Neutral Site Games?

[Shootmaster_44]

I remember that in the early 90's the NHL experimented with neutral site games. Where did they hold them? I know a few were here in Saskatoon, but where else did they play?

Are these the only regular season neutral site games or have there been others, either mandated by the league or forced due to arena problems?

What about in the playoffs?

I'd also be curious about the pre-season, but I'm guessing that's a very long list.

Click to read more...

 

[Raoul Duke*]

Preseason would be insanely long. Winnipeg, Rochester, that town in Nova Scotia this year just to start.

 

[DrVanntastic]

The Blues always used to play at least one preseason game in Alaska.

 

[pnep]

I remember that in the early 90's the NHL experimented with neutral site games. Where did they hold them? I know a few were here in Saskatoon, but where else did they play?

Are these the only regular season neutral site games or have there been others, either mandated by the league or forced due to arena problems?

What about in the playoffs?

I'd also be curious about the pre-season, but I'm guessing that's a very long list.

Reg. Season

SEASON|DAY|MONTH|H/A|1 TEAM|SCORE|2 TEAM|SCORE| Neutral
1917-18|27|2|HOME|MTL|1|OTT1|3| at Quebec, PQ
1926-27 |18|11|HOME|DET|0|BOS|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |27|11|HOME|DET|4|NYA|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |4|12|HOME|DET|1|NYR|0| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |9|12|HOME|DET|1|OTT1|3| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |11|12|HOME|DET|2|NYA|4| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |23|12|HOME|DET|2|MTL|3| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |30|12|HOME|DET|0|MTM|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |1|1|HOME|DET|2|PTP|3| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |4|1|HOME|DET|1|TOR|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |13|1|HOME|DET|3|BOS|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |1|2|HOME|DET|4|CHI|3| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |12|2|HOME|DET|1|MTL|4| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |16|2|HOME|DET|5|TOR|1| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |17|2|HOME|DET|1|OTT1|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |19|2|HOME|DET|1|CHI|4| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |24|2|HOME|DET|0|MTM|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |8|3|HOME|DET|1|CHI|4| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |10|3|HOME|DET|7|PTP|1| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |13|3|HOME|DET|2|NYR|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |17|3|HOME|DET|0|NYR|2| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |19|3|HOME|DET|1|BOS|3| at Windsor, Ont
1926-27 |26|3|HOME|DET|4|PTP|6| at Windsor, Ont
1929-30 |28|12|HOME|OTT1|1|NYR|3| at Atlantic City, NJ
1929-30 |25|1|HOME|PTP|2|CHI|5| at Atlantic City, NJ
1929-30 |8|3|HOME|PTP|3|CHI|4| at Peace Bridge
1954-55 |23|11|HOME|CHI|4|MTL|4| at St Louis, MO
1954-55 |30|11|HOME|CHI|3|MTL|3| at Omaha, NE
1954-55 |15|12|HOME|CHI|3|TOR|8| at St Louis, MO
1954-55 |9|1|HOME|CHI|2|DET|6| at St Louis, MO
1954-55 |29|1|HOME|CHI|2|DET|2| at St Louis, MO
1954-55 |23|2|HOME|CHI|3|BOS|3| at St Paul, MN
1954-55 |16|3|HOME|CHI|1|NYR|1| at St Louis, MO
