Toledo Blades

{{Pro hockey team

| text_color =

| bg_color = gold

| team = Toledo Blades/Hornets

| logo = ToledoHornetsLogo.png

| logosize = 175px

| operated = 1963–1974

| city = Toledo, Ohio

| league = IHL

| arena = Toledo Sports Arena

| colors = Gold and Black
{{color box|gold}} {{color box|black}}

| owner = Ken Wilson (1963–1964)

| GM = Ken Wilson (1963–1966)

| coach = Ken Wilson (1966)

| media =

| affiliates =

| name1 = Omaha Knights

| dates1 = 1959–1963

| name2 = Toledo Blades

| dates2 = 1963–1970

| name3 = Toledo Hornets

| dates3 = 1970–1974

| name4 = Lansing Lancers

| dates4 = 1974–1975

| reg_season_titles = 1 (1963–64)

| division_titles =

| conf_titles =

| turner_cups = 2 (1963–64, 1966–67)

}}

The Toledo Blades and Hornets were the International Hockey League franchise of Toledo, Ohio from 1963 to 1974. The first four years (1959-1963) of the franchise was in Omaha, NE as the Omaha Knights.{{Cite web|title=Omaha Knights Statistics and History [IHL]|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/omaha-knights-7270.html|website=HockeyDB}} After moving to Toledo for the 1963-64 season, they were renamed the Blades. The team name was changed to Hornets in 1970. The franchise left Toledo after the 1973–74 season for Lansing, MI, where they became the Lansing Lancers.{{Cite web|title=Lansing Lancers Statistics and History|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/lansing-lancers-6516.html|website=HockeyDB}}

The Blades were the Regular Season Champions in 1963–64, with 86 points and were awarded the Huber Trophy. The Blades won the Turner Cup in 1964 and 1967.

The Leading Rookie Award was awarded to Blades players Don Westbrook in 1964, Bob Thomas in 1965, and Wayne Zuk in 1970.{{Cite web|title=Garry F. Longman Memorial Trophy winners|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/awards/awarddetail.php?award_id=60|website=HockeyDB}}

Blades goaltender, Glenn Ramsay, won the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the fewest goals against during the 1963–64 regular season, his third Norris Trophy in a row. Glenn also won his sixth and final Norris Trophy in 1967.{{Cite web|title=James Norris Memorial Trophy winners|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/awards/awarddetail.php?award_id=48|website=HockeyDB}}

In 1965, team captain, William "Chick" Chalmers, was awarded the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy, for the player voted most valuable through his display of outstanding playing ability and sportsmanlike conduct over the course of the regular season by the league coaches.{{Cite web|title=James Gatschene Memorial Trophy winners|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/awards/awarddetail.php?award_id=43|website=HockeyDB}}

After the Hornets left in 1974, the IHL awarded a new franchise to Toledo, the Goaldiggers.

Season-by-season record

class="wikitable"

