| Buffalo Bisons | |
 | |
| City: | Buffalo, NY |
|---|---|
| League: | American Hockey League |
| Operated: | 1940–1970 |
| Home Arena: | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium |
| Colors: | Red, white, blue |
| Affiliates: | Montreal Canadiens Chicago Blackhawks |
| Franchise history | |
| 1930–1940: | Syracuse Stars |
| 1940–1970: | Buffalo Bisons |
| Championships | |
| Regular Season Titles: | five (1945–46, 1953–54, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1968–69) |
| Division Championships: | eight (1942–43, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1969–70) |
| Calder Cups: | five (1942–43, 1943–44, 1945–46, 1962–63, 1969–70) |
The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League ice hockey franchise that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced the original Buffalo Bisons hockey team, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed. They were the first professional hockey team to play their games in the Buffalo city proper; the previous team had played across the border at an arena in Fort Erie, Ontario.
The Bisons played at Memorial Auditorium, and at various times had affiliations with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers.
They were Calder Cup champions in 1943, 1944, 1946, 1963 and 1970, and runners-up in 1948, 1951, 1955, 1959 and 1962.
The team ceased operations after the 1969–70 season due to the awarding of a National Hockey League expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres, to begin play in 1970–71.
Season-by-Season Results[]
Regular Season[]
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Goals For |
Goals Against |
Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940–41 | 56 | 19 | 27 | 10 | 48 | 148 | 176 | 4th, West |
| 1941–42 | 56 | 25 | 25 | 6 | 56 | 182 | 157 | 4th, West |
| 1942–43 | 56 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 63 | 189 | 143 | 1st, West |
| 1943–44 | 54 | 25 | 16 | 13 | 63 | 201 | 168 | 2nd, East |
| 1944–45 | 60 | 31 | 8 | 21 | 70 | 200 | 182 | 1st, East |
| 1945–46 | 62 | 38 | 16 | 8 | 84 | 270 | 196 | 1st, East |
| 1946–47 | 64 | 36 | 17 | 11 | 83 | 257 | 173 | 2nd, West |
| 1947–48 | 68 | 41 | 23 | 4 | 86 | 277 | 238 | 3rd, West |
| 1948–49 | 68 | 33 | 27 | 8 | 74 | 246 | 213 | 5th, West |
| 1949–50 | 70 | 32 | 29 | 9 | 73 | 226 | 208 | 1st, East |
| 1950–51 | 70 | 40 | 26 | 4 | 84 | 309 | 284 | 1st, East |
| 1951–52 | 68 | 28 | 36 | 4 | 60 | 230 | 298 | 3rd, East |
| 1952–53 | 64 | 22 | 39 | 3 | 47 | 160 | 236 | 7th, AHL |
| 1953–54 | 70 | 39 | 24 | 7 | 85 | 283 | 217 | 1st, AHL |
| 1954–55 | 64 | 31 | 28 | 5 | 67 | 248 | 228 | 4th, AHL |
| 1955–56 | 64 | 29 | 30 | 5 | 63 | 239 | 250 | 3rd, AHL |
| 1956–57 | 64 | 25 | 37 | 2 | 52 | 209 | 270 | 5th, AHL |
| 1957–58 | 70 | 25 | 42 | 3 | 53 | 224 | 301 | 6th, AHL |
| 1958–59 | 70 | 38 | 28 | 4 | 80 | 233 | 201 | 1st, AHL |
| 1959–60 | 72 | 33 | 35 | 4 | 70 | 251 | 271 | 5th, AHL |
| 1960–61 | 72 | 35 | 34 | 3 | 73 | 259 | 261 | 4th, AHL |
| 1961–62 | 70 | 36 | 31 | 3 | 75 | 247 | 219 | 2nd, West |
| 1962–63 | 72 | 41 | 24 | 7 | 89 | 237 | 199 | 1st, West |
| 1963–64 | 72 | 25 | 40 | 7 | 57 | 194 | 260 | 4th, West |
| 1964–65 | 72 | 40 | 26 | 6 | 86 | 261 | 218 | 2nd, West |
| 1965–66 | 72 | 29 | 40 | 3 | 61 | 215 | 243 | 4th, West |
| 1966–67 | 72 | 14 | 51 | 7 | 35 | 207 | 386 | 4th, West |
| 1967–68 | 72 | 32 | 28 | 12 | 76 | 239 | 224 | 3rd, West |
| 1968–69 | 74 | 41 | 18 | 15 | 97 | 282 | 192 | 1st, West |
| 1969–70 | 72 | 40 | 17 | 15 | 95 | 280 | 193 | 1st, West |
Playoffs[]
| Season | 1st Round | 2nd Round | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940–41 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1941–42 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1942–43 | W, 4-2, Hershey | bye | W, 3-0, Indianapolis |
| 1943–44 | W, 4-1, Indianapolis | — | W, 4-0, Cleveland |
| 1944–45 | L, 2-4 Cleveland | — | — |
| 1945–46 | W, 4-1, Indianapolis | bye | W, 4-3, Cleveland |
| 1946–47 | W, 2-0, Springfield | L, 0-2, Pittsburgh | — |
| 1947–48 | W, 2-1, Hershey | W, 2-0, New Haven | L, 0-4, Cleveland |
| 1948–49 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1949–50 | L, 1-4, Cleveland | — | — |
| 1950–51 | L, 0-4, Cleveland | — | — |
| 1951–52 | L, 0-3, Cincinnati | — | — |
| 1952–53 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1953–54 | L, 0-3, Cleveland | — | — |
| 1954–55 | W, 3-1, Cleveland | — | L, 2-4, Pittsburgh |
| 1955–56 | L, 2-3, Providence | — | — |
| 1956–57 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1957–58 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1958–59 | W, 4-1, Rochester | — | L, 2-4, Hershey |
| 1959–60 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1960–61 | L, 1-3, Hershey | — | — |
| 1961–62 | W, 2-0, Rochester | W, 3-1, Hershey | L, 1-4, Springfield |
| 1962–63 | W, 4-2, Providence | bye | W, 4-3, Hershey |
| 1963–64 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1964–65 | W, 3-1, Pittsburgh | L, 2-3, Hershey | — |
| 1965–66 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1966–67 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1967–68 | L, 2-3, Quebec | — | — |
| 1968–69 | L, 2-4, Hershey | — | — |
| 1969–70 | W, 4-2, Quebec | 1st in round-robin vs. Springfield & Montreal |
W, 4-0, Springfield |