1955-56 |25|10|HOME|CHI|2|BOS|0| at St Louis, MO
1955-56 |20|12|HOME|CHI|1|MTL|7| at St Louis, MO
1955-56 |14|1|HOME|CHI|1|DET|3| at St Louis, MO
1955-56 |17|1|HOME|CHI|2|NYR|2| at Omaha, NE
1955-56 |8|3|HOME|CHI|4|NYR|6| at St Louis, MO
1992-93 |4|1|HOME|MTL|4|SJ|1| at Sacramento, CA
1992-93 |18|11|HOME|NJ|3|BUF|2| at Hamilton, Ont
1992-93 |13|12|HOME|NYI|4|EDM|1| at Oklahoma City, OK
1992-93 |9|12|HOME|NYR|6|TB|5| at Miami, FL
1992-93 |22|2|HOME|PHI|5|DET|5| at Cincinnati, OH
1992-93 |18|1|HOME|PHO|8|CAR|7| at Saskatoon, Sask
1992-93 |8|2|HOME|PIT|4|BOS|0| at Atlanta, GA
1992-93 |22|2|HOME|SJ|0|NYR|4| at Sacramento, CA
1992-93 |15|12|HOME|STL|3|NYI|4| at Dallas, TX
1992-93 |20|10|HOME|TOR|5|OTT|3| at Hamilton, Ont
1992-93 |11|3|HOME|VAN|3|DAL|4| at Saskatoon, Sask
1992-93 |3|11|HOME|WAS|4|CHI|1| at Indianapolis, IN
1992-93 |16|3|HOME|BOS|3|NJ|1| at Providence, RI
1992-93 |1|3|HOME|BUF|2|VAN|5| at Hamilton, Ont
1992-93 |8|2|HOME|CAR|1|STL|3| at Birmingham, AL
1992-93 |16|2|HOME|CGY|4|PHI|4| at Cincinnati, OH
1992-93 |1|12|HOME|CHI|3|LA|6| at Milwaukee, WI
1992-93 |17|11|HOME|COL|3|TOR|1| at Hamilton, Ont
1992-93 |13|10|HOME|DAL|3|CGY|4| at Saskatoon, Sask
1992-93 |16|3|HOME|DET|2|WAS|4| at Milwaukee, WI
1992-93 |21|3|HOME|EDM|4|PIT|6| at Cincinnati, OH
1992-93 |8|12|HOME|LA|5|MTL|5| at Phoenix, AZ
1993-94 |18|11|HOME|MTL|1|NYI|5| at Hamilton, Ont
1993-94 |18|3|HOME|NYI|2|BUF|2| at Minneapolis, MN
1993-94 |31|10|HOME|NYR|4|NJ|1| at Halifax, NS
1993-94 |4|3|HOME|OTT|1|PHO|6| at Minneapolis, MN
1993-94 |2|2|HOME|PHI|2|WAS|5| at Cincinnati, OH
1993-94 |22|2|HOME|PHO|2|FLA|3| at Hamilton, Ont
1993-94 |8|2|HOME|SJ|4|CHI|3| at Sacramento, CA
1993-94 |21|10|HOME|STL|5|SJ|2| at Sacramento, CA
1993-94 |14|12|HOME|TB|1|MTL|1| at Orlando, FL
1993-94 |26|12|HOME|TB|1|FLA|3| at Orlando, FL
1993-94 |2|1|HOME|TB|1|ANA|4| at Orlando, FL
1993-94 |17|1|HOME|TB|3|DET|6| at Minneapolis, MN
1993-94 |24|1|HOME|TB|4|BUF|0| at Orlando, FL
1993-94 |4|1|HOME|TOR|0|TB|1| at Hamilton, Ont
1993-94 |23|12|HOME|VAN|4|CGY|3| at Saskatoon, Sask
1993-94 |9|3|HOME|WAS|5|NYR|7| at Halifax, NS
1993-94 |9|11|HOME|ANA|4|DAL|2| at Phoenix, AZ
1993-94 |31|12|HOME|BOS|3|PHI|4| at Minneapolis, MN
1993-94 |3|11|HOME|BUF|2|PIT|6| at Sacramento, CA
1993-94 |6|1|HOME|CAR|1|STL|2| at Cincinnati, OH
1993-94 |24|1|HOME|CGY|3|LA|3| at Phoenix, AZ
1993-94 |8|3|HOME|CHI|3|ANA|0| at Phoenix, AZ
1993-94 |5|1|HOME|COL|0|MTL|4| at Phoenix, AZ
1993-94 |9|12|HOME|DAL|6|OTT|1| at Minneapolis, MN
1993-94 |24|2|HOME|DET|3|CAR|0| at Cincinnati, OH
1993-94 |24|1|HOME|EDM|4|VAN|5| at Saskatoon, Sask
1997-98 |3|10|HOME|VAN|3|ANA|2| at Tokyo, Japan
1997-98 |4|10|HOME|ANA|3|VAN|2| at Tokyo, Japan
1998-99 |10|10|HOME|SJ|3|CGY|5| at Tokyo, Japan
1998-99 |9|10|HOME|CGY|3|SJ|3| at Tokyo, Japan
2000-01 |7|10|HOME|NSH|1|PIT|3| at Tokyo, Japan
2000-01 |6|10|HOME|PIT|1|NSH|3| at Tokyo, Japan
2003-04|12|11|HOME|BUF|2|NJ|2| at Rochester, NY
2005-06|26|10|HOME|BUF|2|WAS|3| at Rochester, NY

PO

SEASON|DAY|MONTH|H/A|1 TEAM|SCORE|2 TEAM|SCORE| Neutral
1949-50 |13|4|HOME|NYR|3|DET|1| at Toronto, Ont
1949-50 |15|4|HOME|NYR|0|DET|4| at Toronto, Ont

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I remember that in the early 90's the NHL experimented with neutral site games. Where did they hold them? I know a few were here in Saskatoon, but where else did they play?

