Minor professional hockey leagues are the backbone of the NHL. These leagues over the years have served as training grounds for the NHL teams. Entertaining hockey in their own right and offering non NHL players a chance to earn a living.
Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981-87)
Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981-87) was a minor pro league. It was formed out of a meeting of the Eastern Hockey League owners on July 19, 1981. At that meeting it was decided to fold the EHL and create the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. The league started with seven teams, but struggled with a number of franchises over the years. When the league finally ceased operations in 1988, Carolina and Virginia, moved to the short lived All-American Hockey League and then went on to become founding members of the East Coast Hockey League.Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981-87) Franchises
Salem Raiders (1981-1982)Mohawk Valley Stars (1981-1985)
Baltimore Skipjacks (1981-1982)
Cape Cod Buccaneers (1981-1982)
Winston Salem T-Birds (1981-1982)
Schenectady Chiefs (1981-1982)
Fitchburg Trappers (1981-1982)
Erie Golden Blades (1982-1987)
Carolina Thunderbirds (1982-1987)
Virginia Raiders (1982-1983)
Hampton Roads Gulls (1982-1983)
Nashville South Stars (1982-1982)
Virginia Lancers (1983-1987)
Pineridge Bucks (1983-1985)
Birmingham Bulls (1983-1984)
Mohawk Valley Comets (1985-1987)
New York Slapshots (1985-1986)
Troy Slapshots (1986-1987)
Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981-87) Champions
| Year
|
Champion
|
| 1982 |
Mohawk Valley Stars |
1983 |
Carolina Thunderbirds |
1984 |
Erie Golden Blades |
1985 |
Carolina Thunderbirds |
1986 |
Carolina Thunderbirds |
1987 |
Virginia Lancers |
Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981-87) Season
| 1982 Season | GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
| Salem Raiders | 47 |
32 |
15 |
0 |
246 |
161 |
64 |
| Mohawk Valley Stars | 47 |
28 |
18 |
1 |
225 |
198 |
57 |
| Baltimore Skipjacks | 48 |
22 |
23 |
3 |
204 |
189 |
47 |
| Cape Cod Buccaneers | 39 |
17 |
21 |
1 |
130 |
158 |
35 |
| Winston Salem T-Birds | 50 |
14 |
33 |
3 |
179 |
265 |
31 |
| Schenectady Chiefs | 9 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
38 |
45 |
8 |
| Fitchburg Trappers | 6 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
26 |
32 |
4 |
| Fitchburg Trappers disbanded Nov. 6, 198, Schenectady Chiefs disbanded Nov. 16, 1981, Cape Cod Buccaneers disbaned Feb. 1, 1982 | |||||||
| 1983 Season | GP
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 68 |
51 |
10 |
7 |
376 |
208 |
111 |
| Erie Golden Blades | 64 |
39 |
21 |
4 |
345 |
276 |
83 |
| Mohawk Valley Stars | 65 |
30 |
33 |
2 |
311 |
306 |
64 |
| Virginia Raiders | 65 |
20 |
36 |
9 |
257 |
306 |
51 |
| Hampton Roads Gulls | 42 |
16 |
24 |
2 |
170 |
213 |
35 |
| Nashville South Stars | 58 |
11 |
39 |
4 |
239 |
389 |
28 |
| Hampton Roads Gulls disbanded Feb. 2, 1983. | |||||||
| 1984 Season | GP
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 72 |
43 |
24 |
5 |
381 |
300 |
91 |
| Erie Golden Blades | 72 |
42 |
26 |
4 |
371 |
310 |
88 |
| Virginia Lancers | 72 |
34 |
37 |
2 |
384 |
400 |
66 |
| Mohawk Valey Stars | 73 |
28 |
38 |
7 |
322 |
370 |
63 |
| Pineridge Bucks | 72 |
25 |
47 |
0 |
329 |
422 |
50 |
| Birmingham Bulls | 3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
| Birmingham Bulls disbanded Oct. 26, 1984. | |||||||
| 1985 Season | GP
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 64 |
53 |
11 |
1 |
374 |
228 |
107 |
| Erie Golden Blades | 64 |
41 |
23 |
1 |
362 |
261 |
83 |
| Pineridge Bucks | 64 |
33 |
31 |
6 |
306 |
298 |
72 |
| Virginia Lansers | 64 |
19 |
45 |
4 |
248 |
434 |
42 |
| Mohawk Valley Stars | 64 |
14 |
50 |
5 |
290 |
417 |
33 |
| 1986 Season | GP
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 62 |
49 |
13 |
6 |
395 |
220 |
104 |
| Erie Golden Blades | 64 |
34 |
30 |
6 |
371 |
321 |
74 |
| Virginia Lancers | 61 |
27 |
34 |
7 |
293 |
338 |
61 |
| Mohawk Valley Comets | 62 |
23 |
39 |
3 |
259 |
332 |
49 |
| New York Slapshots | 59 |
21 |
38 |
1 |
260 |
367 |
43 |
| 1987 Season | GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
| Virginia Lancers | 55 |
36 |
19 |
0 |
280 |
218 |
75 |
| Erie Golden Blades | 55 |
28 |
22 |
0 |
250 |
246 |
58 |
| Mohawk Valley Comets | 54 |
23 |
31 |
0 |
260 |
292 |
49 |
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 54 |
23 |
31 |
0 |
252 |
278 |
48 |
| Troy Slapshots | 6 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
20 |
36 |
4 |
| Troy Slapshots disbanded Nov. 17, 1986. | |||||||