Fredericton Express

{{Pro hockey team | CAN_eng = 1|

| text_color = #cc3300

| bg_color = #99ccff

| team = Fredericton Express

| logo = Fredericton express logo.png

| logosize = 200px

| city = Fredericton, New Brunswick

| league = American Hockey League

| operated = 1981–1988

| arena = Aitken Centre

| affiliates = Quebec Nordiques
Vancouver Canucks

| name1 = Fredericton Express

| dates1 = 1981–1988

| name2 = Halifax Citadels

| dates2 = 1988–1993

| name3 = Cornwall Aces

| dates3 = 1993–1996

| name4 = Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

| dates4 = 1999–present

| division_titles = 2: (1982–83, 1983–84)

}}

The Fredericton Express were a professional ice hockey team based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. They played in the American Hockey League between 1981 and 1988. The Express were affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. Home games were played at the Aitken Centre on the University of New Brunswick campus.{{Cite web |last=Crossley |first=Drew |date=2014-07-19 |title=Fredericton Express |url=https://funwhileitlasted.net/2014/07/19/1981-1988-fredericton-express/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Fun While It Lasted |language=en-US}}

After the Canucks hired Brian Burke as Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations in 1987, tensions between the joint ownership by the two teams were beginning to show Burke visited Fredericton for the first time in October of that year. The previous season the Express had the 2nd worst record in the AHL and the team’s top five scorers were all sent down by the Canucks.

Despite the internal conflict,in 1988 the Express played their best season yet, with a 42-21 Win-Loss record. The Express went on to play in the Calder Cup Finals, where they lost to the Hershey Bears, with a final score of 4-2. During the summer of that year, they moved to become the Halifax Citadels.

Season-by-season results

=Regular season=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Season{{Cite web |title=Fredericton Express hockey team statistics and history at hockeydb.com |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/fredericton-express-5806.html |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=www.hockeydb.com}}GamesWonLostTiedOTLPointsGoals
for
Goals
against
Standing
1981–828020555452754085th, North
1982–838045278983482841st, North
1983–848045305953402621st, North
1984–858036368802793012nd, North
1985–868035378783193114th, North
1986–878032435692923576th, North
1987–8880422783953703182nd, North

=Playoffs=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Season1st round2nd roundFinals
1981–82colspan="3"|Out of playoffs
1982–83W, 4–2, AdirondackL, 2–4, Maine
1983–84L, 3–4, Nova Scotia
1984–85L, 2–4, Sherbrooke
1985–86L, 2–4, Adirondack
1986–87colspan="3"|Out of playoffs
1987–88W, 4–2, SherbrookeW, 4–1, MaineL, 0–4, Hershey

See also

References