By 1980, Harold Ballard, owner of the Leafs, had decided that they needed a developmental team of their own,[9] with a spokesperson citing the limited number of roster spots as the rationale for the move.[2][3] MLGL launched the Cincinnati Tigers in the old Central Hockey League in 1981 to serve as their own affiliate, while retaining their share of the New Brunswick Hawks.[2][3][8][12][13][14] However, after the Tigers averaged only 1,500 fans and lost $750,000 in their first season, the Leafs folded the Tigers in the spring of 1982.[4][12][13][15][16] That same summer, with Chicago having already pulled out of New Brunswick in favour of affiliating with the Springfield Indians on their own,[4][13][16][17] the Maple Leafs announced that they would not operate the team in Moncton the following year after they couldn't come to terms with the city on a new arena lease,[4][13][17] even though the team had the fifth highest attendance in the league.[18]
The Maple Leafs wanted to relocate the team closer to Toronto, with both St. Catharines and Niagara Falls in Ontario potential destinations for the franchise.[12][15][19] When MLGL applied to the AHL to relocate the New Brunswick Hawks to St. Catharines, the nearby Buffalo Sabres initially blocked the move due to objections to a team moving into their territory without prior discussions with them.[13][20][21][22][23][24] However, following protests by fans in St. Catharines[25] and threats by Ballard to suspend the Moncton franchise to prevent another AHL team from playing in the city[13] and to sue the Sabres and NHL for $20 million,[22][23] the relocation was approved unanimously and the franchise became the St. Catharines Saints, serving as the Maple Leafs' primary affiliate.[12][20][23][26][27] At the same AHL Board of Governors meeting, the Edmonton Oilers received approval to purchase a new AHL franchise to replace the departed Hawks in Moncton,[20][23][26][27] leading to establishment of the Moncton Alpines as their affiliate that fall.[27][28]
^ abcLeger, Normand (July 26, 1982). "Oilers a Moncton - Les details connus cette semaine". L'Évangéline.
^""Les Alpines": club ferme des Oilers". L'Évangéline. August 3, 1982.
^"St. Catharines Saints [AHL] all-time player list at hockeydb.com". HockeyDB. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
January 01, 1970
catharines, saints, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources St Catharines Saints news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2018 Learn how and when to remove this message The St Catharines Saints was a minor league ice hockey team in St Catharines Ontario It played in the American Hockey League from 1982 to 1986 as the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs St Catharines SaintsCitySt Catharines OntarioLeagueAmerican Hockey LeagueOperated1982 1986Home arenaGarden City ArenaColorsBlue and whiteOwner s Maple Leaf Gardens LimitedAffiliateToronto Maple LeafsFranchise history1978 1982New Brunswick Hawks1982 1986St Catharines Saints1986 1991Newmarket Saints1991 2005St John s Maple Leafs2005 presentToronto Marlies Contents 1 History 2 Alumni 3 Season by season results 3 1 Regular season 3 2 Playoffs 4 Team records 5 See also 6 ReferencesHistory editThe Moncton based New Brunswick Hawks had been established in 1978 as members of the American Hockey League AHL 1 and were jointly operated by the Chicago Black Hawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs as their farm team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Maple Leaf Gardens Limited MLGL and the Black Hawks each owned half of the franchise 8 9 10 11 By 1980 Harold Ballard owner of the Leafs had decided that they needed a developmental team of their own 9 with a spokesperson citing the limited number of roster spots as the rationale for the move 2 3 MLGL launched the Cincinnati Tigers in the old Central Hockey League in 1981 to serve as their own affiliate while retaining their share of the New Brunswick Hawks 2 3 8 12 13 14 However after the Tigers averaged only 1 500 fans and lost 750 000 in their first season the Leafs folded the Tigers in the spring of 1982 4 12 13 15 16 That same summer with Chicago having already pulled out of New Brunswick in favour of affiliating with the Springfield Indians on their own 4 13 16 17 the Maple Leafs announced that they would not operate the team in Moncton the following year after they couldn t come to terms with the city on a new arena lease 4 13 17 even though the team had the fifth highest attendance in the league 18 The Maple Leafs wanted to relocate the team closer to Toronto with both St Catharines and Niagara Falls in