Hamilton Bulldogs
| Hamilton Bulldogs | |
 |
|
| City: | Hamilton, Ontario |
|---|---|
| League: | American Hockey League |
| Conference: | Western Conference |
| Division: | North Division |
| Founded: | 1996 |
| Home Arena: | Copps Coliseum |
| Colours: | Copper, Red, White and Blue |
| Owner(s): | Michael Andlauer |
| General Manager: | Julien BriseBois |
| Head Coach: | Don Lever |
| Media: | Hamilton Spectator,820 CHAM (AM) |
| Affiliates: | Montreal Canadiens (NHL) Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1984 to 1988 1988 to 1996: |
Nova Scotia Oilers Cape Breton Oilers |
| 1996 to 2003 2003 to 2004: |
Hamilton Bulldogs Toronto Roadrunners |
| 2004 to 2005: | Edmonton Road Runners |
| 1969 to 1971 1971 to 1984: |
Montreal Voyageurs Nova Scotia Voyageurs |
| 1984-1990 1990-1999: |
Sherbrooke Canadiens Fredericton Canadiens |
| 1999 to 2002 2002 to present: |
Quebec Citadelles Hamilton Bulldogs |
| Championships | |
| Regular Season Titles: | 1 (2002-03) |
| Division Championships: | 2 (2002-03, 2003-04) |
| Conference Championships: | 3 (1996-97, 2002-03, 2006-07) |
| Calder Cups: | 1 (2006-07) |
The Hamilton Bulldogs are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the primary minor league affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. The team is currently the 2007 Calder Cup champions.
History
The Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Club was established in 1996.
On the ice the club has reached the Calder Cup Finals both in 1997, the club's first year, and in 2003 only to lose in both cases. In the 2003 final, game 7, the attendance at Copps Coliseum on June 12, 2003 vs the Houston Aeros was 17,428 marking it the largest playoff crowd in the history of the AHL (the record was since broken in 2005 in Philadelphia). Houston won the game 3-0 and the series 4-3. The Bulldogs won the Calder Cup Final in 2007 against the Hershey Bears. This series was a rematch of the 1997 Calder Cup Final which Hershey won 4 games to 1. The Bulldogs did the exact opposite in 2007 - Hamilton 4 games, and Hershey 1.
Off the ice, the club faced turmoil in 2000 resulting, in a "Stay Dogs Stay" campaign spearheaded by Don Robertson, Ron Burnstein, Nick Javor and club President Cary Kaplan, aimed at keeping the franchise in Hamilton. The campaign was a financial success and resulted in the club remaining in the Steel City with a bolstered fan base and an improved lease with the City of Hamilton.
In spite of a franchise high in attendance in 2001, the Edmonton Oilers announced plans to move their AHL affiliation to Toronto. Local interests made a multi-million dollar investment to secure ownership of the Quebec Citadelles and relocate them to Hamilton thus keeping the Bulldogs in town. For the second time in as many years, the fate of the club was in jeopardy, but ultimately rescued by local interests. The achievement to preserve the franchise was a unique joint venture between the Montreal Canadiens, the Edmonton Oilers, the American Hockey League, and a local consortium of Hamilton owners, which allowed for a joint affiliation in 2002-2003 between Montreal and Edmonton as ownership changed hands. Fans voted to keep the Bulldogs name which won over the Hamilton Canadiens and Hamilton Habs.
In the summer of 2004, Burlington businessman Michael Andlauer became majority owner, governor and chairman of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Andlauer was part of the initial group of local business people, who purchased the club from the Edmonton Oilers in 2002.
In their 11th season The Bulldogs are currently the longest serving Canadian franchise in the American Hockey League. With having well surpassed the two million (2,000,000) mark in total attendance, the Bulldogs have for a number of years represented a model minor league hockey organization both on and off the ice.
In 2007 the Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup by defeating the Hershey Bears in a 4-1 series. It is their first Calder Cup win in three attempts.
Key Executives:
- Glen Sather, President 1996-2000
- Scott Howson, General Manager, 1996-2002
- Cary Kaplan, President 2000-2002 (with club from 1996)
- Steve Katzman, President, 2002-2003
- Brian Lewis, Exec. Director 2003-2006 (with club from 1997)
- Glenn Stanford, President, 2006-Current
- Michael Andlauer, 2002-Current - has been the principal owner of the club since assuming controlling interest in 2004. He has provided a stabalizing force for the franchise.
