Eastern Hockey League
The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional league.
Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933-1953)
The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972. Lockhart, who operated a small intramural hockey league at New York City's Madison Square Garden, offered his teams - and the use of the MSG ice - in exchange for joining the league.
The EAHL operated between 1933-1948 and 1949-1953. The league has a somewhat tenuous existence. It began with seven teams, and had various numbers of teams, going as low as four. There was no 1948-49 season, due to the New York Rovers and Boston Olympics withdrawing; thus leaving the league with two teams, the Atlantic City Sea Gulls and the Baltimore Clippers.
The league returned for the 1949-50 season with eight teams including the return of Rovers and Olympics to the league and the addition of two former IHL teams; the Milwaukee Clarks and the Toledo Buckeyes as well as two new teams (the Grand Rapids Rockets and the Cleveland Knights. An eight team league was short lived as the Baltimore and Cleveland franchises both folded on December 4, 1949.
The 1951-52 season also saw two teams fold mid-season as the Philadelphia Falcons and the Washington Lions had been suffering from poor attendance.
Between the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons the league had several changes as the Boston Olympics transferred to Washington, DC assuming the Washington Lions name. The New York Rovers moved to Troy, NY becoming the Troy Uncle Sam Trojans due to losing home dates at Madison Square Garden the NBA's New York Knickerbockers. The Atlantic City Sea Gulls were left without enough home dates at their home arena when the Atlantic City Convention Center was too booked with conventions for them to operate out of the facility
The league again did not operate during the 1953-54 season after the Springfield Indians applied for entry into the Quebec Hockey League and the Johnstown Jets applied for entry into the International Hockey League. This left the league with three teams and causing the league to cease operations.
League founder and president Tom Lockhart worked on getting the league back together for the following season. The league returned for the 1954-55 season with a line up of the following; Baltimore Clippers, Washington Lions, New Haven Blades,and associate members playing a partial schedule the Clinton Comets and the Worcester Warriors. The Worcester team was made up entirely of American players mostly from the US collegiate ranks. The league changed its' name to the Eastern Hockey League.
The league playoff championship was named the Boardwalk Cup.
Teams
- Atlantic City Seagulls (1933–34 to 1941–42; 1947–48 to 1951–52)
- Baltimore Blades/Baltimore Clippers (1944–45 to 1949–50)
- Baltimore Orioles (1933–34 to 1941–42)
- Boston Olympics (1940–41 to 1951–52)
- Bronx Tigers (1933–34 to 1933–34; 1937–38)
- Cleveland Knights (1949–50)
- Grand Rapids Rockets (1949–50)
- Hershey B'ars/Hershey Bears (1933–34 to 1937–38)
- Hershey Cubs (1938–39)
- Johnstown Bluebirds (1941–42)
- Johnstown Jets (1950–51 to 1952–53)
- Milwaukee Clarks (1949–50)
- New Haven Crescents/Brooklyn Crescents (1943–44)
- New Haven Nutmegs (1952–53)
- New Haven Tomahawks (1951–52)
- New York Athletic Club (1933–34)
- New York-Hamilton Crescents (1933–34 to 1934–35)
- New York Rovers (1935–36 to 1951–52)
- Philadelphia Falcons (1942–43 to 1945–46; 1951–52)
- Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets (1935–36 to 1936–37)
- Riverdale Skeeters (1939–40 to 1941–42)
- St. Nicholas Hockey Club (1933–34)
- Springfield Indians (1951–52 to 1952–53)
- Toledo Buckeyes (1949–50)
- Troy Uncle Sam Trojans (1952–53)
- United States Coast Guard Cutters (1942–43)
- Washington Eagles (1939–40 to 1941–42)
- Washington Lions (1944–45 to 1946–47; 1951–52 to 1952–53)
EAHL Champions
- 1937-38 Hershey Bears
- 1938-39 New York Rovers
- 1939-40 New York Rovers
- 1940-41 Baltimore Orioles
- 1941-42 New York Rovers
- 1942-43 US Coast Guard Cutters
- 1943-44 Boston Olympics
- 1944-45 Boston Olympics
- 1945-46 Boston Olympics
- 1946-47 Boston Olympics
- 1947-48 New York Rovers
- 1948-49 No League play
- 1949-50 New York Rovers
- 1950-51 Boston Olympics
- 1951-52 Johnstown Jets
- 1952-53 Johnstown Jets
- 1953-54 No League play
Eastern Hockey League (1954-1973)
The league started up again for the 1954-55 season and changed its name to the Eastern Hockey League.
