Connecticut Chiefs

The Connecticut Chiefs are a Junior Tier III ice hockey team from Newington, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

Connecticut Chiefs
CityNewington, Connecticut
LeagueEastern Hockey League
DivisionCentral
Founded1996
Home arenaNewington Arena
ColorsGreen, Black, Gray, and White
Owner(s)Ryan Hughes
Jacques de Saint Phalle
General managerGreg Heffernan
Head coachGreg Heffernan
Franchise history
1996–2012Capital District Selects
2012–2018Connecticut Oilers
2018–presentConnecticut Chiefs
Championships
Playoff championships2014–15

Previously known as the Oilers, the organization also had youth teams, ranging from age groups of 6 to 16-years-old, and competed in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) out of the SoNo Icehouse in Norwalk, Connecticut.[1][2] However, these teams joined the Connecticut RoughRiders organization when the Oilers relocated to Hamden.

History

The franchise was founded as the Capital District Selects playing out of Troy, New York. After several seasons as an independent midget team, the CD Selects joined the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) in 1998 as a part-time member, joining full-time in 1999. The team was owned and coached by former RPI coach Jim Salfi. Beginning with the 2002–03 season, the Selects played in the Eastern Junior Hockey League's South Division, until the Boston Junior Shamrocks were sold and moved to Philadelphia which moved the Selects to the North Division.

In 2012, the team was sold and relocated to Norwalk, Connecticut, and renamed the Connecticut Oilers and became affiliated with the United States Hockey League's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.[3] During the summer of 2013, Tier III junior hockey was drastically reorganized in the north eastern United States resulting in the Oilers moving to the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. On June 6, 2013, the AJHL became the Eastern Hockey League.

The Oilers would have their best season in 2014–15 and won the EHL playoffs and league championship. Winning the league championship would normally qualify the team for the 2015 USA Hockey Tier III National Championships, however due to a clerical error with a pair of the Oilers' import player's paperwork, the runner-up Northern Cyclones represented the EHL.[4] Due to these circumstances, the EHL would later void their playoff championship and claim a "vacant" playoff champion for that season.[5]

After the 2016–17 season, the Oilers relocated to Hamden, Connecticut, when the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders established an EHL expansion team in Norwalk called the Connecticut RoughRiders.[3]

In 2018, the Connecticut Chiefs, a youth hockey organization in Newington, Connecticut, obtained the Oilers' franchise rights and plan to operate the franchise in the EHL during the 2018–19 season.[6]

Due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the junior teams temporarily relocated halfway through the 2020–21 season to West Springfield, Massachusetts, as the Western Mass Chiefs.[7][8]

Season-by-season records
SeasonGPWLTOTLPtsGFGARegular Season FinishPlayoffs
Capital District Selects
1999–003821143—451711334th of 11, EJHL
2000–01no data7th EJHLLost Quarterfinal game, 2–4 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins[9]
2001–0238191423431571384th of 6, South
7th of 12, EJHL		Lost Quarterfinal game, 1–8 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[10]
2002–0338201620421411094th of 6, South
6th of 12, EJHL		Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston Jr. Bruins[11]
2003–0438251102521581301st of 6, South
3rd of 12, EJHL		Won Quarterfinals vs. Boston Harbor Wolves
Lost Semifinal game, 5–6 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[12]
2004–0551202461471732024th of 7, South
8th of 13, EJHL		Won Play-in game, 5–3 vs. New England Junior Huskies
Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[13]
2005–0645162531361471847th of 7, South
12th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
2006–0745162441371361635th of 7, South
11th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
2007–0845192420401461496th of 7, South
11th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
2008–094583151221332347th of 7, South
13th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
2009–104593123231262286th of 7, North
13th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
2010–114563621151172517th of 7, North
14th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
2011–1245139—571032837th of 7, North
14th of 14, EJHL		Did not qualify
Connecticut Oilers
2012–13451228—5291201796th of 7, South
12th of 14, EJHL		Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors[14]
2013–1444261332571701211st of 6, Central
4th of 17, EHL		Lost First Round, 1–2 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors
2014–1544311111641831031st of 5, Central
4th of 19, EHL		Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Boston Junior Rangers
Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs.Walpole Express
Won Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Philadelphia Little Flyers
Won Finals, 3–2 vs. Northern Cyclones
League Champions* (voided)[4]
2015–16412811—2681591302nd of 9, South Conf.
4th of 18, EHL-Premier		Won First Round, 2–0 vs. New Jersey Rockets
Won Second Round, 2–0 vs. Hartford Jr. Wolfpack
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
2016–17481727—4381352081st of 4, Central Div.
5th of 8, South Conf.
14th of 17, EHL-Premier		Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. New York Apple Core
2017–18501433—3311182053rd of 4, Central Div.
6th of 8, South Conf.
14th of 16, EHL		Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. Philadelphia Little Flyers
Connecticut Chiefs
2018–19441328—3291371985th of 5, South Div.
10th of 10, New England Conf.
16th of 18, EHL		Did not qualify
2019–20461428—4321121829th of 11, New England Conf.
15th of 19, EHL		Did not qualify
2020–21381717—4381241383rd of 7, Central Div.
9th of 17, EHL		Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Seahawks Hockey Club
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Walpole Express
2021–22461823—5411401582nd of 4, Central Div.
14th of 17, EHL		Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Connecticut Roughriders
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Worcester Jr Railers
Lost Wild Cqard Gm 2-3(ot) New Jersey 87's
2022–2346152560361001363rd of 5, Central Div.
17th of 19, EHL		Won Semifinals, 2–1 HC Rhode Island
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Worcester Jr Railers

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Connecticut Oilers Youth Hockey home page". Connecticut Oilers. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  2. "AYHL home page". AYHL. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  3. "CT RoughRiders Press Release". Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. March 6, 2017.
  4. "DAILY DISH: Eastern Hockey League's Switch-a-roo-ski - Junior Hockey News". Junior Hockey News. March 27, 2015.
  5. "EHL History". Eastern Hockey League. Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  6. "CT Chiefs Join Eastern Hockey League". CT Chiefs. January 28, 2018.
  7. "EHL First Round Playoff Preview: Five Best-Of-Three Series Set To Begin This Week". Hockey Night in Boston News. March 2, 2021.
  8. "Around the #EShow - First Half Recap". YouTube. January 4, 2021.
  9. "EJHL Playoffs".
  10. "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2002".
  11. "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2003".
  12. "Feisty Forward for Golden Knights | Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2004".
  13. "EJHL Playoffs, Updated Daily | Amateur Hockey News | March 14, 2005".
  14. "Junior hockey -- Oilers ousted from EJHL playoffs". 27 February 2013.
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