Troy Slapshots
Encyclopedia
The Troy Slapshots were a professional ice hockey
team based in Troy
, NY
. They were a member of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League
in the 1985-86 season.
The New York Slapshots were coached by Dave Schultz, a former NHL veteran who spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers
during their Broad Street Bullies days. Schultz would lead the Slapshots to a 21-38-0 record in his lone season with the Slapshots.
. The Houston Field House was a familiar site to some, as it was the site of the leaguewide rookie camp and at the time was the largest arena being used in the league
The Slapshots opened their season on October 25, 1986 in front of a crowd of 1312 fans. The Slapshots would beat the Mohawk Valley Comets 8-5.On hand for opening night pregame ceremonies were: Slucker (who dropped the ceremonial puck); Troy mayor Robert Conway; Chamber Of Commerce President John O'Connor; RPI
coach Mike Addesa.
The Slapshots would only end up playing four home games before folding. At one point in the Slapshots' brief season, they played "in front of an estimated 120 people" and with the exception of opening night, never played in front of more than 300 people. They would play their last game on November 15, 1986, where they scored a 3-2 shootout victory over the Erie Golden Blades
.
Lack of funding and an inexperienced staff ultimately sealed the Slapshots' fate. An initial report to ACHL Commissioner Ray Miron
said that the Slapshots had sold anywhere from 750 to 1000 season tickets prior to the start of the season, when in fact the organization had sold less than 10% of that. A final report showed that the Slapshots had only sold 66 season tickets.
Slucker's lack of funding for the team also hurt the team. Considered to be an "absentee owner" by Commissioner Miron, Slucker told league president Bill Coffey
that he needed corporate sponsorship to continue to run the franchise. The average operating fees being $365,000 for a franchise and possibly more as a startup team, Coffey was only able to come up $25,000 to help keep the team operating. Miron said that the $25,000 would not keep the team operational for more than two weeks.
, New York, NY on November 17, 1986. The following decisions resulted from the nine hour meeting:
The Comets would announce shortly after the meeting that they fired their coach Bill Horton, and replaced him with former Slapshots' coach and general manager Joe Selenski. The ACHL would finish the season with four teams: Mohawk Valley, Erie Golden Blades, Virginia Lancers, and Carolina Thunderbirds. The following season, Mohawk Valley would transfer to the AHL and start the AHL season as the Utica Devils
, while the Virginia and Carolina teams would join the All-American Hockey League
.
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 in Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, NY
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. They were a member of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League
Atlantic Coast Hockey League
The Atlantic Coast Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey....
in the 1985-86 season.
History
The Slapshots were based out of Staten Island during their inaugural season. By the time the 1985-86 ACHL season started, an arena had not been built so the Slapshots played all of their games on the road. The Phil Esposito Sports & Entertainment Center, located in Staten Island's Travis section, was scheduled to be the home of the Slapshots and was supposed to be operational by their December 7 home opener, but the start of construction was delayed until early November. The arena ended up never being built. Instead, they opened their season in New Jersey and finished their season playing their "home" games primarily in Virginia, competing as a traveling team.The New York Slapshots were coached by Dave Schultz, a former NHL veteran who spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
during their Broad Street Bullies days. Schultz would lead the Slapshots to a 21-38-0 record in his lone season with the Slapshots.
1986-87 season
The following year, owner Rudy Slucker announced that the Slapshots would be playing their games at the Houston Field House, a 5,367 seat arena located on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
. The Houston Field House was a familiar site to some, as it was the site of the leaguewide rookie camp and at the time was the largest arena being used in the league
The Slapshots opened their season on October 25, 1986 in front of a crowd of 1312 fans. The Slapshots would beat the Mohawk Valley Comets 8-5.On hand for opening night pregame ceremonies were: Slucker (who dropped the ceremonial puck); Troy mayor Robert Conway; Chamber Of Commerce President John O'Connor; RPI
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
coach Mike Addesa.
The Slapshots would only end up playing four home games before folding. At one point in the Slapshots' brief season, they played "in front of an estimated 120 people" and with the exception of opening night, never played in front of more than 300 people. They would play their last game on November 15, 1986, where they scored a 3-2 shootout victory over the Erie Golden Blades
.
Lack of funding and an inexperienced staff ultimately sealed the Slapshots' fate. An initial report to ACHL Commissioner Ray Miron
Ray Miron
Ray Miron is the former owner of the new Central Hockey League, founded in 1992 by Miron and William "Bill" Levins, as well as a former National Hockey League executive, serving in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and as General Manager of the Colorado Rockies . They founded the league under...
said that the Slapshots had sold anywhere from 750 to 1000 season tickets prior to the start of the season, when in fact the organization had sold less than 10% of that. A final report showed that the Slapshots had only sold 66 season tickets.
Slucker's lack of funding for the team also hurt the team. Considered to be an "absentee owner" by Commissioner Miron, Slucker told league president Bill Coffey
Bill Coffey
Bill Coffey is a businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur. He is one of the founders of the ECHL . Founded in 1988, the ECHL is a minor professional ice hockey league that serves as a development league for the NHL...
that he needed corporate sponsorship to continue to run the franchise. The average operating fees being $365,000 for a franchise and possibly more as a startup team, Coffey was only able to come up $25,000 to help keep the team operating. Miron said that the $25,000 would not keep the team operational for more than two weeks.
Removal from league
With the nearby Mohawk Valley Comets also struggling, the ACHL Board Of Governors held an emergency meeting in UticaUtica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, New York, NY on November 17, 1986. The following decisions resulted from the nine hour meeting:
- Troy Slapshots would be dropped from the league, effective immediately.
- There would not be a dispersal draft for all players on the Slapshots roster.
- The Mohawk Valley CometsMohawk Valley CometsThey Mohawk Valley Comets are a former professional ice hockey team based in Utica, NY. They were a member of the North American Hockey League from 1973 to 1977.-Season-by-season results:...
would hold the rights to all the players on the Slapshots roster until November 27, 1986.
The Comets would announce shortly after the meeting that they fired their coach Bill Horton, and replaced him with former Slapshots' coach and general manager Joe Selenski. The ACHL would finish the season with four teams: Mohawk Valley, Erie Golden Blades, Virginia Lancers, and Carolina Thunderbirds. The following season, Mohawk Valley would transfer to the AHL and start the AHL season as the Utica Devils
Utica Devils
The Utica Devils were an ice hockey team of the American Hockey League. The team played in Utica, New York at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.-History:...
, while the Virginia and Carolina teams would join the All-American Hockey League
All-American Hockey League
The All-American Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization formed in 1972 with teams based in the Upper Midwest and Great lakes regions of the United States as the Continental Hockey League. In 1986 the league folded and the Danville, Dayton, Troy went on to form the All-American Hockey...
.
New York Slapshots
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-86 | 59 | 21 | 38 | 0 | 42 | 260 | 367 |
Troy Slapshots
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 36 |
Notable Personnel
- Dave Schultz, former coach, 1985-86 season
- Joe Selenski, former coach and general manager. Would later coach the Johnstown Chiefs in their inaugural season.
- Scott RettewScott RettewScott Rettew is a retired American professional ice hockey player.-Career:Rettew turned professional in 1985, skating with the New York Slapshots of the ACHL, finishing fourth in the team in scoring with 48 points in 56 games....
, also played for Selenski with the Chiefs in 1987-88 where he led the Chiefs in goals and points under Selenski.