Hockey teams that no longer exist in Pennsylvania
(WHTM) – Pennsylvania is home to two successful NHL teams – the Pittsburgh Penguins who have five Stanley Cups and the Philadelphia Flyers who have two Stanley Cups. Pennsylvania is also where the winningest AHL team, the Hershey Bears, is located. The Bears own the most Calder Cups in AHL history with 12.
The hockey history in Pennsylvania is extensive. These are all the now-defunct Keystone State hockey teams.
Major Hockey Associations
National Hockey League
Pittsburgh Pirates (1925-1930)
The Pittsburgh Pirates were just the third American-based NHL team named after the baseball team in Pittsburgh. Their first game was on Nov. 26, 1925, and they downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 in an away game. The first NHL game in Pittsburgh was held on Dec. 2, 1925, at Duquesne Gardens. The Pirates fell to the New York Americans in overtime 2-1. 8,200 fans attended the game with tickets costing $1.00.
After five seasons the Pirates were relocated to Philadelphia where they became the Quakers.
Philadelphia Quakers (1930-1931)
The Quakers lasted just one season in Philadelphia. They finished with a 4-36-4 record for a .136 winning percentage, which was the lowest ever in NHL history. The record stayed until the Washington Capitals had a .131 winning percentage in the 1974-75 season. Philadelphia did not have another NHL team until the Flyers formed in 1967. The Flyers’ black, orange and white colors are a nod to the heritage of the Philadelphia Quakers who shared the same color scheme.
World Hockey Association
Philadelphia Blazers (1972-1973)
The Blazers played their single season in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Convention Hall and Civic Center. The Blazers were originally formed as the Miaami Screaming Eagles in 1972 but had to relocate before any games were played due to a lack of funding and playing area. The Blazers finished with a 38-40 record before relocating again to Vancouver.
Western Pennsylvania Hockey League
The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League was founded in 1896 and was active until 1909. It was based in Pittsburgh and was the first league to hire and trade players.
Duquesne Athletic Club (1908-1909)
They only played one season but won the last-ever Western Pennsylvania Hockey League championship.
Duquesne Country and Athletic Club (1895-1901)
The DC&AC played their first season at the Schenley Park Casino until a fire ruined it. They were paused with a 2-3 record. The DC&AC came back in 1898 and played at the Duquesne Gardens. They ended in 1901 when the whole DC&AC organization folded due to financial issues.
Pittsburgh Athletic Club (1895-1904, 1907-1909)
The Pittsburgh Athletic Club was one of the first professional hockey clubs in Pittsburgh. The city built the Schenley Park Casino, which was home to the first artificial ice-making plant in North America. The WPHL revived for one season in 1907 after folding in 1904 but did not have a successful return.
Pittsburgh Bankers (1899-1904, 1907-1909)
The Pittsburgh Bankers made history as they were a part of the first known trade involving professional hockey players. The Bankers earned regular season titles in the 1902-03 season and the 1907-08 season.
Pittsburgh Keystones (1900-1904)
The Pittsburgh Keystones came from the Keystone Bicycle Club which decided to branch into hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Riley Hern began his pro hockey career with the Keysones in the 1901-02 season.
Pittsburgh Lyceum (1907-1908)
The Lyceum folded after one season because they could not fortify a stable team of players. The WPHL ended up folding the following season.
Pittsburgh Pirates (1907-1908)
The Pirates played one season and made one of the first reported trades of a professional hockey player.
Pittsburgh Victorias (1902-1904)
The Victorias made the WPHL a four-league team. Hall of Famer and Stanley Cup winner Bruce Stuart got his professional start with the Victorias. Pittsburgh won the regular season title in 1903-04.
Minor Leagues
American Hockey League
Erie Blades (1975-1982)
There were two professional hockey teams in Erie named the Blades and both played in the Erie County Field House. The Erie Blades won three Championships as part of the Northeastern Hockey League and were the first team to play in the North American Hockey League from 1975-1977. The second Erie Blades joined the American Hockey League ahead of the 1981-82 season. They moved on to Baltimore in 1982 and are now the Springfield Thunderbirds based in Massachusetts.
Philadelphia Firebirds (1974-1979)
The Firebirds began in Philadelphia and moved on to Syracuse in 1979. They were part of the North American Hockey League from 1974-1977 before joining the AHL in 1977. They won the 1976 Championship in the NAHL.
Philadelphia Arrowheads (1927-1935)
The Arrowheads played in the Canadian-American Hockey League starting out before becoming the Philadelphia Ramblers in 1935.
Philadelphia Ramblers (1935-1941)
The Ramblers became affiliated with the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League in 1935. They were the 1936 Champions.
Philadelphia Rockets (1941-1942)
The Ramblers became the Rockets in 1941 and played just one season. They finished with an 11-41-4 record. Another team called the Rockets formed in the American Hockey League from 1946-1949. They missed the playoffs every season of existence.
