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Adirondack Red Wings
Adirondack red wings 200x200
City: Glens Falls, New York
League: American Hockey League
Operated: 19791999
Home Arena: Glens Falls Civic Center
Colors: Red and White
Affiliates: Detroit Red Wings
Franchise history
1971–1972: Tidewater Wings
1972–1975: Virginia Wings
1979–1999: Adirondack Red Wings
Championships
Division Championships: three
(1985–86, 1988–89,
1993–94)
Calder Cups: four
(1980–81, 1985–86,
1988–89, 1991–92)

The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. The market is currently served by the Adirondack Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers' primary affiliate.

History[]

Desirous of promoting a winning atmosphere, Detroit ensured that the Adirondack Red Wings would have, for a minor league franchise, an unusually stable, veteran-laden roster. Veterans such as Glenn Merkosky, Jody Gage, Greg Joly, Norm Maracle and Dennis Polonich bolstered a team that saw over thirty players have 200 or more games with the franchise, including nine with over 300 and two (Merkosky and Joly) with over 400. In consequence, the Red Wings missed the playoffs only once in their twenty-year history.

The Red Wings' uniforms were identical to the parent club, with the white jersey featuring the distinctive red sleeves that the Detroit franchise has worn since 1956. During their final two seasons, the Adirondack Red Wings also wore a third jersey, based on Detroit's throwback design from 1991–92, replacing the word "DETROIT" on the front of the jersey with the winged wheel logo.

In early 1999, the Detroit Red Wings announced plans to move the team to Rossford, Ohio -- a Toledo suburb -- for the 2000-01 season. The Red Wings later suspended operations of the team following the 1998-99 season. The move never materialized.

The franchise was replaced by:

Coaches[]

  • Bill Purcell 1979–1980
  • Wayne Maxner 1980–1981
  • Doug McKay 1981–1982
  • Bill Mahoney 1982–1983
  • Bill Dineen 1983–1989
  • Barry Melrose 1989–1992
  • Newell Brown 1992–1997
  • Glenn Merkosky 1997–1999

General Managers[]

  • Ned Harkness 1979–1982
  • Jim Devellano 1982–1985
  • Neil Smith 1985–1989
  • Bill Dineen 1989–1990
  • Barry Melrose 1990–1992
  • Doug MacLean 1992–1994
  • Ken Holland 1995–1997
  • Don Ostrom 1997–1999

Season-by-Season Results[]

  • Tidewater Wings 1971–1972
  • Virginia Wings 1972–1975
  • Adirondack Red Wings 1979–1999

Regular Season[]

Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL Points Goals
For
Goals
Against
Standing
1971–72 76 22 45 9 53 197 275 6th, West
1972–73 76 38 22 16 92 258 221 3rd, West
1973–74 76 22 44 10 54 216 307 6th, South
1974–75 75 31 31 13 75 254 250 1st, South
1979–80 80 32 37 11 75 297 309 4th, North
1980–81 80 35 40 5 75 305 328 2nd, South
1981–82 80 34 37 9 77 299 285 5th, South
1982–83 80 36 39 5 77 329 343 4th, North
1983–84 80 37 29 14 88 344 330 2nd, North
1984–85 80 35 37 8 78 290 336 5th, North
1985–86 80 41 31 8 90 339 298 1st, North
1986–87 80 44 31 5 93 329 296 2nd, North
1987–88 80 42 23 11 4 99 306 275 3rd, South
1988–89 80 47 27 6 100 369 294 1st, South
1989–90 80 42 27 11 95 330 304 2nd, South
1990–91 80 33 37 10 76 320 346 5th, South
1991–92 80 40 36 4 84 335 309 2nd, North
1992–93 80 36 35 9 81 331 308 2nd, North
1993–94 80 45 27 8 98 333 273 1st, North
1994–95 80 32 38 10 74 271 294 4th, North
1995–96 80 38 32 8 2 86 271 247 2nd, Central
1996–97 80 38 28 12 2 90 258 249 2nd, Empire State
1997–98 80 31 37 9 3 74 245 275 4th, Empire State
1998–99 80 21 48 8 3 53 184 280 4th, Empire State

Playoffs[]

Season 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Finals
1971–72 Out of Playoffs
1972–73 W, 4-3, Hershey L, 2-4, Cincinnati
1973–74 Out of Playoffs
1974–75 L, 1-4, New Haven
1979–80 L, 1-4, New Brunswick
1980–81 W, 4-2, Binghamton W, 4-2, Hershey W, 4-2, Maine
1981–82 L, 2-3, New Brunswick
1982–83 L, 2-4, Fredericton
1983–84 L, 3-4, Maine
1984–85 Out of Playoffs
1985–86 W, 4-2, Fredericton W, 4-1, Moncton W, 4-2, Hershey
1986–87 W, 4-2, Moncton L, 1-4, Sherbrooke
1987–88 W, 4-3, Rochester L, 0-4, Hershey
1988–89 W, 4-1, Newmarket W, 4-3, Hershey W, 4-1, New Haven
1989–90 L, 2-4, Baltimore
1990–91 L, 4-14, Hershey
1991–92 W, 4-1, New Haven W, 4-0, Springfield W, 2-1, Rochester W, 4-3, St. John's
1992–93 W, 4-0, Capital District L, 3-4, Springfield
1993–94 W, 4-2, Springfield L, 2-4, Portland
1994–95 L, 0-4, Albany
1995–96 L, 0-3, Rochester
1996–97 L, 1-3, Albany
1997–98 L, 0-3, Albany
1998–99 L, 0-3, Rochester

Two game combined total goals series in preliminary round.

Notable Alumni[]

  • Allan Bester
  • Bob Boughner
  • Shawn Burr
  • Tim Cheveldae
  • Steve Chiasson
  • Jim Cummins
  • Mathieu Dandenault
  • Dallas Drake
  • Kris Draper
  • Murray Eaves
  • Darren Eliot
  • Brent Fedyk
  • Tim Friday
  • Jody Gage
  • Gerard Gallant
  • Adam Graves
  • Glen Hanlon
  • Dave Hanson
  • Shane Hnidy
  • Ken Holland
  • Tomas Holmstrom
  • Doug Houda
  • Greg Johnson
  • Sheldon Kennedy
  • Petr Klima
  • Mike Knuble
  • Joe Kocur
  • Slava Kozlov
  • Pavel Kubina
  • Mark Laforest
  • Daymond Langkow
  • Martin Lapointe
  • Pete Mahovlich
  • Norm Maracle
  • Darren McCarty
  • Randy McKay
  • Barry Melrose
  • Glenn Merkosky
  • Joe Murphy
  • Ted Nolan
  • Lee Norwood
  • Adam Oates
  • John Ogrodnick
  • Chris Osgood
  • Dennis Polonich
  • Keith Primeau
  • Bob Probert
  • Jamie Pushor
  • Yves Racine
  • Jim Rutherford
  • Brad Smith
  • Mike Sillinger
  • Greg Stefan
  • Sam St. Laurent
  • Mike Sullivan
  • Tim Taylor
  • Wes Walz
  • Aaron Ward
  • Jason York

Team Records[]

Career Goals: Glenn Merkosky: 204
Career Assists: Glenn Merkosky: 212
Career Points: Glenn Merkosky: 416
Career Penalty Minutes: Gord Kruppke: 1,028
Career Games: Glenn Merkosky: 430
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