Springfield Thunderbirds

The Springfield Thunderbirds are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League that began play for the 2016–17 season. They are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues. Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Thunderbirds play their home games at the MassMutual Center.

Springfield Thunderbirds
2019–20 AHL season
CitySpringfield, Massachusetts
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionAtlantic
Founded1975 (In the NAHL)
Home arenaMassMutual Center
ColorsRed, navy blue, sky blue, white, gold
                        
Owner(s)Springfield Hockey, LLC.
General managerEric Joyce
Head coachGeordie Kinnear
CaptainPaul Thompson
MediaThe Springfield Republican
WHYN NewsRadio 560
CBS 3, 22 News
ABC 40
AHL.TV (Internet)
AffiliatesSt. Louis Blues (NHL)
Franchise history
1975–1982Erie Blades
1982–1993Baltimore Skipjacks
1993–2016Portland Pirates
2016–presentSpringfield Thunderbirds

History

In May 2016, following the relocation of the Springfield Falcons to Tucson, Arizona, after the team was sold to the Arizona Coyotes, the AHL's Portland Pirates were sold to a Springfield-based group who intended to relocate the franchise to Springfield for the 2016–17 season.[1][2]

The new owners were a consortium of local business interests seeking to keep hockey in Springfield, and included Paul Picknelly, owner of the Springfield Marriott and member of the family owning Peter Pan Bus Lines, as well as several local hotel owners.[3] A team from Springfield has taken the ice in the AHL and its predecessors for all but seven years since 1926, and in every season since 1954.

The Thunderbirds inherited the Florida Panthers' affiliation with the Pirates. The Panthers assigned their assistant general manager, Eric Joyce, to be Springfield's general manager and named Geordie Kinnear as the new head coach.[4] The Thunderbirds also named Bruce Landon, the Falcons' and Indians' longtime president and general manager, as a consultant, while hiring AHL executive Nathan Costa as their executive vice-president in charge of business operations.[5] The team's new name was announced at a press conference on June 15, 2016. Team management explained that Thunderbirds invokes both the mythological Thunderbird and the United States Air Force presence in the region, such as the Barnes and Westover Air Reserve Bases.[6]

The Thunderbirds played their first game on October 15, 2016, a 4–2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Anthony Greco scored the first goal in team history. On October 22, 2016, the Thunderbirds played their home opener, a 5–4 win, against the St. John's IceCaps. Dryden Hunt scored the first goal on home ice, and MacKenzie Weegar scored the game winning goal in overtime in front of a sellout crowd of 6,793. While the inaugural season did not result in a playoff berth, average attendance rose from 3,108 in the Falcons' last season to 4,618 and including three sellouts.

On February 17, 2018, it was announced that the Springfield Thunderbirds and the MassMutual Center would host the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic and Skills contest, to take place on January 27–28, 2019. This marked the first AHL All-Star Game in Springfield since 1959. MGM Springfield served as the host of the event.[7] The Western Conference was victorious in the skills competition, while the Central Division defeated the Atlantic Division in the championship game of the round robin event. Both events were sold out.

On March 6, 2020, the Springfield Thunderbirds announced a five-year affiliation deal with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL starting from the 2020–21 season.[8] The 4 year affiliation with Florida did not result in a single playoff berth for the Thunderbirds. However, players such as Josh Brown, Jayce Hawryluk, Dryden Hunt, Jared McCann, Ian McCoshen, Sam Montembeault, and Mackenzie Weegar developed in Springfield and went on to play with the Panthers. The team has seen attendance rise in each of its 4 seasons.

The market was previously home to:

Season-by-season results
Regular Season Playoffs
Season Games Won Lost OTL SOL Points PCT Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing Year 1st
round		 2nd
round		 3rd
round		 Finals
2016–177632339275.4931972066th, Atlantic2017Did not qualify
2017–187632375271.4672102337th, Atlantic2018Did not qualify
2018–197633299580.5262502417th, Atlantic2019Did not qualify
2019–206131273065.5331901865th, Atlantic2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19

Players

Current roster

Updated June 18, 2020.[9]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
19 Jake Horton F R 25 2018 Oakdale, Minnesota Thunderbirds
17 Will Lochead D L 22 2019 London, Ontario Thunderbirds
5 Dylan MacPherson D R 22 2019 Redcliff, Alberta Thunderbirds
57 Matt Mangene D R 31 2018 Manorville, New York Thunderbirds
44 Rob O'Gara D L 27 2019 Nesconset, New York Thunderbirds
26 Liam Pecararo LW L 24 2019 Canton, Massachusetts Thunderbirds
11 Adam Rockwood C L 24 2019 Coquitlam, British Columbia Thunderbirds

Team captains

Retired numbers

Note: Shore's number was retired by the Springfield Indians, and Murray's by the Springfield Falcons; the Thunderbirds continue to honor both numbers. Former AHL President Jack Butterfield and Vice-President Gordie Anziano, longtime Springfield residents, former Indians general manager and Falcons founder Bruce Landon, and Willie O'Ree, the first African American to play in the AHL, have been honored with banners raised with the retired numbers.

Team records

As of 2019–20 season.[10]

Single season
Goals: Anthony Greco, 30 (2018–19)
Goals by a Rookie: Owen Tippett, 19 (2019-20)
Power Play Goals: Paul Thompson, 9 (2018–19)
Short Handed Goals: Anthony Greco, 6 (2017–18)
Assists: Curtis Valk, 42 (2017–18)
Points: Curtis Valk, 62 (2017–18)
Penalty Minutes: Sena Acolatse, 147 (2016–17)
Appearances by a Goalie: Samuel Montembeault, 41 (2017–18)
GAA: Adam Wilcox 2.02 (2016–17)
SV%: Adam Wilcox (2016–17), Chris Driedger 2019-20, .932
Shutouts: Harri Sateri, 4 (2017–18)
Career
Games: 261 Anthony Greco
Penalty Minutes: 238 Paul Thompson
Goaltending Wins: 31 Samuel Montembeault
Shutouts: 4 Harri Sateri, Sam Montembeault
Goals: 85 Anthony Greco
Assists: 78 Dryden Hunt
Points: 157 Anthony Greco
Power Play Goals: 20 Dryden Hunt
Short Handed Goals: 16 Anthony Greco
gollark: I dislike how "impossible" has been effectively redefined as "very hard" now.
gollark: I mean, the payoffs aren't really personal like in the actual dilemma.
gollark: Why would either of you pull the lever? Just don't.
gollark: Without good cooling systems.
gollark: I wouldn't want to wear any.

References
  1. "Portland Pirates to leave Maine and move to Springfield, MA". WCSH. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  2. "American Hockey League Announces Franchise Transaction". OurSports Central. May 23, 2016.
  3. "The investors of Springfield's new hockey team revealed". Western Mass News. June 5, 2016.
  4. "Kinnear named coach of Florida's AHL affiliate". AHL. June 7, 2016.
  5. Pignatello, Jim (June 8, 2016). "Springfield AHL team names city native Nathan Costa as Executive VP; Bruce Landon to serve as consultant". Springfield Republican. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  6. Pignatiello, Jim (June 15, 2016). "Springfield Thunderbirds announced as name, mascot of city's AHL franchise". MassLive.com. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  7. "Springfield Thunderbirds to host 2019 AHL All-Star Classic". masslive.com. February 17, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  8. "Thunderbirds announce new partnership with Blues". American Hockey League. March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  9. "Springfield Thunderbirds Roster". 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  10. "Springfield Thunderbirds Elite Prospects". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
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