Norfolk Admirals (AHL)

The market was previously home to:

• Tidewater Wings (1971–1972 AHL)
• Virginia Wings (1972–1975 AHL)
• Hampton Gulls (1974–1977 SHL, 1977–1978 AHL)
• Hampton Aces (1978–1981 NEHL)
• Hampton Roads Gulls (1982–1983 ACHL)
• Hampton Roads Admirals (1989–2000 ECHL)

The original team ownership, Mark Garcea and Page Johnson (owners of the Hampton Roads Admirals franchise in the East Coast Hockey League), sought and gained admission to the American Hockey League as an expansion franchise for the 2000–01 season with an affiliation agreement with the Chicago Blackhawks. On May 26, 2004, the franchise was purchased by Ken Young after the original owners had put it up for sale.{{cite news|last=Hessler|first=Warner|date=May 26, 2004|title=Admirals to Stay in Norfolk|newspaper=Daily Press|url=https://www.dailypress.com/2004/05/26/admirals-to-stay-in-norfolk/}} The team name pays homage to the area's long naval history.

Norfolk was one of two franchises in the AHL named the Admirals, sharing the nickname with the Milwaukee Admirals. The Milwaukee franchise transferred from the defunct International Hockey League, and were allowed to keep their previous moniker.

File:Brandonbochenski admirals.JPG with the Admirals.]]

Norfolk's geographically closest rivals were the Hershey Bears, Charlotte Checkers, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Admirals had two mascots, a dog named Salty and a rabbit named Hat Trick.

On March 19, 2007, the Blackhawks announced that their affiliation with the Admirals would end after the 2006–07 season.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=March 20, 2007|title=Admirals' 7-year run with Blackhawks ends this year|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/norfolk-admirals/article_2bc5f131-018e-5f81-88d1-7f2f7ad69b94.html|access-date=October 17, 2021|website=The Virginian-Pilot}} On March 29, 2007, the Tampa Bay Lightning officially announced the Admirals as their new affiliate.{{Cite web|date=March 29, 2007|title=TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING ENTER INTO AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE'S NORFOLK ADMIRALS AFFILIATION TO BEGIN WITH 2007-08 SEASON|url=https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/tampa-bay-lightning-enter-into-affiliation-agreement-with-american-hockey-leagues-norfolk-admirals-affiliation-to-begin-with-2007-08-season/c-484036|access-date=October 17, 2021|website=Tampa Bay Lightning|language=en-US}} On June 14, 2012 Tampa Bay announced their separation from the 2012 Calder Cup champions in favor of the Syracuse Crunch. Later in that month owner Ken Young announced he had closed a five-year agreement with the Anaheim Ducks.

During the 2011–12 season, the Norfolk Admirals, coached by Jon Cooper, set a professional hockey record for the longest winning streak, winning their 28th consecutive game on April 15 against the Adirondack Phantoms.{{Cite web|last=McManus|first=Tim|date=April 16, 2012|title=Admirals close regular season with 28th straight win|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418110144/http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/admirals-close-regular-season-28th-straight-win|url=http://hamptonroads.com/2012/04/admirals-close-regular-season-28th-straight-win|archive-date=April 18, 2012|access-date=April 18, 2012|website=The Virginian-Pilot}}{{Cite web|title=Norfolk Admirals @ Adirondack Phantoms Sunday April 15, 2012 {{!}} TheAHL.com {{!}} The American Hockey League|url=https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1009767|access-date=October 17, 2021|website=American Hockey League}} The streak far surpassed the previous AHL record of 17 straight wins set by the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2004–05, as well as the pro hockey record of 18 games set by the Peoria Rivermen of the original International Hockey League in 1991.

The streak garnered international media attention for the Admirals and the American Hockey League, including highlights on NHL Network and ESPN's SportsCenter.

The 28-game streak included 15 home games and 13 road games. The win streak started on February 10 against Adirondack. Before their 3-2 OT win against Binghamton on April 14, the previous 20 games were all won in regulation.{{Cite web|date=April 6, 2012|title=Norfolk makes it 24, clinches points crown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408093654/http://theahl.com/norfolk-makes-it-24-clinches-points-crown-p176999|url=http://theahl.com/norfolk-makes-it-24-clinches-points-crown-p176999|archive-date=April 8, 2012|access-date=April 8, 2012|website=American Hockey League}} As of October 20, 2012, the Admirals had won 32 regular season games in a row dating back to the 2011–12 season.

The winning streak translated into a deep playoff run for the Admirals, where they would win 15 of 18 playoff games, including back to back four game sweeps in the Eastern Conference and Calder Cup Finals. On June 9, 2012, the Admirals captured their first ever Calder Cup with a 6–1 win over the Toronto Marlies.{{cite news|last=Hodges|first=Jim|date=June 10, 2012|title=Admirals win AHL championship with a sweep|newspaper=The Virginian-Pilot|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613191133/http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/admirals-win-ahl-championship-sweep|access-date=June 10, 2012|url=http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/admirals-win-ahl-championship-sweep|archive-date=June 13, 2012}}

Prior to the 2012–13 season, the Admirals and the Syracuse Crunch parent NHL organizations swapped teams. As a result, the Admirals failed to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs while the Crunch made it to the Calder Cup Finals.

