North American Hockey League (1973–1977)
{{Short description|Minor professional hockey league}}
{{About|the defunct professional league|the junior league in the United States|North American Hockey League|the Quebec-based professional league|Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = North American Hockey League
| logo = File:North american hockey league 1973-77.gif
| founded = 1973
| folded = 1977
| replaced = American Hockey League
| teams = 7 to 10
| country = United States & Canada
| most_champs = Syracuse Blazers (2)
}}
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league that existed from 1973 to 1977. Several of the NAHL teams operated as developmental ("farm") teams for World Hockey Association franchises. The NAHL was one of two leagues, along with the Southern Hockey League, that were formed after the Eastern Hockey League ceased operations in 1973. The Lockhart Cup was the league's championship trophy. With the loss of a number of franchises and financial struggles, the NAHL folded in September 1977.Reading Eagle, 26 September 1977
Teams
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Team name | Years | Seasons | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" | 1975–1976 | 2 | Saint-Georges, Quebec |
| align="center" | 1973–1977 | 4 | Binghamton, New York |
| align="center" | 1975–1976 | 1 | North Tonawanda, New York |
| align="center" | 1973–1976 | 3 | South Yarmouth, Massachusetts |
| align="center" | 1975–1977 | 2 | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| align="center" | 1973–1977 | 4 | Johnstown, Pennsylvania |
| align="center" | 1973–1975 | 2 | Commack, New York |
| align="center" | 1973–1977 | 4 | Lewiston, Maine |
| align="center" | 1973–1977 | 4 | Utica, New York |
| align="center" | 1974–1977 | 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| align="center" | 1973–1977 | 4 | Syracuse, New York |
=Timeline=
{{Timeline NAHL (1973–1977)}}
Lockhart Cup
File:Gregg Pilling 1976 77 Firebirds.jpg and the Lockhart Cup in 1976|alt= Gregg Pilling sitting behind the Lockhart Cup in a team photo of the 1976-77 Philadelphia Firebirds]]
The championship trophy of the North American Hockey League was named the Lockhart Cup in honor of Tommy Lockhart, founder of the Eastern Hockey League. The trophy was last awarded on April 10, 1977, to the Syracuse Blazers, and has since gone missing. The Hockey Hall of Fame stated that the Lockhart Cup is one of "about three historical trophies that have disappeared".{{cite web|url=http://www.gouletcommunications.com/thirst-find-hockeys-lockhart-cup-honors-pioneer/|title=A thirst to find hockey's Lockhart Cup, which honors a pioneer|last=Goulet|first=Neal|website=Goulet Communications|date=February 3, 2014|access-date=July 26, 2020}} Its last known whereabouts was reported to be in the basement of Danny Belisle, the coach of the Blazers in the 1976–77 season.
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Season | Champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| align="center"
| 1973–74 | Syracuse Blazers | Long Island Cougars |
| align="center"
| 1974–75 | Johnstown Jets | Broome Dusters |
| align="center"
| 1975–76 | Philadelphia Firebirds | Beauce Jaros |
| align="center"
| 1976–77 | Syracuse Blazers | Maine Nordiques |
League dissolves
In September 1977 the league folded. It had been struggling financially. The league by then consisted of five teams, after the Syracuse team folded in 1976 after winning the league championship. The league had discussed continuing with five teams, but the Utica team was in dire straits would have to have been carried by the other four teams. Each would have had to post $50,000 to keep the league alive. The Binghamton and Philadelphia teams declined. Due to the closing of the league, all the players were released outright from their contracts.{{cite news |title=North American Hockey League Folds |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-nahl-folds/148163675/ |work=Winston-Salem Journal |agency=Associated Press |date=26 September 1977 |pages=25|via=Newspapers.com}}
Legacy in film
The league served as the inspiration for the film Slap Shot.{{cite book|last=Miller|first=Chuck|title=From Atlantic City to Toronto: The Boardwalk Trophy and the Eastern Hockey League. Part 2: The Jets, the Comets, Southern Expansion and Well-Worn Knuckles|publisher=Hockey Ink!|volume=3|edition=2|location=Fort Wayne, Indiana|pages=4–6}} Ned Dowd, who played for the Johnstown Jets,{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=10212 |title = Ned Dowd Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com}} was the brother of the film's screenwriter, Nancy Dowd. Ned played for Johnstown during a season where the team was for sale, when his sister came to live in Johnstown and was inspired to write the screenplay. The film contains references to "Syracuse" and "Broome County", which were teams in the NAHL.{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/148.html |title=North American Hockey League [1973-1977] history and statistics |website=hockeydb.com}} Some of the incidents depicted actually occurred in actual NAHL games.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://slapshotnahl.blogspot.com/ Encyclopedia of the North American Hockey League Blog]
- [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/nahl1974.html Teams and standings]
{{WHA}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:North American Hockey League (1973-1977)}}
Category:Defunct ice hockey leagues in the United States
Category:Defunct ice hockey leagues in Canada
Category:World Hockey Association
Category:1973 establishments in North America
Category:1977 disestablishments in North America