Milwaukee Admirals
| Milwaukee Admirals | |
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|
| City: | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| League: | American Hockey League |
| Conference: | Western Conference |
| Division: | West Division |
| Founded: | 1970 as an amateur team |
| Home Arena: | Bradley Center |
| Colors: | silver, black, and ice blue |
| Owner(s): | Group headed by Harris Turer |
| General Manager: | Duties handled by Nashville Predators Asst. GM Paul Fenton |
| Head Coach: | Lane Lambert |
| Media: | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |
| Affiliates: | Nashville Predators (NHL) New Mexico Scorpions (CHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1970 (amateur): | Milwaukee Wings |
| 1973 to 1977 (USHL): | Milwaukee Admirals |
| 1977 to 2001 (IHL): | Milwaukee Admirals |
| 2001 to present (AHL): | Milwaukee Admirals |
| Championships | |
| Regular Season Titles: | 1 AHL (2003-04) |
| Division Championships: | 4 IHL (1982-83, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96) 2 AHL (2003-04, (2005-06) |
| Conference Championships: | 1 (2003-04) |
| Calder Cups: | 1 (2003-04) |
| Playoff Championships: | 1 USHL title (1975-76) |
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin,
History
The Admirals first took to the ice in the winter of 1970 as an amateur club known as the Milwaukee Wings. They lost their first game on January 25 when the Madison All-Stars beat them 17-7. They got their first win five days later when they defeated the Milwaukee Winter Club 10-8.
The next year the team was sold by the original owner Reed Fansher to a group of investors. One of the investors, Erwin J. Merar, owned an appliance store. The team was renamed the "Admirals" after a brand of refrigerators sold in Merar's store.
Beginning with the 1973–74 season the Admirals joined the newly formed United States Hockey League. Their first season in a league was not particularly successful as they ended the season in last place in their division. They won only 11 games, lost 35 games, and tied 2 games that season.
The Admirals won the USHL league championship in 1976, winning seven straight games in the league's playoffs. In the off-season, the team was purchased by former Chicago Blackhawks announcer Lloyd Pettit and his wife, Jane Bradley-Pettit.
For the 1977–78 season the Admirals joined the International Hockey League as the USHL was becoming a strictly amateur league. The Admirals appeared in the IHL's Turner Cup finals only once (1983), where they lost to Toledo in six games.
They stayed a part of the IHL until it joined the American Hockey League for the 2001–02 season when the IHL ceased operations. Five other IHL franchises also joined the AHL that season.
They won their first Calder Cup in 2004 when they defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Prior to the Finals, Milwaukee needed seven games to defeat the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks in the first round. Then the Admirals defeated the Chicago Wolves in six games to advance to the Conference Finals. The Admirals then eliminated the Rochester Americans four games to one. Milwaukee then swept the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to win the Calder Cup. The Admirals completed a rare postseason run in which they needed one fewer game to eliminate their opponents in each subsequent series.
The Admirals were purchased in June 2005 by a group of investors, led by Harris J. Turer, including Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, assistant general manager Gord Ash and pitcher Ben Sheets. The Brewers subsequently became the sole uniform sponsor of the Admirals, and the Admirals wear a Brewers logo patch on their sweaters.
The Admirals won their second division title as a member of the American Hockey League in 2006, clinching the title on the last day of their schedule with a win over the Grand Rapids Griffins.
After narrowly winning a seven-game playoff series over the Iowa Stars, Milwaukee swept both the Houston Aeros and Grand Rapids Griffins to advance to their second Calder Cup final series. To their disappointment, the Admirals would lose 4-2 to the Hershey Bears.
On August 1, 2006, the Admirals unveiled their newest logo to the public at the Henry Maier Festival Park (also known as the Summerfest grounds). The logo came with a radical color change for the team, away from red and blue hues to one of black, white and light blue. They also unveiled their new slogan, "Never Say Die".
NHL Affiliation
The Admirals have been the top-level affiliate of the Nashville Predators since that team's founding in 1998. On February 15, 2007, the clubs signed a new agreement that will extend that relationship through the 2009-10 season.[1]
| “ | I like to say that for our players, the road to Nashville runs through Milwaukee and a look at our roster illustrates this. (T)his is the kind of environment that we want our prospects to develop in. | ” |
|
— Nashville General Manager David
Poile
|
During the 2006-2007 season, the Admirals were also part of an unusual affiliation agreement with the Edmonton Oilers, who used five partial affiliates in the AHL for the 2006-07 season. These five affiliates include the Milwaukee Admirals, the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Iowa Stars, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the Hamilton Bulldogs. This arrangement lasted one season, as the Oilers announced a three-year affiliation with the Springfield Falcons on March 19, 2007.
