Moncton Hawks | |
---|---|
City | Moncton, New Brunswick |
League | American Hockey League |
Operated | 1987–1994 |
Home arena | Moncton Coliseum |
Affiliates | Winnipeg Jets |
Franchise history | |
1971–1974 | Boston Braves |
1987–1994 | Moncton Hawks |
The Moncton Hawks were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1987 and 1994 operated as a minor league affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Home games were played at the Moncton Coliseum. Previously, Moncton was home to the New Brunswick Hawks, Moncton Alpines, and the Moncton Golden Flames.
The name "Moncton Hawks" was the name of several previous senior league teams that played in the Maritime Senior Hockey League, Maritime Major Hockey League, New Brunswick Senior Hockey League, Atlantic Coast Senior League and Nova Scotia Senior Hockey League. These amateur teams operated from 1931 to 1979. The 1933 and 1934 teams won the Allan Cup senior men's Canadian championship. From 1978 to 1987, several American Hockey League teams operated in Moncton: the New Brunswick Hawks, Moncton Alpines and Moncton Golden Flames.
In 1987, the Winnipeg Jets signed an agreement with the local ownership group in Moncton to provide players for the Moncton AHL franchise after the Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins folded the Golden Flames, purchasing the long-dormant Boston Braves franchise from the Bruins for the purpose. The team operated for seven seasons, never finishing higher than third place in the division. The Hawks made the playoffs four of their first six years in the league, reaching the second round of the playoffs three of those years. The seventh season would be their most successful, and featured a new logo for 1993–94. The Hawks finished the regular season third place in the Atlantic Division, but eliminated two higher-seeded division foes before losing to the Portland Pirates in the Calder Cup finals.