Your favorite defunct team (for whatever reason)?

Mandar

The Real Maven
Sep 27, 2013
4,386
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The Tarheel State
Another vote for the Seals here....loved all the uniform variations.

Listening to Jim Gordon & Bill Chadwick broadcasting games in the 70's....Chadwick always got a kick out of the player Morris Mott. Anyone got a pic of him?
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,215
New York/Brooklyn Americans-The first tenants of Madison Square Garden and owned (for it's first few years at least) by a bootlegger. Have their 1938 and 1942 sweaters in my collection that I wear for skates on the Rideau Canal.
Montreal Maroons-Have their sweater as well. Had some of the most immortal names in hockey like Nels Stewart, Hooley Smith, Baldy Northcott, and Cyclone Wentworth, in addition to being the last defunct club to win a Stanley Cup in 1934-35.
Oakland Seals-One of the greatest "if only" stories in professional sports and that doesn't begin to mention the white skates saga, lol.
Kansas City Scouts-A team that had Tanya Tucker give an intermission concert in order to boost paltry ticket sales and also had some of pro hockey's greatest names like Buster Harvey, Simon Nolet, Germain Gagnon, Bart Crashley, Randy Rota, and Butch Deadmarsh. Have theirs and Oakland's jerseys in my collection as well.

Thats an interesting pick, NY/Brooklyn Americans... raise you & call... Hamilton Tigers ICM... they too had nice jerseys, black & orange, playing out of the old Barton Street Forum as it was called before being bought by Bootlegger Billy, moved to NY..... and yes, loved their jerseys and in keeping with that theme.... also love some of the vintage Rochester Americans jerseys, and while AHL, several versions I think nicer than the old NHL Amerks by far. If unfamiliar with the various versions over the years, check it out. Some real beauties.
 
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ICM1970

Registered User
Jan 29, 2012
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Ottawa, ON
Thats an interesting pick, NY/Brooklyn Americans... raise you & call... Hamilton Tigers ICM... they too had nice jerseys, black & orange, playing out of the old Barton Street Forum as it was called before being bought by Bootlegger Billy, moved to NY..... and yes, loved their jerseys and in keeping with that theme.... also love some of the vintage Rochester Americans jerseys, and while AHL, several versions I think nicer than the old NHL Amerks by far. If unfamiliar with the various versions over the years, check it out. Some real beauties.
I recall that there was some TV program/documentary that focused on the search for an original Hamilton Tigers sweater. Whether or not that that search was successful, I do not know, but a fascinating topic I bet.
 

Damisoph

Registered User
Jun 29, 2010
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mVLM3fHOx5lYcXm_frGXRjQ.jpg

Cmon Carolina, get this as a third jersey.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
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I recall that there was some TV program/documentary that focused on the search for an original Hamilton Tigers sweater. Whether or not that that search was successful, I do not know, but a fascinating topic I bet.

Thats right too, Id forgotten about that.... there was a sort of documentary or docu-drama produced around 2008 or so, then aired in 2009 on one of the special interest cable channels and or the CBC called Hunting the Last Tiger or some such... a sort of tongue in cheek ode to the city of Hamilton, its loss of its NHL team in 1925 and in 2009... Balsillie trying to force his & Hamiltons way back in with a hostile relocation gambit so this film topically interesting to a wider audience, going into the history of the NHL in Hamilton, the Forum, Tigers etc.... Based on a supposed collectors sale in the early 90's whereby a rare, the only known surviving Tigers sweater was sold, exchanged hands, where it had come from & how it had surfaced... what had become of it..... And what I wonder, is whats become of that docu-drama because its as gone baby gone as this mythical last surviving Tigers jersey. Cant find it on youtube, nowhere. I'd link it up here if I could... Very strange.
 

HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
Sep 16, 2010
40,359
70,830
Charlotte
mVLM3fHOx5lYcXm_frGXRjQ.jpg

Cmon Carolina, get this as a third jersey.

Well, the new owner has expressed interest in wearing this.

Hurricanes owner embracing Whalers legacy

I've never understood the fascination with this uniform (JMO) and am even more shocked when I constantly read "best uniform in sports history" on these boards, but people out there still eat it up and Dundon would be a fool to not cash in so, maybe it will make an appearance soon?
 

Hockey Outsider

Registered User
Jan 16, 2005
9,144
14,450
I've always been partial to the Montreal Maroons after hearing stories about them from my late grandfather. He spoke fondly of Nels Stewart and the "S" line.

I'm not sure if this was a universal perception, but he saw the Wanderers as the Anglophone team in Montreal, and the Canaiens were Francophone team. He told me that once the Wanderers went bankrupt during the Great Depression, he stopped following hockey.
 