Logos
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| logo during independent years |
1973-1977 | 1977-1981 logo, the first "Skating Sailor" |
1982-1998 | 1998-2006 | 2006-present |
Junior Admirals
On March 2, 2007, the Admirals announced a five-year partnership with Wisconsin AAA Hockey to sponsor the youth team, which will be known as the Milwaukee Junior Admirals. [2] The Junior Admirals will receive financial support, opportunities to play at the Bradley Center, and assistance with player development.
The Junior Admirals will compete against teams in other states and "promote the (Admirals') name and look throughout the country", according to Turer.
Year-by-year record
American Hockey League (shootout format)
| Year | GP | W | L | OL | SOL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2006-07 | 80 | 41 | 25 | 4 | 10 | 227 | 230 | 96 | 3rd, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-0 (Chicago) |
| 2005-06 | 80 | 49 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 268 | 234 | 108 | 1st, West | Lost in Finals, 4-2 (Hershey) |
American Hockey League
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2004-05 | 80 | 47 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 247 | 207 | 103 | 2nd, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-3 (Cincinnati) |
| 2003-04 | 80 | 46 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 269 | 191 | 102 | 1st, West | Won Calder Cup, 4-0 (Wilkes Barre/Scranton) |
| 2002-03 | 80 | 43 | 25 | 8 | 4 | 276 | 237 | 98 | 4th, West | Lost in 2nd Round, 3-0 (Houston) |
| 2001-02 | 80 | 37 | 31 | 7 | 5 | 250 | 236 | 86 | Last, West | Out of Playoffs |
International Hockey League
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2000-01 | 82 | 42 | 33 | - | 7 | 244 | 217 | 91 | 5th, Eastern | Lost in 1st Round, 4-1 (Chicago) |
| 1999-00 | 82 | 37 | 36 | - | 9 | 222 | 246 | 83 | 5th, Eastern | Lost in 1st Round, 2-1 (Cleveland) |
| 1998-99 | 82 | 38 | 28 | - | 16 | 254 | 265 | 92 | Last, Midwest | Lost in 1st Round, 2-0 (Manitoba) |
| 1997-98 | 82 | 43 | 34 | - | 5 | 267 | 262 | 91 | 3rd, Northwest | Lost in 2nd Round, 4-2 (Chicago) |
| 1996-97 | 82 | 38 | 36 | - | 8 | 253 | 298 | 84 | 4th, Midwest | Lost in 1st Round, 3-0 (Long Beach) |
| 1995-96 | 82 | 40 | 32 | - | 10 | 290 | 307 | 90 | 1st, Midwest | Lost in 1st Round, 3-2 (Peoria) |
| 1994-95 | 81 | 44 | 27 | - | 10 | 317 | 298 | 98 | 1st, Central | Lost in Semifinals, 4-1 (Denver) |
| 1993-94 | 81 | 40 | 24 | - | 17 | 338 | 302 | 97 | 2nd, Midwest | Lost in 1st Round, 4-0 (Atlanta) |
| 1992-93 | 82 | 49 | 23 | - | 10 | 329 | 280 | 108 | 1st, Midwest | Lost in 1st Round, 4-2 (Kansas City) |
| 1991-92 | 82 | 38 | 36 | - | 8 | 306 | 309 | 84 | 3rd, East | Lost in 1st Round, 4-1 (Muskegon) |
| 1990-91 | 82 | 36 | 43 | - | 3 | 275 | 316 | 75 | 4th, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-2 (Peoria) |
| 1989-90 | 82 | 36 | 39 | - | 7 | 316 | 370 | 79 | 3rd, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-2 (Salt Lake) |
| 1988-89 | 82 | 54 | 23 | - | 5 | 399 | 323 | 113 | 2nd, West | Lost in Semifinals, 4-1 (Salt Lake) |
| 1987-88 | 82 | 21 | 54 | - | 7 | 288 | 430 | 49 | Last, West | Out of Playoffs |
| 1986-87 | 82 | 41 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 342 | 358 | 86 | 3rd, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-2 (Salt Lake) |
