Information about American Hockey League

For the American Hockey League of the early 1930s, see American Hockey Association (1926-42)
American Hockey League
Enlarge picture
American Hockey League logo
SportIce hockey
Founded1936
No. of teams29
Country(ies) United States
 Canada
Most recent champion(s)Hamilton Bulldogs
Official websitewww.theahl.com
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). All 30 NHL teams have either exclusive or joint affiliation agreements with one or more of the AHL's 29 active clubs.

The League offices are located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The AHL's current president is David Andrews. Until the early 1990s, the headquarters were located in West Springfield, Massachusetts, along with charter member franchise, the Springfield Indians.

The annual playoff champion is awarded the Calder Cup, named for Frank Calder, the first President (1917-1943) of the National Hockey League. The defending 2006-07 champions are the Hamilton Bulldogs. This is the first Calder Cup in Bulldogs history.

Formation and growth of the AHL

Predecessor leagues (1926-1936)

The AHL traces its origins directly to two predecessor professional leagues: the Canadian-American Hockey League (aka "Can-Am" League) founded in 1926, and the first International Hockey League established in 1929. Although the Can-Am League never operated with more than six teams, for the first time in its history it dropped after the 1935-36 season to just four member cities: Springfield, Philadelphia, Providence and New Haven. At the same time the then rival International Hockey League lost half of its eight members after the 1935-36 season leaving it as well with just four clubs located in Buffalo, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.

A "circuit of mutual convenience" (1936-38)

With both leagues down to the barest minimum in membership needed to operate, the governors of each recognized the necessity to take proactive steps to assure the long-term survival of their member clubs. To that end they all decided the logical solution to their common problem was for the two leagues to play an interlocking schedule with each other. Styled as the International-American Hockey League, the two older leagues' eight surviving clubs thus began joint play in November 1936, as a new two division "circuit of mutual convenience" with the four Can-Am teams constituting the I-AHL East Division and the IHL's quartet playing as the West Division. In addition, the IHL also contributed its former championship silver, the F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy, which would go to the regular season winners of the West Division in the new I-AHL until 1952. (The Oke Trophy is now awarded to the regular season winners of the AHL's current seven-team East Division.)

A little more than a month into that first season, however, the balance and symmetry of the new combined circuit suffered an early setback when its membership unexpectedly fell to seven as the West's Buffalo Bisons were forced to cease operations on December 6, 1936, after playing just eleven games because of what proved to be insurmountable financial problems and lack of access to a suitable arena. The makeshift new I-AHL thus played out the rest of its first season (as well as all of the next) with just seven teams.

A modified three-round play-off format was devised and a new championship trophy, the Calder Cup, was established which was awarded for the first time at the end of the 1936-37 season play-offs to the Syracuse Stars who defeated the Philadelphia Ramblers in the finals, three-games-to-one. Now second only to the Stanley Cup in both age and prestige among North American hockey's championship awards, the Calder Cup continues on today as the AHL's play-off trophy.

Formal consolidation of the I-AHL (June 28, 1938)

Enlarge picture
The Philadelphia RECORD, June 29, 1938
After two seasons of interlocking play, the governors of the two leagues' seven active teams met in New York City on June 28, 1938, and agreed that it was time to formally consolidate. Maurice Podoloff of New Haven, the former head of the C-AHL which had also been operating as the combined league's Eastern Division, was elected the I-AHL's first president. Former IHL president John Chick of Windsor, Ontario, and head of the I-AHL's Western Division, became vice-president in charge of officials.

The new I-AHL also added an eighth franchise at the 1938 meeting to fill the void in its membership left by the loss of Buffalo two years earlier with the admission of the then two-time defending EAHL champion Hershey Bears.[1] (Almost seven decades later, Hershey remains the only one of these eight original I-AHL/AHL cities to have been represented in the league without interruption since the 1938-39 season.) Beginning with the 1938-39 season, the newly merged circuit also increased its regular season schedule for each team by six games from 48 to 54.

