New York Raiders

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The New York Raiders were an ice hockey team based in New York City that played in the World Hockey Association.

The team was one of the original WHA franchises in 1972. It participated in the first WHA draft. Its coach was Camille Henry and the very first draft pick - second overall - was Al Sims. Sims did not, however, play for the Raiders, but he signed with the Boston Bruins instead.

Intended to be the WHA's flagship franchise, the team was initially slated to play in the brand-new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island. However, Nassau County didn't consider the WHA a professional league and wanted nothing to do with the Raiders. Nassau County retained William Shea to get an NHL team to play in the new building. The NHL responded by hastily awarding a franchise to Long Island--the New York Islanders.

The Raiders were forced to play in Madison Square Garden, where they faced being tenants to their major competitor, the New York Rangers. The situation rapidly became untenable, with an onerous lease and poor attendance. The three original owners defaulted, and the league ended up taking control of the team midway through the season.

Following the season, a new local owner bought the team and renamed it the New York Golden Blades. Among The Golden Blades' claims to fame was the only female coach in U.S. professional sports, their power skating coach who was featured on To Tell The Truth. After the 1973 season, the team moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, playing in the Cherry Hill Arena; and was rechristened The New Jersey Knights.