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Oklahoma City Blazers | |
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City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
League | Western States Hockey League |
Conference | Northern Conference |
Division | Northeast Division |
Founded | 1992 |
Folded | 2009 |
Home arena | Blazers Ice Center |
Colors | Burgundy, Gold, White |
Owner(s) | Tyler Fleck |
General manager | Brian Chandler |
Head coach | Tyler Fleck |
Affiliate | None |
Franchise history | |
2014–Present | Oklahoma City Blazers Jr A Hockey Club |
The Oklahoma City Blazers are a Tier II Junior ice hockey team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that plays in the Midwestern Division of the Western States Hockey League. The Blazers play at the Blazers Ice Center, located in South Central Oklahoma City. Their colors are burgundy, gold and white.
History
[edit]The previous incarnation of an Oklahoma City hockey name with the Blazers name came into being in 1992 with the revival of the CHL. They were one of the most successful minor league hockey franchises of all time, averaging 9,128 fans a game over 17 seasons. The franchise led the CHL in attendance in each of its 17 seasons in the league; and all of North American minor pro hockey on five occasions.[citation needed] On ice, the Blazers excelled as well, winning an unprecedented nine regular season division championships (including seven straight, 1996-2003), five regular-season points titles and CHL championships in 1996 and 2001. The franchise's two great stars, Joe Burton and Hardy Sauter, are the CHL's first and third all-time career leading scorers, and Burton is the fourth leading goal scorer in minor league hockey history.
In 2009 the Blazers withdrew their lease with Oklahoma City and ceased operations. Following months of speculation, Oklahoma City was officially granted an AHL franchise on February 10, 2010. The new AHL team was called the Oklahoma City Barons. They began play in the 2010-11 season as the top affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. With the mass move of AHL franchises to the US west coast at the end of the 2014-2015 season, the Barons became the Bakersfield Condors.
The first incarnation of the Blazers played in an earlier Central Hockey League between 1965 and 1977.
In 2014, former player, captain, and coach of the 1992-2009 Blazers, Tyler Fleck, obtained the name and rights to use the Blazers name and logos. Fleck used the name to form a junior hockey team with the then Tier III Western States Hockey League. The new Blazers posted a 34-12-0 record in their first year and won their first playoff series. In the second year, their record was 48-8-2 and they won the Mid-Western division.
External links
[edit]References
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Category:Ice hockey teams in Oklahoma Category:Sports in Oklahoma City