, 2–0, PRO | W, 3–2, LOW |
L, 0–4, BRI |
— | — |
2002–03 | Did not qualify | ||||
2003–04 | Did not qualify | ||||
2004–05 | — | L, 1–4, MTB | — | — | — |
Team Records
Single Season
- Goals: 53 - Patrik Augusta (1993–94)
- Assists: 74 - Chris Snell (1993–94)
- Points: 110 - Rich Chernomaz (1993–94)
- Penalty minutes: 354 - Shawn Thornton (1998–99)
- GAA (min 25 games): 2.42 - Mike Minard (2000–01)
- SV% (min 25 games): .926 - Sebastien Centomo(2001–02)
- Shutouts: 6 - Jimmy Waite (1999–2000)
Career
- Games: 508 - Nathan Dempsey
- Goals: 132 - Yanic Perreault
- Assists: 196 - Nathan Dempsey
- Points: 276 - Yanic Perreault
- Penalty minutes: 1215 - Shawn Thornton
- Goaltending wins: 80 - Marcel Cousineau
- Shutouts: 7 - Jimmy Waite
References
- ^ "Baby Leafs to leave St. John's after 14 seasons". CBC. August 9, 2004. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ Ballou, Bill (April 4, 2013). "AHL: Bracken Kearns easy Worcester Sharks MVP choice". Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- ^ McCarthy, Brendan (May 7, 2021). "St. John's entered the AHL three decades ago, in a much different time and a much different league". Saltwire. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ Richer, Shawna (October 26, 2004). "'Go Leafs Go' develops a hollow ring". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ McCarthy, Brendan (October 15, 2011). "Former St. John's Maple Leafs GM says ego, not logistics, was reason behind moving Baby Buds to Toronto". The Telegram. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
- ^ CBC News, NL (August 9, 2004). "It's official: Baby Leafs are leaving". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ Robin, Short (March 25, 2021). "Former St. John's Maple Leafs, IceCaps equipment manager dies". Saltwire. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ CBC News, NL (March 26, 2021). "St. John's hockey community remembers longtime Maple Leafs, IceCaps equipment manager". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ O'Leary, Ken (July 7, 2020). "New Buddy Merch". Newfoundland Growlers. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- ^ "Chris Abbott, beloved by St. John's sports fans as Buddy the Puffin, dead at 51". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Faces of the AHL — Brian Rogers". Saltwire News. April 21, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ Government, NL (July 7, 2012). "Premier expresses sympathy on passing of George MacLaren". Government of NL. Retrieved January 11, 2022.