North American Hockey League (1973–1977)

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league that existed from 1973 to 1977. Several of the NAHL teams operated as developmental ("farm") teams for World Hockey Association franchises. The NAHL was one of two leagues, along with the Southern Hockey League, that were formed after the Eastern Hockey League ceased operations in 1973. The Lockhart Cup was the league's championship trophy. With the loss of a number of franchises, the NAHL elected to fold in September 1977.[1]

This article is about the defunct professional league. For the junior league in the United States, see North American Hockey League. For the Quebec-based professional league, see Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey.

North American Hockey League
Founded1973
Ceased1977
Replaced byAmerican Hockey League
No. of teams7 to 10
CountryUnited States & Canada
Most titlesSyracuse Blazers (2)

The league served as the inspiration for the film Slap Shot.[2] Ned Dowd, who played for the Johnstown Jets,[3] was the brother of the film's screenwriter, Nancy Dowd. Ned played for Johnstown during a season where the team was for sale, when his sister came to live in Johnstown and was inspired to write the screenplay. The film contains references to "Syracuse" and "Broome County", which were teams in the NAHL.[4] Some of the incidents depicted actually occurred in actual NAHL games.[2]

Teams
Team nameYearsSeasonsCity
Beauce Jaros1975–19762Saint-Georges, Quebec
Broome Dusters1973–19774Binghamton, New York
Buffalo Norsemen1975–19761North Tonawanda, New York
Cape Cod Cubs / Cape Codders1973–19763South Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Erie Blades1975–19772Erie, Pennsylvania
Johnstown Jets1973–19774Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Long Island Cougars1973–19752Commack, New York
Maine Nordiques1973–19774Lewiston, Maine
Mohawk Valley Comets1973–19774Utica, New York
Philadelphia Firebirds1974–19773Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Syracuse Blazers1973–19774Syracuse, New York

Lockhart Cup
Gregg Pilling sitting behind the Lockhart Cup in a team photo of the 1976-77 Philadelphia Firebirds
Gregg Pilling and the Lockhart Cup in 1976

The championship trophy of the North American Hockey League was named the Lockhart Cup in honor of Tommy Lockhart, founder of the Eastern Hockey League. The trophy was last awarded on April 10, 1977, to the Syracuse Blazers, and has since gone missing. The Hockey Hall of Fame stated that the Lockhart Cup is one of "about three historical trophies that have disappeared".[5] Its last known whereabouts was reported to be in the basement of Danny Belisle, the coach of the Blazers in the 1976–77 season.[5]

SeasonChampionRunner-up
1973–74Syracuse BlazersLong Island Cougars
1974–75Johnstown JetsBroome Dusters
1975–76Philadelphia FirebirdsBeauce Jaros
1976–77Syracuse BlazersMaine Nordiques

References
  1. Reading Eagle, 26 September 1977
  2. Miller, Chuck. From Atlantic City to Toronto: The Boardwalk Trophy and the Eastern Hockey League. Part 2: The Jets, the Comets, Southern Expansion and Well-Worn Knuckles. Vol. 3 (2 ed.). Fort Wayne, Indiana: Hockey Ink!. pp. 4–6.
  3. "Ned Dowd Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com".
  4. "North American Hockey League [1973-1977] history and statistics". hockeydb.com.
  5. Goulet, Neal (February 3, 2014). "A thirst to find hockey's Lockhart Cup, which honors a pioneer". Goulet Communications. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
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