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|Turner Cup Champions †

|bgcolor="#ffbbbb"|League Leader in points *

|bgcolor="#ffeeaa"|Division Champions ¤

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%"
rowspan="2"\|Season !rowspan="2"\|Team !rowspan="2"\|Division !colspan="8"\|Regular Season ! colspan="6" \|Post Season
Finish !{{tooltip\|2=Games Played\|GP}} !{{tooltip\|2=Wins\|W}} !{{tooltip\|2=Losses\|L}} !{{tooltip\|2=Ties\|T}} !{{tooltip\|2=Points\|Pts}} !{{abbr\|2=Goals For\|GF}} !{{abbr\|2=Goals Against\|GA}} !{{tooltip\|2=Games Played\|GP}} !{{tooltip\|2=Wins\|W}} !{{tooltip\|2=Losses\|L}} !{{abbr\|2=Goals For\|GF}} !{{abbr\|2=Goals Against\|GA}} !Result
1963–64 \|Blades \|— \|1st \|70 \|41 \|25 \|4 \|bgcolor="#ffbbbb"\|86* \|278 \|207 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|13 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|8 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|5 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|43 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|39 \|align="left" style="background: #d0e7ff;"\|Won in semifinals, 4-3 (Port Huron) Won in Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Fort Wayne) †
1964–65 \|Blades \|— \|4th \|70 \|32 \|36 \|2 \|66 \|297 \|327 \|4 \|0 \|4 \|12 \|24 \|align="left"\|Lost in semifinals, 0-4 (Fort Wayne)
1965–66 \|Blades \|— \|6th \|70 \|20 \|48 \|2 \|42 \|248 \|366 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|Did not qualify
1966–67 \|Blades \|— \|3rd \|72 \|39 \|31 \|2 \|80 \|284 \|247 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|10 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|8 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|2 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|36 \|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"\|23 \|align="left" style="background: #d0e7ff;"\|Won in semifinals, 4-0 (Dayton) Won in Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Fort Wayne) †
1967–68 \|Blades \|— \|5th \|72 \|29 \|29 \|14 \|72 \|261 \|307 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|Did not qualify
1968–69 \|Blades \|— \|2nd \|72 \|41 \|23 \|8 \|90 \|282 \|235 \|8 \|3 \|5 \|36 \|38 \|align="left"\|Advanced in Round 1, 1-2 (Columbus, Port Huron eliminated) Lost in semifinals, 2-3 (Muskegon)
1969–70 \|Blades \|Southern \|2nd \|72 \|32 \|33 \|7 \|71 \|241 \|265 \|3 \|0 \|3 \|6 \|11 \|align="left"\|Lost in quarterfinals, 0-3 (Des Moines)
1970–71 \|Hornets \|— \|7th \|72 \|17 \|44 \|11 \|45 \|211 \|319 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|Did not qualify
1971–72 \|Hornets \|Northern \|4th \|72 \|26 \|46 \|0 \|52 \|270 \|371 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|Did not qualify
1972–73 \|Hornets \|Northern \|3rd \|74 \|36 \|33 \|5 \|77 \|257 \|261 \|4 \|1 \|3 \|5 \|13 \|align="left"\|Lost in quarterfinals, 1-3 (Port Huron)
1973–74 \|Hornets \|North \|3rd \|76 \|33 \|42 \|1 \|67 \|260 \|302 \|3 \|1 \|2 \|9 \|13 \|align="left"\|Lost in quarterfinals, 1-2 (Flint)
-
colspan="2"\|11 Seasons{{Cite web\|title=Toledo Blades Statistics and History\|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/toledo-blades-8457.html\|website=HockeyDB}}{{Cite web\|title=Toledo Hornets Statistics and History\|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/toledo-hornets-8461.html\|website=HockeyDB}} \|colspan="2"\|0 Division Titles 1 Huber Trophy \|792 \|346 \|390 \|56 \|748 (.472) \|2,889 \|3,207 \|45 \|21 \|24 \|147 \|161 \|7 Playoff Appearances 2 Turner Cup Championships

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%"

rowspan="2"|Season

!rowspan="2"|Team

!rowspan="2"|Division

!colspan="8"|Regular Season

! colspan="6" |Post Season

Finish

!{{tooltip|2=Games Played|GP}}

!{{tooltip|2=Wins|W}}

!{{tooltip|2=Losses|L}}

!{{tooltip|2=Ties|T}}

!{{tooltip|2=Points|Pts}}

!{{abbr|2=Goals For|GF}}

!{{abbr|2=Goals Against|GA}}

!{{tooltip|2=Games Played|GP}}

!{{tooltip|2=Wins|W}}

!{{tooltip|2=Losses|L}}

!{{abbr|2=Goals For|GF}}

!{{abbr|2=Goals Against|GA}}

!Result

1963–64

|Blades

|—

|1st

|70

|41

|25

|bgcolor="#ffbbbb"|86*

|278

|207

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|13

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|8

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|5

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|43

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|39

|align="left" style="background: #d0e7ff;"|Won in semifinals, 4-3 (Port Huron)
Won in Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Fort Wayne) †

