Buffalo Bisons (AHL)

For other teams named Buffalo Bisons, see Buffalo Bisons (disambiguation).
Buffalo Bisons
City Buffalo, NY
League American Hockey League
Operated 1940–1970
Home arena Memorial Auditorium
Colors Red, white, blue
Affiliates Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers
Franchise history
1926–1930 Hamilton Tigers (CPHL)
1930–1940 Syracuse Stars
1940–1970 Buffalo Bisons
1971–1974 Cincinnati Swords
Championships
Regular season titles 5 (1945–46, 1953–54,
1958–59, 1962–63, 1968–69)
Division Championships 8 (1942–43, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1969–70)
Calder Cups 5 (1942–43, 1943–44,
1945–46, 1962–63, 1969–70)

The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League ice hockey franchise that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced the original Buffalo Bisons hockey team, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed. They were the first professional hockey team to play their games in the Buffalo city proper; the previous team had played across the border at an arena in Fort Erie, Ontario.

The Bisons played at the newly constructed Memorial Auditorium, and at various times had affiliations with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers. The team was brought to Buffalo from Syracuse by Louis M. Jacobs, then owner of the buffalo based Jacob's Concessions and the father of Jeremy Jacobs the current owner of the Boston Bruins.

The team's unusual logo stems from the Bisons being purchased in 1956 by the owner of the local franchise of Pepsi-Cola, who changed the team's colors and logo to reflect the soft drink company; the Bisons retained the logo for the rest of their existence.[1]

They were Calder Cup champions in 1943, 1944, 1946, 1963 and 1970, and runners-up in 1948, 1951, 1955, 1959 and 1962.

The team ceased operations after the 1969–70 season due to the awarding of a National Hockey League expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres, to begin play in 1970–71. Like the Pittsburgh Hornets three years earlier (also shut down because of NHL expansion), the Bisons closed out their existence with one final championship.

Goaltender Roger Crozier had the unusual distinction of playing for both the Bisons and the Sabres. He played eight games for the former and eight years for the latter. Broadcaster Rick Jeanneret also called several games during the Bisons' final season and moved into a similar role with the Sabres in 1971.

After the Bisons folded, the Sabres were granted an AHL franchise, who used it to establish the Cincinnati Swords in 1971.

On September 18, 2010, the Sabres announced that they would be adopting a third jersey that pays homage to the Bisons during their 2010–11 season. The Bisons-inspired third jersey was used for that and the following season before being discontinued.

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Season Games WonLostTiedPoints Goals
for 		Goals
against 		Standing
1940–41 56192710481481764th, West
1941–42 562525 6561821574th, West
1942–43 562821 7631891431st, West
1943–44 54251613632011682nd, East
1944–45 6031 821702001821st, East
1945–46 623816 8842701961st, East
1946–47 64361711832571732nd, West
1947–48 684123 4862772383rd, West
1948–49 683327 8742462135th, West
1949–50 703229 9732262081st, East
1950–51 704026 4843092841st, East
1951–52 682836 4602302983rd, East
1952–53 642239 3471602367th, AHL
1953–54 703924 7852832171st, AHL
1954–55 643128567248228 4th, AHL
1955–56 642930 5632392503rd, AHL
1956–57 642537 2522092705th, AHL
1957–58 702542 3532243016th, AHL
1958–59 703828 4802332011st, AHL
1959–60 723335 4702512715th, AHL
1960–61 723534 3732592614th, AHL
1961–62 703631 3752472192nd, West
1962–63 724124 7892371991st, West
1963–64 722540 7571942604th, West
1964–65 724026 6862612182nd, West
1965–66 722940 3612152434th, West
1966–67 721451 7352073864th, West
1967–68 72322812762392243rd, West
1968–69 74411815972821921st, West
1969–70 72401715952801931st, West

Playoffs

Season1st round2nd roundFinals
1940–41 Out of playoffs
1941–42 Out of playoffs
1942–43 W, 4-2, Hershey byeW, 3-0, Indianapolis
1943–44 W, 4-1, Indianapolis —W, 4-0, Cleveland
1944–45 L, 2-4 Cleveland ——
1945–46 W, 4-1, Indianapolis byeW, 4-3, Cleveland
1946–47 W, 2-0, Springfield L, 0-2, Pittsburgh —
1947–48 W, 2-1, Hershey W, 2-0, New Haven L, 0-4, Cleveland
1948–49 Out of playoffs
1949–50 L, 1-4, Cleveland ——
1950–51 L, 0-4, Cleveland ——
1951–52 L, 0-3, Cincinnati ——
1952–53 Out of playoffs
1953–54 L, 0-3, Cleveland ——
1954–55 W, 3-1, Cleveland —L, 2-4, Pittsburgh
1955–56 L, 2-3, Providence ——
1956–57 Out of playoffs
1957–58 Out of playoffs
1958–59 W, 4-1, Rochester —L, 2-4, Hershey
1959–60 Out of playoffs
1960–61 L, 1-3, Hershey ——
1961–62 W, 2-0, Rochester W, 3-1, Hershey L, 1-4, Springfield
1962–63 W, 4-2, Providence byeW, 4-3, Hershey
1963–64 Out of playoffs
1964–65 W, 3-1, Pittsburgh L, 2-3, Hershey —
1965–66 Out of playoffs
1966–67 Out of playoffs
1967–68 L, 2-3, Quebec ——
1968–69 L, 2-4, Hershey ——
1969–70 W, 4-2, Quebec 1st in round-robin vs.
Springfield & Montreal 		W, 4-0, Springfield

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Pastor Deal For Ice Herd Is Complete.," Buffalo Courier-Express, Buffalo, NY - July 18, 1956.
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