SealsFan

Registered User
May 3, 2009
1,716
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Well it's pretty obvious, but I dig ALL these old defunct teams. All great uniforms. I've posted some stats about the Scouts in the past, don't have them on the tip of my tongue, but they were overshadowed as a bad team because of the Washington Capitals. While the Caps were allowing 10 goals/game, KC was only letting up 5 so no one was paying much attention to them. In their second season, they won ONE game out of their last 47, or something like that. Then poor Gary Croteau, after several years with the Seals, he gets to spend two with the Scouts! (we've already determined in another thread that he is the "losingest" player in NHL history with the most games played for losing teams). And you had Steve Durbano putting up 209 penalty minutes in only 37 games!

The Flames were quite fascinating for coming out of the gate a .500 team and remaining that way for pretty much their existence in Atlanta. An expansion team employing only the same two goalies for its first six or so seasons is ASTOUNDING!
 

SealsFan

Registered User
May 3, 2009
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Listening to Jim Gordon & Bill Chadwick broadcasting games in the 70's....Chadwick always got a kick out of the player Morris Mott. Anyone got a pic of him?
4707ed9d01b48ba88e916e437ed31500.jpg


There was a Morris Mott fan club started by Ranger fans but I didn't join because I thought it was too contrived, sort of making fun of him. I saw him score against the Islanders at the Coliseum.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,215
Another vote for the Seals here....loved all the uniform variations.

Listening to Jim Gordon & Bill Chadwick broadcasting games in the 70's....Chadwick always got a kick out of the player Morris Mott. Anyone got a pic of him?

Bill Big Whistle Chadwick. One eyed Referee. Quite literally. Had lost the sight in one eye as a player in the 30's, NY Rovers or some such but didnt stop him from playing, then became an NHL Official. And seriously.... a one eyed Referee?... certainly lends credence to the derogatory "blind as a bat" flung at Ref's by angry players, coaches & fans from time-time. I cant recall if like Willie O'Ree he kept that secret or what the story was.
 
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David Bruce Banner

Nude Cabdriver Ban
Mar 25, 2008
7,963
3,237
Streets Ahead
I always had a soft spot for the rough and tumble days of the WHA... as a tyke I even got taken to a couple of Vancouver Blazers games. And although the Blazers were pretty cool, I figure the Minnesota Fighting Saint were the epitome of crazy WHA-ness.

They had a pretty cool jersey...
6220770442_0eb99ea723.jpg


At one time or other they iced all three of the Hanson Brothers...
CarlsonsSaints75-76.jpg



As well as Ogie Oglethorpe inspiration, Bill "Goldy" Goldthorpe...

B2mFANsCEAE1wo3.jpg



And never missed the playoffs or had a losing record.
 

SealsFan

Registered User
May 3, 2009
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MinnesotaFightingSaints76-77jersey.jpg

And don't forget there were TWO Fighting Saints teams... the second one was the relocated Cleveland Crusaders and they changed the main color from blue to red.
 

Ofuzz

Registered User
Jul 11, 2006
211
44
Growing up on Vancouver Island in the 70's, my mom finally took me to my first hockey game: California Golden Seals vs the Canucks. I really didn't care about the Seals but after the game I couldn't shake following them. Pretty good players in Maruk, MacAdam, Merrick and Meloche. Ugly uni's but in a "I got to own one of those jerseys" way. Still have it. Followed their players the rest of their careers. Always a soft spot for them.
 

greyraven8

Registered User
Dec 24, 2007
475
198
Thunder Bay, ON
Thats right too, Id forgotten about that.... there was a sort of documentary or docu-drama produced around 2008 or so, then aired in 2009 on one of the special interest cable channels and or the CBC called Hunting the Last Tiger or some such... a sort of tongue in cheek ode to the city of Hamilton, its loss of its NHL team in 1925 and in 2009... Balsillie trying to force his & Hamiltons way back in with a hostile relocation gambit so this film topically interesting to a wider audience, going into the history of the NHL in Hamilton, the Forum, Tigers etc.... Based on a supposed collectors sale in the early 90's whereby a rare, the only known surviving Tigers sweater was sold, exchanged hands, where it had come from & how it had surfaced... what had become of it..... And what I wonder, is whats become of that docu-drama because its as gone baby gone as this mythical last surviving Tigers jersey. Cant find it on youtube, nowhere. I'd link it up here if I could... Very strange.

4 or 5 years ago I recorded the documentary on VHS for the person who has this blog and mailed it to him. He may or may not have converted it from VHS. You could try emailing him.