Contraction, resurrection, and expansion (1967-2001)

The AHL (as it was renamed after the 1939-40 season) generally enjoyed both consistent success on the ice and relative financial stability over its first three decades of operation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, however, the cost of doing business in pro hockey began to rise precipitously with the frequent expansions of the NHL in 1967, 1970, 1972, and 1974, and especially the advent in 1972 of the twelve-team World Hockey Association (WHA), increased the number of major league teams competing for players from six to thirty in just seven years. Player salaries at all levels shot up dramatically with the increased demand and competition for their services. To help compensate for this increased expense many NHL clubs cut way back on the number of players they kept under contract for development, and players under AHL contracts could now also demand much higher paychecks to remain with their clubs. As a result within a period of just three years from 1974 to 1977 half of the AHL's teams folded dropping the league from twelve clubs to just six. Making the AHL's situation even bleaker as the 1977-78 season approached was the news that the Providence Reds—the last surviving uninterrupted franchise from 1936-37—had decided to cease operations.

The AHL appeared in serious danger of folding altogether in another year or two if this dangerous downward trend were not reversed. As these clouds appeared their darkest, however, two events in the Fall of 1977 helped reverse the trend and began the league back to the great health it enjoys today. The first of these was the decision of the Philadelphia Flyers to return to the league as a team owner. The second was the unexpected collapse of the North American Hockey League just weeks before the start of the 1977-78 season.

The Flyers' new AHL franchise became the immediately successful Maine Mariners which brought the new AHL city of Portland, Maine both the regular season and Calder Cup play-off titles in each of that club's first two seasons of operation. The folding of the NAHL meanwhile left two of its member cities which wanted to continue to operate teams—Philadelphia and Binghamton, New York—suddenly without a league to play in. Binghamton solved its problem by acquiring and moving the Reds' franchise from Providence and joined the league as the Binghamton Dusters (aka Broome Dusters). The Philadelphia Firebirds acquired an expansion franchise as did the new Hampton (VA) Gulls, to boost the AHL to nine member clubs as the 1977-78 season opened. (Hampton folded on February 10, 1978, but was replaced the next year by the New Brunswick Hawks.) The league continued to grow steadily over the years reaching 20 clubs by the 2000-01 season.

Major expansion through absorption of the IHL (2001-02)

In 2001-02 its membership jumped dramatically to 27 in 2001-02 mostly by absorbing six cities -- Milwaukee, Chicago, Houston, Salt Lake City (Utah), Winnipeg (Manitoba), and Grand Rapids -- from the International Hockey League when that long time rival circuit folded after fifty-six seasons of operation (1945-2001). Although the Utah Grizzlies suspended operations after the 2004-05 season (the franchise was sold in 2006 and will return to the ice in Cleveland in 2007 as the Lake Erie Monsters), the Chicago Wolves (2002), Houston Aeros (2003), and Milwaukee Admirals (2004) have each already won a Calder Cup playoff title since joining the AHL from the IHL. Chicago and Milwaukee have also made second trips to the playoff finals before losing to the Philadelphia Phantoms (2005) and Hershey Bears (2006) respectively.