Philadelphia Phantoms (1996-2009)
The Phantoms were fairly successful in Philadelphia where they won two Calder Cups. They became the Adirondack Phantoms in 2009 and since 2014 are located in Allentown Pennsylvania as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Pittsburgh Hornets (1936-1956, 1961-1967)
The Hornets evolved from the Detroit Olympics which were affiliated with the Red Wings in the NHL. The Olympics moved to Pittsburgh in 1936 and debuted with the International-American Hockey League. In 1940, that league became the American Hockey League. After disbanding in 1956, the Hornets re-emerged and played in the Civic Arena in 1961. They won their third Calder Cup in 1967 but stopped operations after that season again when the NHL’s Penguins took over the market.
East Coast Hockey League/ECHL
Erie Panthers (1988-1996)
The Panthers were one of the inaugural teams of the East Coast Hockey League. They still hold 15 different records in the ECHL and are in the top five of 38 categories. They moved from Erie to Baton Rouge, becoming the Kingfish, in 1996. In 2004 they became the Victoria Salmon Kings before dissolving entirely in 2011.
Johnstown Chiefs (1988-2010)
The Chiefs were formed in the All-American Hockey League in 1987 before moving to the East Coast Hockey League when the new league was formed. they played for 22 years in Johnstown before moving to Greenville in 2010. They operated as the Greenville Road Warriors until 2015 and are now the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
Eastern Hockey League
Erie Blades
During the Erie Blades’ time in the Eastern Hockey League, they earned two regular season titles and the 1979-80 and the 1980-81 championship.
Hershey B’ars (1932-1936)
The Hershey B’ars are the parent club of the now Hershey Bears. The B’ars formed in 1932 and underwent a name change to the Hershey Chocolate B’ars in 1933, which lasted just one year before they reverted to the B’ars. They became the Hershey Bears for the first time in 1936 but underwent one more name change before the “Bears” stuck.
Hershey Cubs (1938-1939)
In 1938 the Bears, formerly the Bars, changed their name to the Hershey Cubs for one season. In 1938 the Cubs reverted back to the Hershey Bears, which the franchise still plays under today.
Johnstown Bluebirds (1941-1942)
The Bluebirds played just one season in the Eastern Hockey League.
Johnstown Jets (1950-1977)
The Jets won back-to-back EHL Championships for the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons. When the EHL folded, the Jets moved to the International Hockey League for two seasons.
Johnstown Red Wings (1979-1980)
The Johnstown Red Wings were affiliated with the Adirondack Red Wings in the AHL during their short existence.
Philadelphia Falcons (1942-1946, 1951-1952)
Later the Philadelphia Rockets in the American Hockey League, the Falcons played in the Eastern Hockey League for four seasons.
Philadelphia Ramblers (1955-1964)
The Ramblers spent nine seasons in the Eastern Hockey League before relocating to New Jersey.
International Hockey League
Pittsburgh Shamrocks (1935-1936)
The Shamrocks played their one season at Duquesne Garden and came in fourth in the West Division. They scored 137 goals, allowing 170.
Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets (1915-1925, 1930-1932)
The first Yellow Jackets evolved into the Pittsburgh Pirates and then the Philadelphia Quakers in the NHL. The second installment of the Yellow Jackets played in the International Hockey League for two seasons. The third team was played in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League before the Yellow Jackets officially folded in 1937. The Yellow Jackets in the IHL played for just two seasons, going to the playoffs in their first season and missing playoffs in their final season.
Mid-Atlantic Hockey League
Mon Valley Thunder (2007-2008)
The Valley Thunder were an inaugural team of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League. They played in the Rostraver Ice Garden in Rostraver Township. They folded after the 2007-2008 season right before the league folded in September 2008.
Valley Forge Freedom (2007-2008)
Played in Oaks, Pennsylvania for one season.
North American Hockey League
Keystone Ice Miners (2014-2015)
The Ice Miners were a Junior A Tier II ice hockey team in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. They were founded in 2010 as the Port Huron Fighting Falcons before their move to Connellsville. In their sole season in Pennsylvania, they lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Forge (2001-2003)
The Forge played in Junior A Tier II out of Pittsburgh and was founded by Kevin Constantine who was a coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL. In their two seasons, they posted an 80-24-8 record. They won the 2002-03 Robertson Cup in the NAHL Championship.
Roller Hockey International
Philadelphia Bulldogs (1994-1996)
The Bulldogs were an inline hockey team that was created in the 1994 Roller Hockey International expansion. They lasted two seasons.
Pittsburgh Phantoms (1994)
The Phantoms were named after the “Steel Phantom” rollercoaster in Kennywood Park. When the rollercoaster was invented it was the tallest and fastest steel coaster in the world. They played their one season at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.
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