Third String Goalie: Hunting "Hunting the Last Hamilton Tiger"
 
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frisco

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame...
Sep 14, 2017
3,591
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Northern Hemisphere
Cleveland Barons. I remembered when they basically merged with the North Stars and I thought it would be super team or sorts but they continued to suck as I recall.

Honorable mention the Pittsburgh Pirates. I'm a Pens fan and reading about their history in a few books I never realized there was NHL hockey in Pittsburgh pre WW II.

My Best-Carey
 
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ICM1970

Registered User
Jan 29, 2012
607
129
Ottawa, ON
Honorable mention the Pittsburgh Pirates. I'm a Pens fan and reading about their history in a few books I never realized there was NHL hockey in Pittsburgh pre WW II.
They were in the league from about 1925 to about 1930, then became the immortal Philadelphia Quakers for that one season in 1930-31. During their first season, the Pirates were Georges Vezina's last opponents as he played only the first period before leaving the game with symptoms that turned out to be those of tuberculosis.
 
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WildGopher

Registered User
Jun 13, 2012
1,072
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Henry Boucha could have had a nice career; certainly had the size and talent. Didn't help when Dave Forbes but ended him the the eye though...View attachment 110615
.

Ran into Henry Boucha at a book signing last fall. Still looks real athletic in his late 60s. Very classy guy, too. Not only had his NHL career short-circuited by the goon Forbes, but was injured and sent to the hospital during the state high school championship game here, an injury that likely cost his Warroad team the overtime loss it suffered. Just a dominant player at that level. At least he got to represent his country in international competition, and get in short stints for the Red Wings and his home-state North Stars. Sad that the goon hockey of the time cut that short, though.

As far as the topic, the old North Stars are still missed here, but other departed teams respected as well. Local rinks and a radio show here sometimes play the Whalers' Brass Bonanza goal song; I'm seeing more Nordiques jerseys; and since the AHL Houston Aeros were the Wild's farm team for a few years, it brought up memories of the Aeros-Fighting Saints battles in the WHA. The Howes and the Aeros knocked us out of the playoffs in the '74 semis, so there was some rivarly there. If Houston gets a team again, as is sometimes talked about, I hope they'll keep the Aeros name and some of the tradition of two Avco Cups, the Howes, etc.
 

Albatros

Registered User
Aug 19, 2017
12,476
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Ostsee
FC Bayern München. They're currently the best German club in both soccer and basketball, while the bland Red Bull corporate team also located in Munich dominates in hockey. But back in the day Bayern used to have a decent hockey section of their own, playing for a couple of seasons in the top flight in the 1960s.

536673084-fc-bayern-in-weiss-gegen-sc-riessersee-in-60er-jahren-gab-es-dieses-eishockey-duell-wedbsg1tVXG.jpg
 
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DJ Man

Registered User
Mar 23, 2009
772
219
Central Florida
Well, the new owner has expressed interest in wearing this.

Hurricanes owner embracing Whalers legacy

I've never understood the fascination with this uniform (JMO) and am even more shocked when I constantly read "best uniform in sports history" on these boards, but people out there still eat it up and Dundon would be a fool to not cash in so, maybe it will make an appearance soon?

I think it's the unique crest on the shirt. Very busy: giving you the "H", the "W" and the Whale's Tail, yet in a sleek and calm wrapper with a minimum of lines. Almost any colors would be enough to go with this.

I mean: just try to use two shape-squiggles (and the negative space between ''em) and indicate the city, the nickname and a relevant picture to show "New York Yankees" or "Boston Celtics" ... or any team designation. See if you can do it!
 
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Calgarybrutalist

Registered User
Apr 2, 2014
198
24
I really liked the North Stars, mostly because of the N logo and the green uniforms. The Wild shouldve done what the Jets v2.0 did.
 

mbhhofr

Registered User
Dec 7, 2010
698
89
Las Vegas
The Fighting Saints logo was designed by George Karn who was an on ice official that I had worked with. My wife worked for the Fighting Saints.
 
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Tarantula

Hanging around the web
Aug 31, 2017
4,467
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GTA
Seals, Golden version and the home gold jerseys with green trim. Soon to have a replica.
 

WildGopher

Registered User
Jun 13, 2012
1,072
159
The Fighting Saints logo was designed by George Karn who was an on ice official that I had worked with. My wife worked for the Fighting Saints.

Very cool, I didn't know that. Was Karn a local from here? I also worked at Fighting Saints games, in concessions. Now my nephew is playing on a spring/summer tourmanent team that uses the Saints' logo and colors. Cool memories.
 

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