1964–65

|Blades

|—

|4th

|70

|32

|36

|66

|297

|327

|12

|24

|align="left"|Lost in semifinals, 0-4 (Fort Wayne)

1965–66

|Blades

|—

|6th

|70

|20

|48

|42

|248

|366

|—

|Did not qualify

1966–67

|Blades

|—

|3rd

|72

|39

|31

|80

|284

|247

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|10

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|8

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|2

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|36

|bgcolor="#d0e7ff"|23

|align="left" style="background: #d0e7ff;"|Won in semifinals, 4-0 (Dayton)
Won in Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Fort Wayne) †

1967–68

|Blades

|—

|5th

|72

|29

|14

|72

|261

|307

|—

|Did not qualify

1968–69

|Blades

|—

|2nd

|72

|41

|23

|90

|282

|235

|36

|38

|align="left"|Advanced in Round 1, 1-2 (Columbus, Port Huron eliminated)
Lost in semifinals, 2-3 (Muskegon)

1969–70

|Blades

|Southern

|2nd

|72

|32

|33

|71

|241

|265

|11

|align="left"|Lost in quarterfinals, 0-3 (Des Moines)

1970–71

|Hornets

|—

|7th

|72

|17

|44

|11

|45

|211

|319

|—

|Did not qualify

1971–72

|Hornets

|Northern

|4th

|72

|26

|46

|52

|270

|371

|—

|Did not qualify

1972–73

|Hornets

|Northern

|3rd

|74

|36

|33

|77

|257

|261

|13

|align="left"|Lost in quarterfinals, 1-3 (Port Huron)

1973–74

|Hornets

|North

|3rd

|76

|33

|42

|67

|260

|302

|13

|align="left"|Lost in quarterfinals, 1-2 (Flint)

colspan="2"|11 Seasons{{Cite web|title=Toledo Blades Statistics and History|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/toledo-blades-8457.html|website=HockeyDB}}{{Cite web|title=Toledo Hornets Statistics and History|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/toledo-hornets-8461.html|website=HockeyDB}}

|colspan="2"|0 Division Titles
1 Huber Trophy

|792

|346

|390

|56

|748
(.472)

|2,889

|3,207

|45

|21

|24

|147

|161

|7 Playoff Appearances
2 Turner Cup Championships

Franchise records

= All-time leaders =

colspan=3 \| Goalshttp://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=8457 Toledo Blades all-time player rosterhttp://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=8461 Toledo Hornets all-time player roster
class="wikitable"
1	Greg Jablonski	271
2	William Chalmers	167
3	Stan Maxwell	140
4	Mauril Morrissette	127
5	Jim Sanko	115

colspan=3 \| Assists
class="wikitable"
1	William Chalmers	358
2	Greg Jablonski	352
3	John Gravel	299
4	Stan Maxwell	194
5	Jim Sanko	191

colspan=3 \| Points
class="wikitable"
1	Greg Jablonski	623
2	William Chalmers	525
3	John Gravel	376
4	Jim Sanko	306
5	Stan Maxwell	334

References

External links

[http://www.azhockey.com/To.htm A to Z Encyclopaedia of Ice Hockey Toledo Blades/Hornets History]
[http://www.officialgamepuck.com/International%20Hockey%20League/Three%20Star%20Shield.htm Blades Game Pucks]

{{Succession box

|title = Professional Hockey Team in
Toledo, Ohio

|years = 1963–1974

|before = Toledo Mercurys

|after = Toledo Goaldiggers

}}

{{Succession box

|before = Fort Wayne Komets

|title = Huber Trophy
Champions

|years = 1963–64

|after = Port Huron Flags

}}