Teams

2007-08 Teams

Eastern Conference
Division Team Arena City/Area NHL Affiliate Team(s) Low Minor Affiliate Team(s)
AtlanticHartford Wolf PackHartford Civic CenterHartford, CTNew York RangersCharlotte Checkers/Mississippi RiverKings
Lowell DevilsTsongas ArenaLowell, MANew Jersey DevilsTrenton Devils
Manchester MonarchsVerizon Wireless ArenaManchester, NHLos Angeles KingsReading Royals
Portland PiratesCumberland County Civic CenterPortland, MEAnaheim DucksAugusta Lynx
Providence BruinsDunkin' Donuts CenterProvidence, RIBoston BruinsJohnstown Chiefs
Springfield FalconsMassMutual CenterSpringfield, MAEdmonton OilersStockton Thunder/Odessa Jackalopes
Worcester SharksDCU CenterWorcester, MASan Jose SharksFresno Falcons
EastAlbany River RatsTimes Union CenterAlbany, NYCarolina HurricanesFlorida Everblades/Arizona Sundogs
Binghamton SenatorsBroome County Veterans Memorial ArenaBinghamton, NYOttawa SenatorsNone
Bridgeport Sound TigersArena at Harbor YardBridgeport, CTNew York IslandersUtah Grizzlies
Hershey BearsGIANT CenterHershey, PAWashington CapitalsSouth Carolina Stingrays
Norfolk AdmiralsNorfolk ScopeNorfolk, VATampa Bay LightningMississippi Sea Wolves
Philadelphia PhantomsWachovia SpectrumPhiladelphia, PAPhiladelphia FlyersWheeling Nailers
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsWachovia Arena at Casey PlazaWilkes-Barre, PAPittsburgh PenguinsWheeling Nailers
Western Conference
Division Team Arena City/Area NHL Affiliate Team(s) Low Minor Affiliate Team(s)
NorthGrand Rapids GriffinsVan Andel ArenaGrand Rapids, MIDetroit Red WingsMuskegon Fury/Toledo Storm
Hamilton BulldogsCopps ColiseumHamilton, ONMontreal CanadiensCincinnati Cyclones
Lake Erie MonstersQuicken Loans ArenaCleveland, OHColorado AvalancheJohnstown Chiefs/Arizona Sundogs
Manitoba MooseMTS CentreWinnipeg, MBVancouver CanucksVictoria Salmon Kings
Rochester AmericansBlue Cross Arena at the War MemorialRochester, NYBuffalo Sabres, Florida PanthersBossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
Syracuse CrunchWar Memorial at OncenterSyracuse, NYColumbus Blue JacketsElmira Jackals/Youngstown SteelHounds
Toronto MarliesRicoh ColiseumToronto, ONToronto Maple LeafsColumbia Inferno
WestChicago WolvesAllstate ArenaRosemont, ILAtlanta ThrashersGwinnett Gladiators
Houston AerosToyota CenterHouston, TXMinnesota WildTexas Wildcatters/Austin Ice Bats
Iowa StarsWells Fargo ArenaDes Moines, IADallas StarsIdaho Steelheads
Milwaukee AdmiralsBradley CenterMilwaukee, WINashville PredatorsCincinnati Cyclones/New Mexico Scorpions
Quad City Flamesi wireless CenterMoline, ILCalgary FlamesLas Vegas Wranglers
Peoria RivermenCarver ArenaPeoria, ILSt. Louis BluesAlaska Aces
Rockford IceHogsRockford MetroCentreRockford, ILChicago BlackhawksPensacola Ice Pilots
San Antonio RampageAT&T CenterSan Antonio, TXPhoenix CoyotesPhoenix Roadrunners/Laredo Bucks

Dormant teams

Timeline of teams

AHL All-Star Game

The American Hockey League first held an All-Star Game in the 1941-42 season. The event was not played again until the 1954-55 season, and was then held annually until the 1959-60 season. In the 1994-95 season, the AHL revived the events again, and has been played every season since. The skills competition was first introduced for the 1995-96 season.

Date Arena City Winners Score Losers Score
January 28, 2008Broome County Veterans Memorial ArenaBinghamton, NY----
January 29, 2007Ricoh ColiseumToronto, ONPlanetUSA7Canada6
February 1, 2006MTS CentreWinnipeg, MBCanada9PlanetUSA4
February 14, 2005Verizon Wireless ArenaManchester, NHPlanetUSA5Canada4 (SO)
February 9, 2004Van Andel ArenaGrand Rapids, MICanada9PlanetUSA5
February 3, 2003Cumberland County Civic CenterPortland, MECanada10PlanetUSA7
February 14, 2002Mile One StadiumSt. John's, NFCanada13PlanetUSA11
January 15, 2001First Union Arena at Casey PlazaWilkes-Barre, PACanada11PlanetUSA10
January 17, 2000Blue Cross ArenaRochester, NYCanada8PlanetUSA3
January 25, 1999First Union CenterPhiladelphia, PAPlanetUSA5Canada4 (OT/SO)
February 11, 1998Onondaga War MemorialSyracuse, NYCanada11PlanetUSA10
January 16, 1997Harbour StationSaint John, NBWorld3Canada2 (OT/SO)
January 16, 1996Hersheypark ArenaHershey, PAUSA6Canada5
January 17, 1995Providence Civic CenterProvidence, RICanada6USA4
December 10, 1959Eastern States ColiseumWest Springfield, MASpringfield Indians8AHL All-Stars3
January 15, 1959Hershey Sports ArenaHershey, PAHershey Bears5AHL All-Stars2
October 6, 1957Rochester Community War MemorialRochester, NYAHL All-Stars5Cleveland Barons2
October 23, 1956Rhode Island AuditoriumProvidence, RIProvidence Reds4AHL All-Stars0
January 10, 1956Duquesne GardensPittsburgh, PAAHL All-Stars4Pittsburgh Hornets4
October 27, 1954Hershey Sports ArenaHershey, PAAHL All-Stars7Cleveland Barons3
February 3, 1942Cleveland ArenaCleveland, OHEast All-Stars5West All-Stars4

AHL Hall of Fame

On January 6, 2006, the league announced the first inductees into the AHL's new Hall of Fame: Johnny Bower, Jack Butterfield, Jody Gage, Fred Glover, Willie Marshall, Frank Mathers and Eddie Shore.