Are these the only regular season neutral site games or have there been others, either mandated by the league or forced due to arena problems?

What about in the playoffs?

I'd also be curious about the pre-season, but I'm guessing that's a very long list.

The Flyers played a few home games in Quebec, where their top farm team was located, in the team's first season due to structural damage to the roof of the Spectrum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wachovia_Spectrum

On March 1, 1968, high winds blew a portion of the covering of the Spectrum's roof off during a performance of the Ice Capades forcing the building to close for a month while the damage was repaired. While the 76ers were able to move their home games to Convention Hall or to the Palestra, neither of those arenas had ice rinks at the time and
there were no other NHL-quality sites in the Philadelphia area. Thus the Flyers hurriedly moved their next home game (against the Oakland Seals) to Madison Square Garden in New York followed by a meeting with the Boston Bruins played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto before establishing a base at Le Colisée in Quebec City, home of their top minor league team, the AHL Quebec Aces, for the remainder of their regular season home schedule. (The roof was repaired in time to permit the Flyers to return to the Spectrum to open their first ever Stanley Cup play-offs against the St. Louis Blues on April 4, 1968.)

Results and dates from Flyers' History site:

http://flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/nsgames.cgi

Date Road Team Home Team Results Location
3-Mar-68 California Golden Seals 1 @ Flyers 1 T New York
7-Mar-68 Boston Bruins 2 @ Flyers 1 L Toronto
10-Mar-68 Minnesota North Stars 0 @ Flyers 2 W Quebec City
14-Mar-68 Los Angeles Kings 0 @ Flyers 0 T Quebec City
17-Mar-68 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 @ Flyers 7 W Quebec City
28-Mar-68 St.Louis Blues 0 @ Flyers 2 W Quebec City
30-Mar-68 Pittsburgh Penguins 2 @ Flyers 0 L Quebec City
16-Feb-93 Flyers 4 @ Calgary Flames 4 T Cincinnati, OH
22-Feb-93 Detroit Red Wings 5 @ Flyers 5 T Cleveland, OH
31-Dec-93 Flyers 4 @ Boston Bruins 3 W Minneapolis, MIN
2-Feb-94 Washington Capitals 5 @ Flyers 2 L Cleveland, OH

 

[Raoul Duke*]

Sick list pnep... good job.
All those Windsor Ont. games though like expected were played by the Redwings. A matter of a 2 minute trip.

 

[Shootmaster_44]

Thanks pnep. I forgot about the Wings playing their first season in Windsor due to their arena not being built or at least finished. What's the story behind the two games in Rochester the last two seasons?

 

[David Puddy]

pnep, is it possible for you to quickly determine the greatest margin of difference between who lead the league in shutouts and who finished second? I only ask if you can do it without putting too much effort into it.

Marty Brodeur currently has 12 shutouts to lead Dominik Hasek and Mikka Kiprusoff each by six. That is 100% more than the place holder. I am wondering what the biggest margin is.

Thanks pnep. I forgot about the Wings playing their first season in Windsor due to their arena not being built or at least finished. What's the story behind the two games in Rochester the last two seasons?

The Sabres wanted to have a couple games in their minor league affiliate's arena. I think it was part of Tom Golisano's plan to spread the following of the Sabres both into Eastern Ontario and solidify it around Upstate New York.

 

[pnep]

pnep, is it possible for you to quickly determine the greatest margin of difference between who lead the league in shutouts and who finished second? I only ask if you can do it without putting too much effort into it.

Marty Brodeur currently has 12 shutouts to lead Dominik Hasek and Mikka Kiprusoff each by six. That is 100% more than the place holder. I am wondering what the biggest margin is.

The Sabres wanted to have a couple games in their minor league affiliate's arena. I think it was part of Tom Golisano's plan to spread the following of the Sabres both into Eastern Ontario and solidify it around Upstate New York.

9

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
George "Little George" Hainsworth |1928-29|MTL| 22
John "The Port Perry Woodpecker" Roach |1928-29|NYR| 13
Roy "Shrimp" Worters |1928-29|NYA| 13

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Tony "Tony O" Esposito |1969-70|CHI| 15
Ed "Steady Eddie" Giacomin |1969-70|NYR| 6

8

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Alex "The Ottawa Fireman" Connell |1925-26|OTT1| 15
Roy "Shrimp" Worters |1925-26|PTP| 7

6

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Bernie "Barnyard" Parent |1974-75|PHI| 12
Tony "Tony O" Esposito |1974-75|CHI| 6
Gary "Axe" Smith |1974-75|VAN| 6
Rogie "Lutin De Palmarolle" Vachon |1974-75|LA| 6

