Omaha Knights
Encyclopedia
The Omaha Knights were a minor league
professional ice hockey
team from 1959 to 1975, based in Omaha, Nebraska
at the Ak-Sar-Ben
arena. The Knights were founded in 1959 as members of the International Hockey League. The Knights switched to the Central Professional Hockey League in 1963, which was renamed the Central Hockey League in 1968.
Ken Wilson
was the general manager from 1960–1963. Goaltender
, Glenn Ramsay
, won the James Norris Memorial Trophy IHL for the least goals against during the 1961–1962 and the 1962–1963 regular seasons. The Rookie of the Year Trophy
was awarded to Knight's player John Gravel
in 1963.
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team from 1959 to 1975, based in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
at the Ak-Sar-Ben
Ak-Sar-Ben
Ak-Sar-Ben, or Aksarben, was an indoor arena and horse racing complex in Omaha, Nebraska. Built to fund the civic and philanthropic activities of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, the thoroughbred race track was built in 1920 and the Coliseum was built in 1929...
arena. The Knights were founded in 1959 as members of the International Hockey League. The Knights switched to the Central Professional Hockey League in 1963, which was renamed the Central Hockey League in 1968.
Ken Wilson
Ken Wilson (ice hockey)
Ken Wilson, born July 23, 1923, in Craik, Saskatchewan, was a minor hockey league General Manager and or owner for forty years. Twenty One years in the International Hockey League, five years in the Continental Hockey League and single seasons in the National Hockey League, Western Hockey League...
was the general manager from 1960–1963. Goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
, Glenn Ramsay
Glenn Ramsay
Glenn Ramsay is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 19 seasons in the IHL...
, won the James Norris Memorial Trophy IHL for the least goals against during the 1961–1962 and the 1962–1963 regular seasons. The Rookie of the Year Trophy
Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy
The Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy, was awarded annually by the International Hockey League to the most outstanding first year player as voted on by the league's coaches. Prior to 1968, the award was known as the Leading Rookie Award.-Winners:...
was awarded to Knight's player John Gravel
John Gravel
John Gravel is a former ice hockey defenceman who played 16 seasons of professional hockey from 1962 to 1978. Gravel played eight games in the World Hockey Association during 1972–73 WHA season with the Philadelphia Blazers.-Awards:...
in 1963.