Trophies and Awards

The following is a list of awards of the American Hockey League.

Individual Awards

Team Awards

Trophy predates American Hockey League, established 1926-27 in the Canadian Professional Hockey League.

See also

External links

American Hockey League
2007-08 teams: Albany River Rats | Binghamton Senators | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | Chicago Wolves | Grand Rapids Griffins | Hamilton Bulldogs | Hartford Wolf Pack | Hershey Bears | Houston Aeros | Iowa Stars | Lake Erie Monsters | Lowell Devils | Manchester Monarchs | Manitoba Moose | Milwaukee Admirals | Norfolk Admirals | Peoria Rivermen | Philadelphia Phantoms | Portland Pirates | Providence Bruins | Quad City Flames | Rochester Americans | Rockford IceHogs | San Antonio Rampage | Springfield Falcons | Syracuse Crunch | Toronto Marlies | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | Worcester Sharks
Trophies and Awards: Calder Cup | Les Cunningham Award | John B. Sollenberger Trophy | Willie Marshall Award | Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award | Eddie Shore Award | Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award | Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award | Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award | Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award | Yanick Dupre Memorial Award | Jack A. Butterfield Trophy | Richard F. Canning Trophy | Robert W. Clarke Trophy | Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy | Frank Mathers Trophy | Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy | Emile Francis Trophy | F.G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy | Sam Pollock Trophy | John D. Chick Trophy
Related Articles: NHL | ECHL | IHL | CHL | SPHL | List of AHL seasons
Current arenas in the American Hockey League
Eastern ConferenceWestern Conference
Arena at Harbor Yard | Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena |
Cumberland County Civic Center | DCU Center | Dunkin' Donuts Center |
GIANT Center | Hartford Civic Center | MassMutual Center | Norfolk Scope |
Times Union Center | Tsongas Arena | Verizon Wireless Arena |
Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza | Wachovia Spectrum
Allstate Arena | AT&T Center | Blue Cross Arena | Bradley Center | Carver Arena | Copps Coliseum | i wireless Center | MTS Centre | Quicken Loans Arena | Ricoh Coliseum | Rockford MetroCentre | Toyota Center | Van Andel Arena |
War Memorial at Oncenter | Wells Fargo Arena
Defunct American Hockey League Teams
Adirondack Red Wings | Baltimore Bandits | Baltimore Clippers | Baltimore Skipjacks | Binghamton Dusters | Binghamton Rangers | Binghamton Whalers | Boston Braves | Buffalo Bisons (1936) | Buffalo Bisons (1940-1970) | Cape Breton Oilers | Capital District Islanders | Carolina Monarchs | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | Cincinnati Mohawks | Cincinnati Swords | Cleveland Barons (1937-1973) | Cleveland Barons (2001-2006) | Cleveland Falcons | Cornwall Aces | Edmonton Road Runners | Erie Blades | Fredericton Canadiens | Fredericton Express | Halifax Citadels | Hamilton Canucks | Hampton Gulls | Indianapolis Capitals | Jacksonville Barons | Kentucky Thoroughblades | Louisville Panthers | Lowell Lock Monsters | Maine Mariners | Moncton Alpines | Moncton Golden Flames | Moncton Hawks | Montreal Voyageurs | New Brunswick Hawks | New Haven, Beast of | New Haven Eagles | New Haven Nighthawks | New Haven Ramblers | New Haven Senators | Newmarket Saints | Nova Scotia Oilers | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights | Philadelphia Firebirds | Philadelphia Ramblers | Philadelphia Rockets | Pittsburgh Hornets (1936-1956) | Pittsburgh Hornets (1961-1967) | Prince Edward Island Senators | Providence Reds | Rhode Island Reds | Quebec Aces | Quebec Citadelles | Richmond Robins | St. Catharines Saints | Saint John Flames | St. John's Maple Leafs | St. Louis Flyers | Sherbrooke Canadiens | Sherbrooke Jets | Springfield Indians | Springfield Kings | Syracuse Eagles | Syracuse Firebirds | Syracuse Stars | Syracuse Warriors | Tidewater Wings | Toronto Roadrunners | Utah Grizzlies | Utica Devils | Virginia Wings | Washington Lions | Worcester IceCats
The American Hockey Association was a minor professional hockey league that operated between 1926 and 1942. It had previously operated as the Central Hockey Association, and before that as part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association.
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Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey in Canada and the United States, is a team sport played on ice. It is a speedy and physical sport. Ice hockey is most popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural, reliable seasonal ice cover, though with the advent
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1936 1937 1938 1939

