Albany Devils

The Albany Devils were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The top affiliate of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), the A-Devils played their home games at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York.

Albany Devils
CityAlbany, New York
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
Founded1998
Operated2010–2017
Home arenaTimes Union Center
ColorsRed, black, white
              
Owner(s)New Jersey Devils
MediaAlbany Times Union
MSG Network
ESPN 104.5 The Team
AffiliatesNew Jersey Devils (NHL)
Franchise history
1998–2006Lowell Lock Monsters
2006–2010Lowell Devils
2010–2017Albany Devils
2017–presentBinghamton Devils

The franchise started in 1998 as the expansion Lowell Lock Monsters and played their home games in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 2006, the Devils purchased the Lock Monsters and rebranded the franchise as the Lowell Devils for the 2006–07 AHL season. Citing low attendance, the franchise was moved to Albany in 2010 and began play as the Albany Devils. This would mark the second time the New Jersey Devils have been affiliated with an AHL team in Albany; from 1993 to 2006, the Devils used the Albany River Rats as their top minor league team.

Ahead of the 2017–18 AHL season, the Devils relocated to Binghamton, New York, and became the Binghamton Devils.

History

On February 10, 2010, Albany River Rats owner Walter L. Robb sold his team to MAK Hockey LLC, led by Charlotte beer distributor Michael Kahn, owner of the ECHL Charlotte Checkers. It was then announced that the River Rats would play the 2010–11 season as the Charlotte Checkers, and the ECHL franchise was relinquished to the league. Meanwhile, Robb, as well as members of the River Rats and Times Union Center's front office, had already begun looking for an American Hockey League team to replace the River Rats.[1][2]

On April 26, 2010, the New Jersey Devils sent Albany County a letter of intent to relocate their AHL affiliate to Albany, with a five-year commitment, on the grounds that the arena have specific renovations made.[3][4] New Jersey Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello, in a letter to the members of the Lowell Devils Booster Club, stated that changes presented in the lease with Lowell made it "financially impossible" to stay.[5]

On May 10, 2010, the county legislature voted 35–2 in favor of a $1.6 million upgrade to the facility to be spent on a new scoreboard, ribbon board advertising, and exterior lighting.[6]

On June 10, 2010, the New Jersey Devils officially announced on their website that they were moving the Lowell Devils to the Times Union Center in Albany, New York beginning with the 2010–11 AHL season to play as the Albany Devils,[7] playing 36 of their 40 home games in Albany. The other four home games were to be played in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at Boardwalk Hall. Soon after that, the New Jersey Devils announced they had promoted John MacLean to fill their head coaching vacancy. MacLean had been the head coach of the Lowell Devils during the 2009–10 season.[8] In August, Rick Kowalsky was named head coach of the Albany team, with former New Jersey Devils defenseman Tommy Albelin being named the assistant coach.[9]

On January 13, 2016, the Devils won their 11th consecutive home win to set a new franchise record.[10] On April 1, 2016, the Devils broke the franchise's previous wins record, set in 2013-14, with their 41st win: an overtime victory over the Binghamton Senators.[11][12]

On April 4, 2016, the Times Union Center and its managing group SMG announced they had reached an agreement with the New Jersey Devils to extend the lease of its AHL affiliate through the 2018–19 season.[13] However, on January 25, 2017, it was reported that the Albany Devils would relocate to replace the departing Binghamton Senators in Binghamton, New York, in the 2017–18 season. The Binghamton Devils were announced on January 31. At the time of the announcement, the Albany Devils were drawing the lowest average attendance in the league.[14][15]

Season-by-season results
Calder Cup Champions Conference Champions Division Champions League Leader

Records as of the end of the 2015–16 AHL season.[16]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Games Won Lost OTL SOL Points PCT Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing Year 1st
round		 2nd
round		 3rd
round		 Finals
2010–118032421570.4382172838th, East2011Did not qualify
2011–127631346573.4801902265th, Northeast2012Did not qualify
2012–1376313211275.4931932254th, Northeast2013Did not qualify
2013–147640235893.6122201932nd, Northeast2014L, 1–3, STJ———
2014–157637285685.5591992014th, Northeast2015Did not qualify
2015–1676462082102.6712121672nd, North2016W, 3–1, UTIL, 3–4, TOR——
2016–177639322383.5462042063rd, North2017L, 1–3, TOR———
Totals5362562112841581.542143515013 Playoff Appearances

Players

Team captains
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References
  1. "River Rats on the way out of town". www.TheSaratogian.com. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  2. Sichko, Adam (2010-02-10). "River Rats sold, relocating to N.C." American City Business Journals. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  3. D'Errico, Richard A. (2010-04-30). "The Albany Devils? Times Union Center receives letter of intent". American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  4. "AHL hockey back in Albany". Times Union. 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2010-06-10.
  5. "Lou Lamoriello told Lowell booster club it was 'financially impossible' to stay". NJ.com. 2010-06-01. Archived from the original on 4 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  6. "Finances, scoreboard top county's agenda". Times Union. 2010-05-11. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  7. "Devils shift AHL operations to Albany". New Jersey Devils. 2010-06-10. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-10.
  8. "Devils name MacLean as new head coach". New Jersey Devils. 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  9. "Albany Devils announce coaching staff". Albany Devils. 2010-08-10. Archived from the original on 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  10. "Wedgewood Posts Shutout; Devils Extend Home Streak | Albany Devils". www.thealbanydevils.com. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
  11. "Albany Devils hockey team statistics and history". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  12. "The American Hockey League". www.theAHL.com. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  13. "The Albany Devils". www.TheAlbanyDevils.com. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  14. "Albany Devils relocate to Binghamton, NY". NHL.com. January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  15. "Sources: Albany Devils leaving for Binghamton". Times Union. January 26, 2017.
  16. Hockeydb.com, Albany Devils season statistics and records.
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