Oklahoma City Barons
| Oklahoma City Barons | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Western Conference |
| Division | West Division |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Operated | 2010–2015 |
| Home arena | Cox Convention Center |
| Colors | Blue, orange, white |
| Owner(s) | Oilers Entertainment Group Prodigal, LLC (local management) |
| Affiliates |
Edmonton Oilers (NHL) Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) |
| Website | http://www.okcbarons.com |
| Franchise history | |
| 1984–1988 | Nova Scotia Oilers |
| 1988–1996 | Cape Breton Oilers |
| 1996–2003 | Hamilton Bulldogs |
| 2003–2004 | Toronto Roadrunners |
| 2004–2005 | Edmonton Road Runners |
| 2010–2015 | Oklahoma City Barons |
| 2015–present | Bakersfield Condors |
| Championships | |
| Division Championships | 1 (2011–12) |
The Oklahoma City Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team's first season was 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
On February 9, 2010, the American Hockey League Board of Governors approved of the relocation of the Oilers' inactive AHL franchise to Oklahoma City, after a five-year dormancy. The franchise had gone through six incarnations, the first of which was the Nova Scotia Oilers and most recently the Edmonton Road Runners, who ceased play in 2005. The Barons were named through a fan contest. Before the Barons, the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City had also been the home to former Central Hockey League franchises, the Oklahoma City Stars and the Oklahoma City Blazers. Bob Funk Jr., who headed the former Blazers' ownership group, is also at the helm of Prodigal Hockey LLC, the Barons' ownership group.
Todd Nelson served as the Barons' first head coach with Gerry Fleming joining him as his assistant.Bill Scott, a former Director of Hockey Operations for the AHL, served as the Barons' first general manager.
In December 2014, Nelson was promoted to the Oilers' coaching staff as head coach and Fleming being promoted to the Barons' head coach position.
After the team's inaugural season in 2010–11, the Barons finished in the bottom five in the league for average attendance, including worst in the league in 2012–13. On December 18, 2014, the Oilers and Barons announced that the Barons would cease operations after the current season citing continued financial losses stemming from poor attendance.
On January 29, 2015, the AHL announced that the Edmonton Oilers' AHL franchise would become a new team in Bakersfield, California to take the place of the Barons beginning with the 2015–16 season. The Oilers' owned-and-operated Bakersfield Condors are part of a new Pacific Division that introduced the league to the state of California.
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