This market was previously served by:
- Hamilton Canucks (1992 to 1994)
Franchise Timelines
Edmonton Oilers Affiliation
- Nova Scotia Oilers (1984-1988)
- Cape Breton Oilers (1988-1996)
- Hamilton Bulldogs (1996-2003)
- Toronto Roadrunners (2003-2004)
- Edmonton Road Runners (2004-2005)
Montreal Canadiens Affiliation
- Montreal Voyageurs (1969-1971)
- Nova Scotia Voyageurs (1971-1984)
- Sherbrooke Canadiens (1984-1990)
- Fredericton Canadiens (1990-1999)
- Quebec Citadelles (1999-2002)
- Hamilton Bulldogs (2002-present)
Current roster
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Player | Catches | Date of birth | Place of birth | |
| 30 |  |
Jaroslav Halak | L | May 13, 1985 | Bratislava, Slovakia |
| 33 |  |
Cedrick Desjardins | L | September 30, 1985 | Edmundston, New Brunswick |
| 35 | |
Yann Danis | L | June 21, 1981 | LaFontaine, Quebec |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | |
| 2 | |
Ryan O'Byrne | R | July 19, 1984 | Victoria, British Columbia |
| 5 | |
Jon Gleed | R | January 3, 1984 | Milton, Ontario |
| 12 | |
Jean-Philippe Cote | L | April 22, 1982 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 34 | |
Mathieu Biron | R | April 29, 1980 | Lac-Saint-Charles, Quebec |
| 47 | |
Mathieu Carle | R | September 30, 1987 | Gatineau, Quebec |
| 23 |  |
Pavel Valentenko | L | October 20, 1987 | Moscow, Russia |
| 55 | |
Andrew Archer | R | May 5, 1983 | Calgary, Alberta |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | ||
| 7 | |
Eric Manlow | L | April 7, 1975 | Belleville, Ontario | |
| 10 | |
Cory Urquhart | L | October 1, 1984 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| 14 |  |
Sergei Kostitsyn | L | March 20, 1987 | Navapolatsk, Belarus | |
| 19 | |
Duncan Milroy | R | February 8, 1983 | Edmonton, Alberta | |
| 21 | |
Jonathan Ferland | R | February 9, 1983 | Quebec City, Quebec | |
| 22 | |
Matt D'Agostini | R | October 23, 1986 | Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario | |
| 24 | |
Francis Lemieux | R | February 22, 1984 | Sherbrooke, Quebec | |
| 26 | |
Maxim Lapierre | R | March 29, 1985 | Saint Leonard, Quebec | |
| 32 | |
Ajay Baines | L | March 25, 1978 | Kamloops, British Columbia | |
| 41 | |
Mathieu Aubin | R | September 18, 1986 | Sorel-Tracy, Quebec | |
| 44 | |
Jimmy Bonneau | L | March 22, 1985 | Baie-Comeau, Quebec | |
| 76 | |
Greg Stewart | L | May 21, 1986 | Kitchener, Ontario | |
| 84 | |
Corey Locke | L | May 8, 1984 | Newmarket, Ontario | |
Year-by-year record
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2006-07 | 80 | 43 | 28 | -- | 3 | 6 | 243 | 208 | 95 | 3rd, North | Won Calder Cup |
| 2005-06 | 80 | 35 | 41 | -- | 0 | 4 | 225 | 251 | 74 | 6th, North | Out of Playoffs |
| 2004-05 | 80 | 38 | 29 | 6 | 7 | -- | 225 | 210 | 89 | 4th, North | Lost in Round 1 |
| 2003-04 | 80 | 41 | 25 | 10 | 4 | -- | 235 | 191 | 96 | 1st, North | Lost in Round 2 |
| 2002-03 | 80 | 49 | 19 | 8 | 4 | -- | 279 | 191 | 110 | 1st, Canadian | Lost in Finals |
| 2001-02 | 80 | 37 | 30 | 10 | 3 | -- | 247 | 205 | 87 | 2nd, Canadian | Lost in Round 3 |
| 2000-01 | 80 | 28 | 41 | 6 | 5 | -- | 227 | 281 | 67 | Last, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1999-2000 | 80 | 27 | 34 | 13 | 6 | -- | 225 | 262 | 73 | 3rd, Empire | Lost in Round 2 |
| 1998-99 | 80 | 40 | 29 | 7 | 4 | -- | 229 | 206 | 91 | 2nd, Empire | Lost in Round 2 |
| 1997-98 | 80 | 36 | 22 | 17 | 5 | -- | 264 | 242 | 94 | 2nd, Empire | Lost in Round 2 |
| 1996-97 | 80 | 28 | 39 | 9 | 4 | -- | 220 | 276 | 69 | 3rd, Canadian | Lost in Finals |
Team records
Single season
- Goals: 39 Paul Healey (2000-01)
- Assists: 52 Daniel Cleary (1999-2000)
- Points: 77 Jason Chimera (2001-02)
- Penalty Minutes: 522 Dennis Bonvie (1996-1997)
- GAA: 2.23 Steve Passmore (1998-1999)
- SV%: .929 Steve Passmore (1998-1999)
Playoffs
- Playoff Goaltending Wins (1 Season): 15 Carey Price (2006-2007)
Career
- Career Goals: 71 Tomas Plekanec & Brian Swanson
- Career Assists: 123 Peter Sarno
- Career Points: 179 Brian Swanson
- Career Penalty Minutes: 817 Dennis Bonvie
- Career Goaltending Wins: 70 Yann Danis
- Career Shutouts: 8 Jaroslav Halak
- Career Games: 267 Duncan Milroy
See also
External links
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