New Haven Nighthawks

Former professional minor league ice hockey team in New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven Nighthawks

City| New Haven, Connecticut
League| American Hockey League
Operated| 1972–1992
Home arena| New Haven Coliseum
Colors| blue, gold, and white (Islanders and North Stars)
red, white, and blue (Rangers)
black, silver and white (Kings)
Affiliates| Minnesota North Stars,
New York Islanders,
New York Rangers,
Los Angeles Kings
Franchise history
1972–1992| New Haven Nighthawks
1992–1993| New Haven Senators
1993–1996| Prince Edward Island Senators
2002–2017| Binghamton Senators
2017–present| Belleville Senators
Championships
Regular season titles| 1 (1979–80)
Division titles| 2 (1978–79, 1979–80)

The New Haven Nighthawks were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1972 to 1992. They had affiliations with the New York Islanders (1972–1973), Minnesota North Stars (1972–1977), New York Rangers (1977–1981 & 1984–1987), and Los Angeles Kings (1981–1991). The team played their home games at New Haven Coliseum.

## History

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The Nighthawks were Calder Cup finalists four times: 1974–75, 1977–78, 1978–79 and a dramatic, unlikely playoff run in 1988–89 when they finished fourth in their division yet won two exciting playoff rounds before succumbing to the Adirondack Red Wings in the finals in five games. Those same Red Wings would take the Hawks out again in their last post-season before becoming the ill-fated New Haven Senators in 1992–93.

Notable players for the Nighthawks include former New York Islanders greats Chico Resch, Bobby Nystrom; ex-Boston Bruins Willie O'Ree and Billy O'Dwyer; Tom Colley, the franchise's career leader in games (534), goals (204), assists (281) and points (485); career penalty minute leader (688) Al Tuer; ex-WHA star Bobby Sheehan, Cam Connor, Bernie Nicholls, Blaine Stoughton, Mike Rogers and Glenn Healy. The team was notorious for a revolving door for personnel holding the AHL record for players used in a single season with 62 in 1986. No player other than Colley played in as many as 300 games for the Nighthawks, while only two goaltenders played over 100 games. Ron Scott played in 153 games and Doug Soetaert played in 101.

The franchise was renamed the New Haven Senators for the 1992–93 season when they began an NHL affiliation with the Ottawa Senators. The following season, the franchise moved to Prince Edward Island. Today, it is known as the Belleville Senators.

The last Nighthawk to play in the National Hockey League was goaltender Byron Dafoe, who played seven games for the Nighthawks in its last season in 1992. The last Nighthawk active at any level of professional hockey was Mario Chitarroni, who played for New Haven in the 1988–89 season, and was active in the Italian professional league in 2009.

### Franchise and area history

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The franchise became known as:

* New Haven Senators (1992–1993)
* Prince Edward Island Senators (1993–1996)
* Binghamton Senators (2002–2017)
* Belleville Senators (2017–present)

The market was subsequently home to:

* Beast of New Haven (1997–1999)
* New Haven Knights (UHL) (2000–2002).
* Bridgeport Islanders (2001–present)

## Season-by-season results

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### Regular season

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Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | Points | Goals
for | Goals
against | Standing

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1972–73 | 76 | 16 | 40 | 20 | — | 52 | 246 | 331 | 6th, East
1973–74 | 76 | 35 | 31 | 10 | — | 80 | 291 | 275 | 4th, North
1974–75 | 76 | 30 | 35 | 11 | — | 71 | 282 | 302 | 5th, North
1975–76 | 76 | 29 | 39 | 8 | — | 66 | 261 | 295 | 3rd, South
1976–77 | 80 | 43 | 31 | 6 | — | 92 | 333 | 287 | 2nd, AHL
1977–78 | 80 | 38 | 31 | 11 | — | 87 | 313 | 292 | 2nd, South
1978–79 | 80 | 46 | 25 | 9 | — | 101 | 346 | 271 | 1st, South
1979–80 | 80 | 46 | 25 | 9 | — | 101 | 350 | 305 | 1st, South
1980–81 | 80 | 29 | 40 | 11 | — | 69 | 295 | 321 | 4th, South
1981–82 | 80 | 39 | 33 | 8 | — | 86 | 292 | 276 | 3rd, South
1982–83 | 80 | 38 | 34 | 8 | — | 84 | 337 | 329 | 3rd, South
1983–84 | 80 | 36 | 40 | 4 | — | 76 | 365 | 371 | 5th, South
1984–85 | 80 | 31 | 41 | 8 | — | 70 | 315 | 341 | 5th, South
1985–86 | 80 | 36 | 37 | 7 | — | 79 | 340 | 343 | 4th, South
1986–87 | 80 | 44 | 25 | — | 11 | 99 | 331 | 315 | 3rd, South
1987–88 | 80 | 33 | 37 | 7 | 3 | 76 | 288 | 307 | 5th, North
1988–89 | 80 | 35 | 35 | 10 | — | 80 | 325 | 309 | 4th, North
1989–90 | 80 | 32 | 41 | 7 | — | 71 | 283 | 316 | 7th, North
1990–91 | 80 | 24 | 45 | 11 | — | 59 | 246 | 324 | 7th, North
1991–92 | 80 | 39 | 37 | 4 | — | 82 | 305 | 309 | 3rd, North