This league operated between 1954 and 1973. It began with five teams and grew into two divisions for the 1959-60 season. The league reached its peak in 1967-68 when it had twelve teams in two divisions. In its final season the league had twelve teams split into three divisions.
The EHL ceased operations after the 1972-73 season, after which it was succeeded by the North American Hockey League and the Southern Hockey League, both of which consisted mostly of previous EHL teams.
Teams
- Baltimore Clippers (1954–55 to 1955–56)
- Cape Cod Cubs (1972–73)
- Charlotte Checkers (1956–57 to 1972–73)
- Clinton Comets (1954–55 to 1972–73)
- Greensboro Generals (1959–60 to 1972–73)
- Jacksonville Rockets/Florida Rockets (1964–65 to 1971–72)
- Jersey Devils (1964–65 to 1972–73)
- Jersey Larks (1960–61)
- Johnstown Jets (1955–56 to 1972–73)
- Knoxville Knights (1961–62 to 1967–68)
- Long Island Ducks (1961–62 to 1972–73)
- Nashville Dixie Flyers (1962–63 to 1970–71)
- New Haven Blades (1954–55 to 1971–72) & New England Blades (1972–73)
- New York Rovers (1959–60 to 1960–61; 1964–65)
- Philadelphia Ramblers (1955–56 to 1963–64)
- Rhode Island Eagles (1972–73)
- Salem Rebels (1967–68 to 1969–70) and Roanoke Valley Rebels (1970–71 to 1972–73)
- Suncoast Suns (1971–72 to 1972–73)
- Syracuse Blazers (1967–68 to 1972–73)
- Washington Lions (1954–55 to 1956–57)
- Washington Presidents (1957–58 to 1959–60)
- Worcester Warriors (1954–55)
Champions
Eastern Hockey League (1978-1981)
The Northeastern Hockey League was founded in 1978. A year later the Eastern Hockey League name was revived. This league was not successful and folded after only three seasons due to financial issues. The league was reorganized as the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, which is a forerunner of the ECHL.
Teams
- Baltimore Clippers (1979–81, joined the Atlantic Coast Hockey League)
- Erie Blades (1978–81, joined the American Hockey League in 1981–82 and were later merged with the Baltimore Skipjacks. The Erie Golden Blades joined the Atlantic Coast Hockey League in 1982)
- Jersey/Hampton Aces (1978–81; Franchise became defunct when the Eastern Hockey League folded)
- Johnstown Red Wings (1978–80; Franchise ceased operations after the 1979–80 season)
- New Hampshire/Cape Cod Freedoms (1978–79, Franchise started season in New Hampshire before moving to Cape Cod midseason. Franchise ceased operations after 1978–79 season)
- Richmond Rifles (1979–81, franchise became defunct when the Eastern Hockey League folded)
- Salem Raiders (1980–81, joined the Atlantic Coast Hockey League in 1981)
- Syracuse Hornets (1980–81, franchise folded after ten games, going 0–9–1)
- Utica Mohawks (1978–80, franchise moved to Salem, VA and became the Salem Raiders in 1980–81)
Playoff Champions
- 1978-79 Erie Blades
- 1979-80 Erie Blades
- 1980-81 Erie Blades
Regular Season Champions
- 1978-79 Erie Blades
- 1979-80 Erie Blades
- 1980-81 Erie Blades
Seasons
- 1933-34 EHL season
- 1934-35 EHL season
- 1935-36 EHL season
- 1936-37 EHL season
- 1937-38 EHL season
- 1938-39 EHL season
- 1939-40 EHL season
- 1940-41 EHL season
- 1941-42 EHL season
- 1942-43 EHL season
- 1943-44 EHL season
- 1944-45 EHL season
- 1945-46 EHL season
- 1946-47 EHL season
- 1947-48 EHL season
- 1948-49 Did not play
- 1949-50 EHL season
- 1950-51 EHL season
- 1951-52 EHL season
- 1952-53 EHL season
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