5

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Clint "Praying Bennie" Benedict |1919-20|OTT1| 5
Frank Brophy |1919-20|HAM| 0
Jack Darragh |1919-20|OTT1| 0
Verner "Jumpin' Jakie" Forbes |1919-20|TOR| 0
Howie "Holes" Lockhart |1919-20|HAM| 0
Ivan "Mike" Mitchell |1919-20|TOR| 0
Harry "Big Mum" Mummery |1919-20|HAM| 0
Georges "The Chicoutimi Cucumber" Vezina |1919-20|MTL| 0

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
John "Mum" Mowers |1942-43|DET| 6
Bill Beveridge |1942-43|NYR| 1
Paul Bibeault |1942-43|MTL| 1
Frank "Mr Zero" Brimsek |1942-43|BOS| 1
Walter "Turk" Broda |1942-43|TOR| 1
Hubert "Bert" Gardiner |1942-43|CHI| 1

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Terry "Ukey" Sawchuk |1950-51|DET| 11
Walter "Turk" Broda |1950-51|TOR| 6
Gerry Mcneil |1950-51|MTL| 6
Claude "Bonnie Prince Charlie" Rayner |1950-51|NYR| 6

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Terry "Ukey" Sawchuk |1951-52|DET| 12
Jim "Sugar Jim" Henry |1951-52|BOS| 7

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Ed "Steady Eddie" Giacomin |1966-67|NYR| 9
Rogie "Lutin De Palmarolle" Vachon |1966-67|DET| 4
Denis Dejordy |1966-67|CHI| 4

 

[David Puddy]

9

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Tony "Tony O" Esposito |1969-70|CHI| 15
Ed "Steady Eddie" Giacomin |1969-70|NYR| 6

...

5

GOALIE NAME|SEASON|TEAM| SO
Clint "Praying Bennie" Benedict |1919-20|OTT1| 5
Frank Brophy |1919-20|HAM| 0
Jack Darragh |1919-20|OTT1| 0
Verner "Jumpin' Jakie" Forbes |1919-20|TOR| 0
Howie "Holes" Lockhart |1919-20|HAM| 0
Ivan "Mike" Mitchell |1919-20|TOR| 0
Harry "Big Mum" Mummery |1919-20|HAM| 0
Georges "The Chicoutimi Cucumber" Vezina |1919-20|MTL| 0

Thanks pnep. Your statistical work is great.

The above two impress me the most. Clint Benedict was the goalie who got the rule changed about goalies dropping to the ice. And Tony Esposito had 250% more shutouts than anyone else in a modern era.

 

[mikekole]

Neutral Site items

Some of those games shown being in Cincinnati were actually at Richfield, OH- at the old Richfield Coliseum, located roughly halfway between Cleveland and Akron. It was once the home of the WHA Crusaders, and the short-lived NHL Barons:

Feb 22, 1993 Detroit-Philadelphia
Mar 21, 1993 Pittsburgh-Edmonton
Jan 6, 1994 St Louis-Hartford (not Carolina)
Apr 3, 1994 Boston-Pittsburgh

At the time, a gentleman named Tom Rudo was trying to convince the Pens and the NBA Cavs to work a deal to swap five games: put five Cavs games in Pittsburgh, and five Pens games in Cleveland, as Pittsburgh lacked an NBA franchise, while Cleveland lacked an NHL team. Plus, the Cleveland Lumberjacks were the Pens' top minor league affiliate in the IHL back then. Sadly, Rudo never was able to convince the necessary folks to make it happen.

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

All those games in Windsor weren't neutral site games. The Windsor Arena was the Red Wings' official home in 1926-27.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Preseason would be insanely long. Winnipeg, Rochester, that town in Nova Scotia this year just to start.

'that town' happens to be the birthplace of the almighty donair, raoul!

 

[GKJ]

I don't remember those games being played in Rochester. I'm surprised - that's something I should remember.

 

[StevenintheATL]

1992-93 8 2 HOME PIT 4 BOS 0 at Atlanta, GA

My very first NHL game.

I think the reason why NHL teams tend to do the neutral site games during the preseason is that they don't want to lose any valuable regular season home dates. Some NHL teams don't draw big crowds for their preseason home dates, so they don't do a lot of them. The Thrashers have even done 10 am on a Tuesday or Wednesday preseason games exclusively for local schools. I remember Tampa Bay used to play a preseason game or two here in Atlanta (At the time, Atlanta was home of their top minor league affiliate.) For some of the towns that get a preseason game, it really is a once in a generation thing.