On January 6, 2015, it was announced that the Admirals would move to an unknown location on the west coast, likely close to their NHL affiliate, after the franchise was purchased by the Anaheim Ducks.{{cite web|last=Minium|first=Harry|date=January 7, 2015|title=Sources say Admirals being sold, will leave Norfolk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108012055/http://hamptonroads.com/2015/01/sources-admirals-being-sold-will-leave-norfolk|url=http://hamptonroads.com/2015/01/sources-admirals-being-sold-will-leave-norfolk|archive-date=January 8, 2015|access-date=January 7, 2015|website=The Virginian-Pilot|publisher=Hampton Roads}} On January 29, 2015, the Ducks confirmed the Admirals' relocation to San Diego to become the newest incarnation of the San Diego Gulls. The Admirals were replaced in Norfolk with the relocated Bakersfield Condors franchise of the ECHL. The new team retained the Admirals name and logo but were affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers.{{cite web|date=January 7, 2015|title=AHL move west will see Condors ECHL franchise relocate east|url=https://www.bakersfield.com/sports/report-ahl-move-west-will-see-condors-echl-franchise-relocate-east/article_19306dc9-22e1-5143-b45b-23648bd409f7.html|access-date=September 28, 2020|website=The Bakersfield Californian}}

{{Main|Category:Norfolk Admirals players}}

• Aaron Downey, 2000–2001
• Ajay Baines, 2002–2006
• Craig MacDonald, 2006–2007
• Dan Jancevski, 2007–2008
• Zenon Konopka, 2008–2009
• Ryan Craig, 2009–2010
• Chris Durno, 2010–2011
• Mike Angelidis, 2011–2012
• Nate Guenin, 2012–2013
• Garnet Exelby, 2013–2014
• Dave Steckel, 2014–2015

NHL alumni of the Norfolk Admirals include:

{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

• Craig Anderson
• Tyler Arnason
• Michal Barinka
• Cam Barker
• Mark Bell
• Brandon Bochenski
• Rene Bourque
• Wade Brookbank
• Troy Brouwer
• Adam Burish
• Dustin Byfuglien
• Kyle Calder
• Cory Conacher
• Ryan Craig
• Corey Crawford
• Aaron Downey
• Steve Downie
• Vernon Fiddler
• Colin Fraser
• Adam Hall
• Tyler Johnson
• Duncan Keith
• Alex Killorn
• David Koci
• Zenon Konopka
• Michael Leighton
• Reed Low
• Mike Lundin
• Craig MacDonald
• Patrick Maroon
• Travis Moen
• Ondrej Palat
• Mark Parrish
• Mike Peluso
• Nathan Perrott
• Martin St. Pierre
• Brent Seabrook
• Matt Smaby
• Paul Szczechura
• Shawn Thornton
• Kris Versteeg
• Ty Wishart
• James Wisniewski

}}

In the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, sixteen former Admirals competed for the championship. Bryan Bickell, Dave Bolland, Troy Brouwer, Adam Burish, Dustin Byfuglien, Corey Crawford, Jake Dowell, Colin Fraser, Jordan Hendry, Duncan Keith, Danny Richmond, Brent Seabrook, Jack Skille, and Kris Versteeg were on the Chicago Blackhawks active roster. Michael Leighton and Lukas Krajicek played for the Philadelphia Flyers.{{cite web|date=May 25, 2010|title=Sixteen former Admirals players to compete for Stanley Cup|url=http://www.downtownnorfolk.org/files/docs/Sixteen%20Former%20Admirals%20Players%20to%20Compete%20for%20Stanley%20Cup.pdf|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230200352/http://www.downtownnorfolk.org/files/docs/Sixteen%20Former%20Admirals%20Players%20to%20Compete%20for%20Stanley%20Cup.pdf|archive-date=December 30, 2010|access-date=May 27, 2010|website=DowntownNorfolk.org}}

:Goals: Troy Brouwer, 41 (2006–07)

:Assists: Martin St. Pierre, 72 (2006–07)

:Points: Martin St. Pierre, 99 (2006–07)

:Penalty minutes: Zack Stortini, 299 (2013- 2014)

:Wins: Corey Crawford, 38 (2006–07)

:GAA: Craig Anderson, 1.94 (2002–03)

:SV%: Craig Anderson, .923 (2002–03)

:Career goals: Brandon Bochenski, 81

:Career assists: Marty Wilford, 141

:Career points: Blair Jones, 185

:Career penalty minutes: Shawn Thornton, 1198

:Career goaltending wins: Dustin Tokarski, 80

:Career shutouts: Michael Leighton, 18

:Career games: Ajay Baines, 409

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.norfolkadmirals.com Norfolk Admirals official website]
• [http://hamptonroads.com/pilot/sports/admirals PilotOnline.com]
• [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=2388 The Internet Hockey Database - Norfolk Admirals]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130510203214/http://norfolkadmiralszone.com/ The Voice of the Fans since 1997]

{{San Diego Gulls}}

{{Defunct AHL}}

Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in Virginia

Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2000

Category:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2015

Category:Anaheim Ducks minor league affiliates

Category:2000 establishments in Virginia

Category:2015 disestablishments in Virginia

Category:Sports clubs and teams in Norfolk, Virginia

Category:Chicago Blackhawks minor league affiliates

Category:Tampa Bay Lightning minor league affiliates