Ottawa Civics
Encyclopedia
The Ottawa Civics was a professional ice hockey
team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
, that played a portion of one season in the World Hockey Association
in a mid-season relocation of the Denver Spurs
.
in 1968, and had been modestly successful in the minors before moving to the WHA in 1975. However, fans in Denver had been expecting an NHL team after Spurs owner Ivan Mullenix won a conditional NHL expansion franchise to begin play in 1976-77, only to see those plans fizzle out. They did not consider the WHA to be a major league.
The Spurs were plagued by financial difficulties and poor attendance (less than 3,000 per game). However, they were also dogged by rumors that the NHL was planning to move either the Kansas City Scouts
or California Golden Seals
to Denver. Mullenix knew that he could not possibly compete with an NHL team. Barely a month into the season, he began talks with the "Founders Club", a group seeking to bring big-league hockey back to Ottawa. Negotiations stalled, but on New Year's Eve 1975 Mullenix contacted the Founders Club again to see if they were still interested. They agreed to resume talks if Mullenix moved the team to Ottawa immediately.
On January 2, 1976, without so much as a press release, the Spurs were quietly moved to Ottawa and renamed the Civics. Allegedly, the players only learned of the move at their next road game that night in Cincinnati
, when they stood on the ice in their Denver jerseys and suddenly heard O Canada
being played. They lost that night and again the following night in Houston, then knocked off the Minnesota Fighting Saints
(another squad headed for oblivion before the season was over) in Minnesota, 5-2, on January 4. It would be only victory in the Civics' short life. In the meantime, the league moved the Civics to the Canadian Division from the Western Division.
On January 7, 1976, WHA hockey returned to Ottawa after a two-and-a-half year absence
. A crowd of 8,500 was in attendance at the Ottawa Civic Centre
as the Civics fell to New England, 3–2. After two more road losses the Civics returned to the Canadian capital January 15 to face Gordie Howe's Houston Aeros
. A sellout crowd of 9,355 saw the game go to overtime with the Aeros scoring the game winner.
Before the final game was played, the Founders Club announced that negotiations had been terminated. While the official reason was a $500,000 difference in the agreed selling price, Mullenix was looking to bail out as quickly as possible and had in the meantime been liquidating assets, including selling player contracts to other WHA teams. On January 17, the league issued a brief statement that "...the Ottawa Civics have formally ceased to operate". The remaining players who had not been sold were declared free agents and a dispersal draft
was held; leading scorer Ralph Backstrom
had been acquired by the New England Whalers and continued to play well, but most of the other Civics drifted out of hockey for good.
Because of the rushed nature of the move, the Civics did not adopt a logo or colours, and continued to wear the Spurs' uniforms, with the front crest removed. Major league hockey would not return to Ottawa until the reborn Senators
joined the NHL in 1992.
The Spurs/Civics' 41-game existence made them easily the shortest-lived team in the WHA's seven-year history.
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 based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, that played a portion of one season in the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
in a mid-season relocation of the Denver Spurs
Denver Spurs
The Denver Spurs were a professional ice hockey team based out of Denver, Colorado. The Spurs began play in the Western Hockey League in 1968, and played at the Denver Coliseum. The Spurs became the first professional sports team in Colorado to win a championship in 1971–72...
.
Move to Ottawa
The Denver Spurs began play in the Western Hockey LeagueWestern Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
in 1968, and had been modestly successful in the minors before moving to the WHA in 1975. However, fans in Denver had been expecting an NHL team after Spurs owner Ivan Mullenix won a conditional NHL expansion franchise to begin play in 1976-77, only to see those plans fizzle out. They did not consider the WHA to be a major league.
The Spurs were plagued by financial difficulties and poor attendance (less than 3,000 per game). However, they were also dogged by rumors that the NHL was planning to move either the Kansas City Scouts
Kansas City Scouts
The Kansas City Scouts was a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1974–76. In 1976, the franchise relocated to Denver, Colorado and became the Colorado Rockies...
or California Golden Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
to Denver. Mullenix knew that he could not possibly compete with an NHL team. Barely a month into the season, he began talks with the "Founders Club", a group seeking to bring big-league hockey back to Ottawa. Negotiations stalled, but on New Year's Eve 1975 Mullenix contacted the Founders Club again to see if they were still interested. They agreed to resume talks if Mullenix moved the team to Ottawa immediately.
On January 2, 1976, without so much as a press release, the Spurs were quietly moved to Ottawa and renamed the Civics. Allegedly, the players only learned of the move at their next road game that night in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Stingers
The Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.-History:The Stingers franchise was awarded in...
, when they stood on the ice in their Denver jerseys and suddenly heard O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
being played. They lost that night and again the following night in Houston, then knocked off the Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
(another squad headed for oblivion before the season was over) in Minnesota, 5-2, on January 4. It would be only victory in the Civics' short life. In the meantime, the league moved the Civics to the Canadian Division from the Western Division.
On January 7, 1976, WHA hockey returned to Ottawa after a two-and-a-half year absence
Ottawa Nationals
The Ottawa Nationals were a professional men's ice hockey team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that played in the World Hockey Association during the 1972–73 WHA season....
. A crowd of 8,500 was in attendance at the Ottawa Civic Centre
Ottawa Civic Centre
The Ottawa Civic Centre, also known as the J. Benson Cartage Centre for 2011–2012, is an indoor arena located in Ottawa, Ontario, seating 9,862. With temporary seating and standing room it can hold 10,585. Opened in December 1967, it is used primarily for sports, including curling, figure skating,...
as the Civics fell to New England, 3–2. After two more road losses the Civics returned to the Canadian capital January 15 to face Gordie Howe's Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
. A sellout crowd of 9,355 saw the game go to overtime with the Aeros scoring the game winner.
Before the final game was played, the Founders Club announced that negotiations had been terminated. While the official reason was a $500,000 difference in the agreed selling price, Mullenix was looking to bail out as quickly as possible and had in the meantime been liquidating assets, including selling player contracts to other WHA teams. On January 17, the league issued a brief statement that "...the Ottawa Civics have formally ceased to operate". The remaining players who had not been sold were declared free agents and a dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
was held; leading scorer Ralph Backstrom
Ralph Backstrom
Ralph Gerald Backstrom is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre.-Playing career:Backstrom played junior hockey with the Montreal Junior Canadiens from 1954 to 1956, and the Ottawa Junior Canadiens from 1956 to 1958...
had been acquired by the New England Whalers and continued to play well, but most of the other Civics drifted out of hockey for good.
Because of the rushed nature of the move, the Civics did not adopt a logo or colours, and continued to wear the Spurs' uniforms, with the front crest removed. Major league hockey would not return to Ottawa until the reborn Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
joined the NHL in 1992.
The Spurs/Civics' 41-game existence made them easily the shortest-lived team in the WHA's seven-year history.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1975–76 | 41 | 14 | 26 | 1 | 29 | 134 | 172 | 536 | 6th, Canadian | Folded mid-season |
See also
- Ice hockey in OttawaIce hockey in OttawaOttawa ice hockey clubs date back to the first decade of recorded organized ice hockey play. The men's senior-level Ottawa Hockey Club is known to have played in a Canadian championship in 1884...
- List of ice hockey teams in Ontario
- List of WHA seasons
- Ottawa NationalsOttawa NationalsThe Ottawa Nationals were a professional men's ice hockey team based out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that played in the World Hockey Association during the 1972–73 WHA season....
- Ottawa Senators (original)Ottawa Senators (original)The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
- Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...