### Playoffs

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The Nighthawks were runners-up for the Calder Cup in 1974–75, 1977–78, 1978–79, & 1988–89.[1]

Season | 1st round | 2nd round | Finals

|
|
|

1972–73 | Out of playoffs
1973–74 | W, 4–2, Rochester | L, 0–4, Providence | —
1974–75 | W, 4–1, Virginia | W, 4–1, HER | L, 1–4, Springfield
1975–76 | L, 0–3, Richmond | — | —
1976–77 | L, 2–4, Rochester | — | —
1977–78 | W, 3–1, Philadelphia | W, 4–2, Rochester | L, 1–4, Maine
1978–79 | bye | W, 4–2, Binghamton | L, 0–4, Maine
1979–80 | W, 4–0, Rochester | L, 2–4, Hershey | —
1980–81 | L, 0–4, Hershey | — | —
1981–82 | L, 1–3, Rochester | — | —
1982–83 | W, 4–1, Hershey | L, 3-4 Rochester | —
1983–84 | Out of playoffs
1984–85 | Out of playoffs
1985–86 | L, 1–4, Hershey | — | —
1986–87 | L, 3–4, Binghamton | — | —
1987–88 | Out of playoffs
1988–89 | W, 4–2, Sherbrooke | W, 4–2, Moncton | L, 1–4, Adirondack
1989–90 | Out of playoffs
1990–91 | Out of playoffs
1991–92 | L, 1–4, Adirondack | — | —

## See also

[edit]

* Professional ice hockey in Connecticut

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "AHL Hall of Fame". AHL Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012.

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* t
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Belleville Senators

* Formerly the New Haven Nighthawks, New Haven Senators, Prince Edward Island Senators, and Binghamton Senators
* Founded in 1972
* Based in Belleville, Ontario

Franchise|

* History
* New Haven Senators
* Prince Edward Island Senators
* Binghamton Senators
* Players
* All articles

Personnel|

* Michael Andlauer (Owner)

Arenas|

* New Haven Coliseum
* Charlottetown Civic Centre
* Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena
* CAA Arena

Rivalries|

* Toronto Marlies
* Laval Rocket

Calder Cup|

* 2011 (as Binghamton Senators)

Affiliates|

* Ottawa Senators (NHL)

* v
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* e

Defunct American Hockey League teams

* Abbotsford Heat
* Adirondack Flames
* Adirondack Red Wings
* Adirondack Phantoms
* Albany Devils
* Albany River Rats
* Baltimore Bandits
* Baltimore Clippers
* Baltimore Skipjacks
* Binghamton Devils
* Binghamton Dusters
* Binghamton Rangers
* Binghamton Senators
* Binghamton Whalers
* Boston Braves
* Buffalo Bisons (1936)
* Buffalo Bisons (1940–1970)
* Cape Breton Oilers
* Capital District Islanders
* Carolina Monarchs
* Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
* Cincinnati Mohawks
* Cincinnati Swords
* Cleveland Barons (1937–1973)
* Cleveland Barons (2001–2006)
* Cleveland Falcons
* Cornwall Aces
* Edmonton Road Runners
* Erie Blades
* Fredericton Canadiens
* Fredericton Express
* Halifax Citadels
* Hamilton Bulldogs
* Hamilton Canucks
* Hampton Gulls
* Houston Aeros
* Indianapolis Capitals
* Iowa Stars
* Jacksonville Barons
* Kentucky Thoroughblades
* Louisville Panthers
* Lowell Devils
* Lowell Lock Monsters
* Maine Mariners
* Manchester Monarchs
* Moncton Alpines
* Moncton Golden Flames
* Moncton Hawks
* Montreal Voyageurs
* New Brunswick Hawks
* New Haven, Beast of
* New Haven Eagles
* New Haven Nighthawks
* New Haven Ramblers
* New Haven Senators
* Newmarket Saints
* Norfolk Admirals
* Nova Scotia Oilers
* Nova Scotia Voyageurs
* Oklahoma City Barons
* Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
* Peoria Rivermen
* Philadelphia Firebirds
* Philadelphia Phantoms
* Philadelphia Ramblers
* Philadelphia Rockets
* Pittsburgh Hornets (1936–1956)
* Pittsburgh Hornets (1961–1967)
* Portland Pirates
* Prince Edward Island Senators
* Providence Reds
* Rhode Island Reds
* Quad City Flames
* Quebec Aces
* Quebec Citadelles
* Richmond Robins
* San Antonio Rampage
* St. Catharines Saints
* Saint John Flames
* St. John's IceCaps
* St. John's Maple Leafs
* St. Louis Flyers
* Sherbrooke Canadiens
* Sherbrooke Jets
* Springfield Falcons
* Springfield Indians
* Springfield Kings
* Stockton Heat
* Syracuse Eagles
* Syracuse Firebirds
* Syracuse Stars
* Syracuse Warriors
* Tidewater Wings
* Toronto Roadrunners
* Utah Grizzlies
* Utica Devils
* Virginia Wings
* Washington Lions
* Worcester IceCats
* Worcester Sharks

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