| 1985-86 | 82 | 48 | 28 | 1 | 5 | 368 | 306 | 102 | 2nd, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-1 (Peoria) |
| 1984-85 | 82 | 25 | 52 | 5 | - | 292 | 389 | 60 | Last | Out of Playoffs |
| 1983-84 | 82 | 46 | 30 | 6 | - | 403 | 335 | 101 | 2nd | Lost in Semifinals, 4-0 (Flint) |
| 1982-83 | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | - | 407 | 312 | 98 | 1st, West | Lost in Finals, 4-2 (Toledo) |
| 1981-82 | 82 | 41 | 34 | 7 | - | 385 | 351 | 91 | 2nd | Lost in 1st Round, 4-1 (Saginaw) |
| 1980-81 | 82 | 32 | 35 | 15 | - | 354 | 371 | 79 | 3rd, West | Lost in 1st Round, 4-3 (Fort Wayne) |
| 1979-80 | 80 | 29 | 41 | 10 | - | 327 | 402 | 68 | 3rd, South | Forfeit in 1st Round - rough play, 2-0 (Saginaw) |
| 1978-79 | 80 | 21 | 48 | 11 | - | 260 | 391 | 53 | Last, South | Lost in 1st Round, 4-3 (Grand Rapids) |
| 1977-78 | 80 | 27 | 38 | 15 | - | 257 | 299 | 69 | 3rd, South | Lost in 1st Round, 4-1 (Toledo) |
United States Hockey League (semi-professional)
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1976-77 | 48 | 23 | 23 | 2 | - | 231 | 241 | 48 | 1st, Southern | Lost in Finals, 1-2-3 (Grand Rapids) |
| 1975-76 | 48 | 23 | 25 | 0 | - | 279 | 270 | 46 | 3rd, Southern | Won Championship, 3-0 (Green Bay) |
| 1974-75 | 48 | 18 | 30 | 0 | - | 241 | 288 | 36 | 3rd, Southern | Out of playoffs |
| 1973-74 | 48 | 11 | 35 | 2 | - | 192 | 318 | 24 | 5th, Southern | Out of playoffs |
Team records
Single Season
- Goals: 75
Danny
Lecours (1982-83) - Assists: 100 Dale
Yakiwchuk (1982-83)
- Points: 138 Dale Yakiwchuk (1982-83)
- Penalty Minutes: 381 Don Gibson (1992-93)
- GAA: 2.18 Wade
Flaherty (2003-04)
- SV%: .922 Wade Flaherty (2003-04)
Career
- Career Goals: 444 Danny Lecours
- Career Assists: 379 Fred Berry
- Career Points: 813 Danny Lecours
- Career Penalty Minutes: 1233 Ken Sabourin
- Career Goaltending Wins: 119 Rich Sirois
- Career Shutouts: 11 Brian Finley
- Career Games: 641 Danny Lecours
External links
- Milwaukee Admirals Official Website
- MilwaukeeHockey.com
- The Original Unofficial Milwaukee Admirals Website
- The Internet Hockey Database - Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)
- The Internet Hockey Database - Milwaukee Admirals (IHL)
- The Internet Hockey Database - Milwaukee Admirals (USHL)
- The Internet Hockey Database - Milwaukee Admirals (Independent)
- Milwaukee Admirals Blueliners Club
- Milwaukee Admirals Crew Booster Club
| Sports teams based in Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | NL:
Milwaukee Brewers - MWL:
Beloit Snappers • Wisconsin Timber
Rattlers NWL: Eau Claire Express • Green Bay Bullfrogs • La Crosse Loggers • Madison Mallards • Wisconsin Woodchucks |
    |
| Basketball | NBA: Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Football | NFL: Green Bay Packers - AF2: Green Bay Blizzard - CIFL: Milwaukee Bonecrushers - WPFL: Wisconsin Wolves - NAFL: Racine Raiders - NWFA: Milwaukee Momentum | |
| Hockey | AHL: Milwaukee Admirals - USHL: Green Bay Gamblers | |
| Soccer | MISL: Milwaukee Wave - NPSL: Milwaukee Bavarians • Princeton 56ers | |
| Australian Rules Football | MAAFL: Milwaukee Bombers | |
| College athletics (NCAA Div. I) | Marquette Golden Eagles • UW-Milwaukee Panthers • UW-Green Bay Phoenix • Wisconsin Badgers | |
| Category:Sports in Wisconsin | ||
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