Binghamton_Devils

Binghamton Devils

Binghamton Devils

Former ice hockey team

The Binghamton Devils were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2017 to 2021 as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s New Jersey Devils.

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During the 2017–18 and 2018-2019 seasons, the Devils played home games at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, New York. During the 2020–21 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the team played home games at the New Jersey Devils' practice arena in Newark, New Jersey. The team did not return to Binghamton.

The franchise was moved to Utica, New York, to become the second incarnation of the AHL Utica Comets beginning with the 2021–22 season.

History

On September 26, 2016, shortly after it was announced that the Binghamton Senators were being purchased by their parent club and would move to Belleville, Ontario, for the 2017–18 season as the Belleville Senators,[2] the Senators' management said they were working hard to keep AHL hockey in Binghamton for 2017–18 and beyond.[3]

On January 25, 2017, the Times Union reported that the Albany Devils would move to Binghamton for 2017–18, citing the Devils' average per-game attendance of 2,888 being last in the AHL,[4] although the Binghamton Senators' attendance had been second-to-last at 3,666.[5] The official announcement of the team's move (and the Binghamton Devils name) was made on January 31, and noted that the organization had signed a five-year operating agreement.[6][7][8] Over their first two seasons in Binghamton, the Devils' attendance increased to 3,896[9] and 3,471[10] per game.

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Jersey Devils moved their AHL affiliate to their practice rink for home games in Newark, New Jersey, for the 2020–21 season. In April 2021, it was reported there was an ongoing dispute between the local operators of the Binghamton Devils and the New Jersey Devils over moving the team to Newark for the season. On April 5, a trademark was filed for the brand "Utica Devils" by Robert Esche, the operator of the Utica Comets, with the Comets' franchise license owned by the Vancouver Canucks.[11] According to the B-Devils vice president of operations Tom Mitchell, on April 14, 2021, he was informed by the New Jersey Devils that they planned to move the franchise for the 2021–22 season.[12] On May 6, the AHL approved the move to Utica, but retained the Comets branding already used by Esche with his current AHL club.[13]

Season-by-season results

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  1. A game between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Devils was suspended while tied and not completed, resulting in a 1–1 tie and a point for each team.[14]

References

  1. [1]
    Location during the 2020–21 season.
  2. [2]
    "Sens Owner Purchases AHL Team Partners W/ Belleville". Ottawa Senators. September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016.
  3. [3]
    "A Statement from the Binghamton Senators". OurSports Central. September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on January 13, 2018.
  4. [4]
    Dougherty, Pete (January 25, 2017). "Sources: Albany Devils leaving for Binghamton". Times Union. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  5. [5]
    "2016–17 AHL attendance". HockeyDB. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  6. [6]
    Kilgannon, Trish (January 31, 2017). "Binghamton Secures New AHL Team as Devils Relocate Franchise". Time Warner Cable News. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  7. [7]
    "NEW JERSEY DEVILS TO RELOCATE AHL AFFILIATE TO BINGHAMTON N.Y. FOR 2017-18 SEASON". Binghamton Senators. January 31, 2017. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  8. [8]
    "Devils moving affiliate to Binghamton in 2017-18". American Hockey League. January 31, 2017. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  9. [9]
    "2017–18 AHL attendance". HockeyDB. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  10. [10]
    "2018–19 AHL attendance". HockeyDB. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  11. [11]
    "Potential move of AHL teams puts future of hockey in Binghamton in question". WBNG. April 16, 2021. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  12. [12]
    Menner, Nicole (April 17, 2021). "NJ Devils inform Binghamton ownership AHL team will be relocated". WBNG. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  13. [13]
    "Board of Governors Approves Franchise Relocations". American Hockey League. May 6, 2021. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  14. [14]
    "Game Preview – Phantoms at Devils – Game #22". Lehigh Valley Phantoms. April 26, 2021.
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