| Buffalo Bisons | |
 | |
| City: | Buffalo, New York |
|---|---|
| League: | American Hockey League |
| Operated: | 1940 to 1970 |
| Home Arena: | Memorial Auditorium |
| Colors: | Red, white, blue |
| Affiliates: | Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers |
| Franchise history | |
| 1930 to 1940: | Syracuse Stars |
| 1940 to 1970: | Buffalo Bisons |
| Championships | |
| Regular Season Titles: | five (1945–46, 1953–54, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1968–69) |
| Division Championships: | eight (1942–43, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1969–70) |
| Calder Cups: | five (1942–43, 1943–44, 1945–46, 1962–63, 1969–70) |
The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League team that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced a previous franchise, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed. This frnachise was the first professional hockey team to play their games in the Buffalo city proper; the previous team had played across the border at an arena in Fort Erie, Ontario.
The Bisons played at Memorial Auditorium, and at various times had affiliations with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers.
They were Calder Cup champions in 1943, 1944, 1946, 1963 and 1970, and runners-up in 1948, 1951, 1955, 1959 and 1962.
The team ceased operations after the 1969–70 season due to the awarding of a National Hockey League expansion team, the Buffalo Sabres, to begin play in 1970–71.
Season-by-season results[]
Regular season[]
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940–41 | 56 | 19 | 27 | 10 | 48 | 148 | 176 | 4th, West |
| 1941–42 | 56 | 25 | 25 | 6 | 56 | 182 | 157 | 4th, West |
| 1942–43 | 56 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 63 | 189 | 143 | 1st, West |
| 1943–44 | 54 | 25 | 16 | 13 | 63 | 201 | 168 | 2nd, East |
| 1944–45 | 60 | 31 | 8 | 21 | 70 | 200 | 182 | 1st, East |
| 1945–46 | 62 | 38 | 16 | 8 | 84 | 270 | 196 | 1st, East |
| 1946–47 | 64 | 36 | 17 | 11 | 83 | 257 | 173 | 2nd, West |
| 1947–48 | 68 | 41 | 23 | 4 | 86 | 277 | 238 | 3rd, West |
| 1948–49 | 68 | 33 | 27 | 8 | 74 | 246 | 213 | 5th, West |
| 1949–50 | 70 | 32 | 29 | 9 | 73 | 226 | 208 | 1st, East |
| 1950–51 | 70 | 40 | 26 | 4 | 84 | 309 | 284 | 1st, East |
| 1951–52 | 68 | 28 | 36 | 4 | 60 | 230 | 298 | 3rd, East |
| 1952–53 | 64 | 22 | 39 | 3 | 47 | 160 | 236 | 7th, AHL |
| 1953–54 | 70 | 39 | 24 | 7 | 85 | 283 | 217 | 1st, AHL |
| 1954–55 | 64 | 31 | 28 | 5 | 67 | 248 | 228 | 4th, AHL |
| 1955–56 | 64 | 29 | 30 | 5 | 63 | 239 | 250 | 3rd, AHL |
| 1956–57 | 64 | 25 | 37 | 2 | 52 | 209 | 270 | 5th, AHL |
| 1957–58 | 70 | 25 | 42 | 3 | 53 | 224 | 301 | 6th, AHL |
| 1958–59 | 70 | 38 | 28 | 4 | 80 | 233 | 201 | 1st, AHL |
| 1959–60 | 72 | 33 | 35 | 4 | 70 | 251 | 271 | 5th, AHL |
| 1960–61 | 72 | 35 | 34 | 3 | 73 | 259 | 261 | 4th, AHL |
| 1961–62 | 70 | 36 | 31 | 3 | 75 | 247 | 219 | 2nd, West |
| 1962–63 | 72 | 41 | 24 | 7 | 89 | 237 | 199 | 1st, West |
| 1963–64 | 72 | 25 | 40 | 7 | 57 | 194 | 260 | 4th, West |
| 1964–65 | 72 | 40 | 26 | 6 | 86 | 261 | 218 | 2nd, West |
| 1965–66 | 72 | 29 | 40 | 3 | 61 | 215 | 243 | 4th, West |
| 1966–67 | 72 | 14 | 51 | 7 | 35 | 207 | 386 | 4th, West |
| 1967–68 | 72 | 32 | 28 | 12 | 76 | 239 | 224 | 3rd, West |
| 1968–69 | 74 | 41 | 18 | 15 | 97 | 282 | 192 | 1st, West |
| 1969–70 | 72 | 40 | 17 | 15 | 95 | 280 | 193 | 1st, West |
Playoffs[]
| Season | 1st round | 2nd round | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940–41 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1941–42 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1942–43 | W, 4-2, Hershey | bye | W, 3-0, Indianapolis |
| 1943–44 | W, 4-1, Indianapolis | — | W, 4-0, Cleveland |
| 1944–45 | L, 2-4 Cleveland | — | — |
| 1945–46 | W, 4-1, Indianapolis | bye | W, 4-3, Cleveland |
| 1946–47 | W, 2-0, Springfield | L, 0-2, Pittsburgh | — |
| 1947–48 | W, 2-1, Hershey | W, 2-0, New Haven | L, 0-4, Cleveland |
| 1948–49 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1949–50 | L, 1-4, Cleveland | — | — |
| 1950–51 | L, 0-4, Cleveland | — | — |
| 1951–52 | L, 0-3, Cincinnati | — | — |
| 1952–53 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1953–54 | L, 0-3, Cleveland | — | — |
| 1954–55 | W, 3-1, Cleveland | — | L, 2-4, Pittsburgh |
| 1955–56 | L, 2-3, Providence | — | — |
| 1956–57 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1957–58 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1958–59 | W, 4-1, Rochester | — | L, 2-4, Hershey |
| 1959–60 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1960–61 | L, 1-3, Hershey | — | — |
| 1961–62 | W, 2-0, Rochester | W, 3-1, Hershey | L, 1-4, Springfield |
| 1962–63 | W, 4-2, Providence | bye | W, 4-3, Hershey |
| 1963–64 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1964–65 | W, 3-1, Pittsburgh | L, 2-3, Hershey | — |
| 1965–66 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1966–67 | Out of playoffs | ||
| 1967–68 | L, 2-3, Quebec | — | — |
| 1968–69 | L, 2-4, Hershey | — | — |
| 1969–70 | W, 4-2, Quebec | 1st in round-robin vs. Springfield & Montreal |
W, 4-0, Springfield |
All-time leaders[]
- Games played: Larry Wilson (784)
- Goals: Larry Wilson (267)
- Assists: Larry Wilson (429)
- Points: Larry Wilson (696)
- Penalty minutes: Ed van Impe (911)
All-time coaches[]
- Tiny Thompson (1940-42)
- Eddie Shore (1942-43)
- Art Chapman (1943-45)
- Frank Beisler (1945-47)
- Leroy Goldsworthy (1947-52)
- Toe Blake (1948-49)
- Frank Eddolls (1952-54; 1955-57; 1960-61)
- Gaye Stewart (1954-55)
- Harry Watson (1957-58)
- Bobby Kurt (1958-59)
- Fred Hunt (1958-59; 1966-67; 1967-68)
- Dit Clapper (1959-60)
- Billy Reay (1961-63)
- Jack Evans (1963-64)
- Phil Watson (1964-66)
- Fred Shero (1967-70)
External links[]
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