Capital District Islanders
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| Capital District Islanders | |
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| Played | 1990-1993 |
| Home ice | Houston Field House |
| Based in | Troy, New York |
| Colors | Blue, orange and white |
| League | American Hockey League |
The Capital District Islanders was a team in the American Hockey League and the principal minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders during the 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons.
When the International Hockey League expanded eastward out of its Great Lakes stronghold to move the Fort Wayne Komets to Albany, New York (the Albany Choppers), despite the AHL already having an established team in the Hudson Valley -- the Adirondack Red Wings in Glens Falls, New York -- AHL management attempted to sabotage the move by locating another team in the Albany area. The Islanders switched its affiliation from the then-Calder Cup champion Springfield Indians, to the expansion Capital District Islanders franchise to play out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's rink on its Troy campus. In the ensuing price and attendance wars, the Choppers folded midseason.
The Islanders' best record was in the 1993 season, when the team finished 34-34-12 for 3rd place in its division and its only playoff berth. Among the team's notable players were Greg Parks, its leading career scorer in only one and a half seasons; forwards Richard Kromm and Brent Grieve, defensemen Dennis Vaske, Jeff Finley and Dean Chynoweth and goaltender Danny Lorenz.
In 1993, the owner of the Islanders, Capital District automobile dealer Michael Cantanucci, sold the franchise to local insurance magnate Albert Lawrence.[1] Lawrence renamed the team the Albany River Rats, changed its affiliation to the New Jersey Devils, and moved the team to Albany's Knickerbocker Arena, the same arena in which the Albany Choppers played in 1990. The current AHL affiliation of the New York Islanders is the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
[edit] References
- ^ Aurentz, Tim. "Lawrence may lose River Rats", The Business Review, 1997-12-19. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