Ontario potential destinations for the franchise 12 15 19 When MLGL applied to the AHL to relocate the New Brunswick Hawks to St Catharines the nearby Buffalo Sabres initially blocked the move due to objections to a team moving into their territory without prior discussions with them 13 20 21 22 23 24 However following protests by fans in St Catharines 25 and threats by Ballard to suspend the Moncton franchise to prevent another AHL team from playing in the city 13 and to sue the Sabres and NHL for 20 million 22 23 the relocation was approved unanimously and the franchise became the St Catharines Saints serving as the Maple Leafs primary affiliate 12 20 23 26 27 At the same AHL Board of Governors meeting the Edmonton Oilers received approval to purchase a new AHL franchise to replace the departed Hawks in Moncton 20 23 26 27 leading to establishment of the Moncton Alpines as their affiliate that fall 27 28 Following the 1985 1986 season the team moved to Newmarket Ontario and became the Newmarket Saints An earlier team under this name played in the OHA Senior League in the 1940s and 50s Alumni editFormer players include Allan Bester Bruce Boudreau Steve Thomas Ken WreggetSeason by season results editRegular season edit Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL Points Goalsfor Goalsagainst Standing 1982 83 80 33 41 6 72 335 368 6th South 1983 84 80 43 31 6 92 364 346 3rd South 1984 85 80 24 50 6 54 272 391 7th South 1985 86 80 38 37 5 81 304 308 3rd South Playoffs edit Season 1st round 2nd round Finals 1982 83 Out of Playoffs 1983 84 L 3 4 Rochester 1984 85 Out of Playoffs 1985 86 W 4 2 Binghamton L 3 4 Hershey Team records editGoals Bruce Boudreau 50 1982 83 Assists Bruce Boudreau 72 1982 83 Points Bruce Boudreau 122 1982 83 Penalty minutes Leigh Verstraete 300 1985 86 GAA min 20 games Allan Bester 3 64 1985 86 SV min 20 games Allan Bester 881 1985 86 Career goals Bruce Boudreau 97 Career assists Bruce Boudreau 134 Career points Bruce Boudreau 231 Career penalty minutes Leigh Verstraete 868 Career goaltending wins Tim Bernhardt 36 Career shutouts Bob Parent 3 Career games Craig Muni 269 Source 29 See also editList of ice hockey teams in OntarioReferences edit a b Sports roundup The Globe and Mail June 24 1978 a b c Leafs get new farm club in Central Hockey League The Globe and Mail June 24 1981 a b c Campbell Neil June 17 1981 Cincinnati may get Leaf farm team The Globe and Mail a b c d Leaf team to leave Moncton Toronto Star June 2 1982 Houston William February 9 1982 Hockey notebook Dull Sabres have pundits speculating The Globe and Mail Sports roundup The Globe and Mail July 8 1978 Leafs Hawks to Moncton Toronto Star June 20 1978 a b Houston William March 31 1982 Everything has price Ballard says it s 50 million for Leafs Gardens The Globe and Mail a b Ballard wants Leafs to have own farm club The Globe and Mail March 21 1980 Across Canada No liquor licence for Leafs Hawks farm club The Globe and Mail November 9 1978 AHL Hawks get Tessier The Globe and Mail August 22 1981 a b c d Leafs place AHL team in St Kitts The Globe and Mail June 22 1982 a b c d e f Campbell Neil July 6 1982 AHL rejects shift of Leaf farm club The Globe and Mail Saints set for debut in Garden City Arena The Globe and Mail October 9 1982 a b Campbell Neil June 11 1982 Salming wins Conacher award Niagara may get Leaf farm team The Globe and Mail a b Campbell Neil May 28 1982 It s musical chairs on ice as CHL franchises switch The Globe and Mail a b Leafs to move AHL franchise The Globe and Mail June 2 1982 Campbell Neil June 3 1982 Fans fail to save Hawks The Globe and Mail Houston William June 8 1982 Ballard stymies Canadian division The Globe and Mail a b c AHL adds three teams in expansion The Globe and Mail July 24 1982 Sports lines The Pittsburgh Press July 23 1982 a b Sabres settle dispute with Leafs Montreal Gazette July 23 1982 a b c d Kane Mike July 24 1982 Red Wings return to North as AHL swells to 13 teams Schenectady Gazette Sabres won t oppose move Observer Reporter July 23 1982 Herod Doug August 17 2013 We really cared about Saints or so we thought St Catharines Standard Archived from the original on September 28 2013 Retrieved January 26 2014 a b McMillan Tom July 24 1982 Sports briefing Pittsburgh Post Gazette a b c Leger Normand July 26 1982 Oilers a Moncton Les details connus cette semaine L Evangeline Les Alpines club ferme des Oilers L Evangeline August 3 1982 St Catharines Saints AHL all time player list at hockeydb com HockeyDB Retrieved October 18 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Catharines Saints amp oldid 1220192863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