19th century · 20th century · 21st century
1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 
1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939


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Motto
"In God We Trust"   (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
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This page is currently protected from editing until disputes have been resolved.
Protection is not an endorsement of the current [ version] ([ protection log]).
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Hamilton Bulldogs

City: Hamilton, Ontario
League: American Hockey League
Conference: Western Conference
Division: North Division
Founded: 1996

Home Arena: Copps Coliseum
Colours''': Copper, Red, White and Blue
Owner(s): Michael Andlauer
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professional can be either a person in a profession (certain types of skilled work requiring formal training/education) or in sports (a sportsman/sportwoman doing sports for payment).
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Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey in Canada and the United States, is a team sport played on ice. It is a speedy and physical sport. Ice hockey is most popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural, reliable seasonal ice cover, though with the advent
..... Click the link for more information.


North America is a continent [1] in the Earth's northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west
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Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1917
No. of teams 30
Country(ies)  Canada
 United States

Most recent champion(s) Anaheim Ducks

TV partner(s) CAN: CBC, TSN, RDS, RIS, RSN (regional)
USA:
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Springfield, Massachusetts

Flag
Seal
Nickname: City of Homes
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
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West Springfield, Massachusetts
Nickname: West Side
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
State
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Springfield Indians

City: West Springfield, Massachusetts
League: American Hockey League

Operated: 1926 to 1994
Home Arena: Eastern States Coliseum
(1926-1972)
Springfield Civic Center
(1972-1994)
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The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.
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See also Frank Arthur Calder, Canadian politician


Frank Calder (November 17, 1877 - February 4, 1943) was the first NHL president (1917-1943).
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Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1917
No. of teams 30
Country(ies)  Canada
 United States

Most recent champion(s) Anaheim Ducks

TV partner(s) CAN: CBC, TSN, RDS, RIS, RSN (regional)
USA:
..... Click the link for more information.
The 2006-07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.
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Hamilton Bulldogs

City: Hamilton, Ontario
League: American Hockey League
Conference: Western Conference
Division: North Division
Founded: 1996

Home Arena: Copps Coliseum
Colours''': Copper, Red, White and Blue
Owner(s): Michael Andlauer
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The Canadian-American Hockey League existed from 1926 until the 1936. Following the 1935-36 season the CAHL merged with the original International Hockey League to form the International-American Hockey League for the 1936 season.
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International Hockey League was a professional ice hockey league that existed from 1929 to 1936. In 1936 the league merged with the Canadian American Hockey League under the new name the International American Hockey League.
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Springfield, Massachusetts

Flag
Seal
Nickname: City of Homes
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country United States
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Flag
Seal
Nickname: "City of Brotherly Love", "The City that Loves you Back", "Cradle of Liberty", "The Quaker City", "The Birthplace of America", "Philly".
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Providence, Rhode Island

Flag
Seal
Nickname: Little Rhody, The Ocean State, Beehive of Industry, The Renaissance City, The Divine City
Location in Rhode Island
Coordinates:
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New Haven, Connecticut

Flag
Seal
Nickname: The Elm City
Location in Connecticut
Coordinates:
NECTA New Haven
Region
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Buffalo, New York

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Nickname: City of Good Neighbors, The Queen City, Nickel City, Queen City of the Lakes, City of Light
Location of Buffalo in New York State
Coordinates:
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City of Syracuse
A view of the Downtown Syracuse skyline

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Nickname: The Salt City
Location of Syracuse within the state of New York
Coordinates:
Country
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Nickname: City of Bridges, Steel City, City of Champions, The 'Burgh, Iron City, Steel Town, The College City, Roboburgh
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Cleveland, Ohio

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Nickname: The Forest City
Motto: Progress & Prosperity
Location in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA
Coordinates:
Country
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The F.G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy is awarded to the regular season champion of the American Hockey League's East Division. It is the oldest trophy awarded by the AHL, but it passed through two leagues previously. It is one of the oldest trophies in professional hockey.
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Buffalo Bisons

City: Fort Erie, Ontario
League: International Hockey League

Operated: 1928 to 1936
Home Arena: Peace Bridge Arena

Championships
Regular Season Titles: two:(1930-31, 1931-32)

Playoff Championships: two
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