Albany Devils facts for kids
The Albany Devils were a professional ice hockey team. They played in the American Hockey League (AHL). This team was the main minor league affiliate for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). The A-Devils played their home games at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York.
Quick facts for kids Albany Devils |
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| City | Albany, New York |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Operated | 2010–2017 |
| Home arena | Times Union Center |
| Colors | Red, black, white |
| Owner(s) | Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment |
| Media | Albany Times Union MSG Network ESPN 104.5 The Team |
| Affiliates | New Jersey Devils (NHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1998–2006 | Lowell Lock Monsters |
| 2006–2010 | Lowell Devils |
| 2010–2017 | Albany Devils |
| 2017–2021 | Binghamton Devils |
| 2021–present | Utica Comets |
The team started in 1998 as the Lowell Lock Monsters. They were an expansion team, meaning they were new to the league. They played their home games in Lowell, Massachusetts.
In 2006, the New Jersey Devils bought the Lock Monsters. They changed the team's name to the Lowell Devils. This happened for the 2006–07 AHL season.
Because not many fans were attending games, the team moved to Albany in 2010. They began playing as the Albany Devils for the 2010–11 AHL season. This was not the first time the New Jersey Devils had an AHL team in Albany. From 1993 to 2006, the Albany River Rats were their top minor league team.
Before the 2017–18 AHL season, the Devils moved their team again. They went to Binghamton, New York. There, they became known as the Binghamton Devils.
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Team History
Moving to Albany
On February 10, 2010, the owner of the Albany River Rats sold his team. The River Rats were then set to become the Charlotte Checkers. This left Albany without an AHL team.
Local officials and the arena management looked for a new AHL team. They wanted a team to replace the River Rats.
On April 26, 2010, the New Jersey Devils showed interest. They sent a letter saying they wanted to move their AHL team to Albany. They promised to stay for five years. This would happen if the county government made some changes to the arena.
The New Jersey Devils General Manager, Lou Lamoriello, explained the move. He said that new lease terms in Lowell made it too expensive to stay.
On May 10, 2010, the county government voted. They agreed to spend $1.6 million on arena improvements. This included a new scoreboard and better lighting.
The Albany Devils Begin
On June 10, 2010, the New Jersey Devils made it official. They announced they were moving the Lowell Devils to Albany. The team would play at the Times Union Center. They would be called the Albany Devils.
Most of their home games were in Albany. A few games were played in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
John MacLean was the coach of the Lowell Devils. He was promoted to coach the New Jersey Devils. In August, Rick Kowalsky became the head coach for the Albany team. Tommy Albelin was named the assistant coach.
Team Achievements
On January 13, 2016, the Albany Devils made a new record. They won their 11th home game in a row.
On April 1, 2016, the team broke another record. They won their 41st game of the season. This was more wins than in any previous season. They beat the Binghamton Senators in overtime.
The Final Move
On April 4, 2016, the arena and the Devils agreed to extend the lease. This would keep the team in Albany until the 2018–19 season.
However, on January 25, 2017, news broke that the Albany Devils would move. They would replace the Binghamton Senators in Binghamton, New York. The new team, the Binghamton Devils, was announced on January 31. At that time, the Albany Devils had the lowest fan attendance in the league.
Season Results
This table shows how the Albany Devils performed each season.
| Calder Cup Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | League Leader |
Records are final as of the end of the 2016–17 AHL season.
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OTL | SOL | Points | PCT | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing | Year | 1st round |
2nd round |
3rd round |
Finals |
| 2010–11 | 80 | 32 | 42 | 1 | 5 | 70 | .438 | 217 | 283 | 8th, East | 2011 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2011–12 | 76 | 31 | 34 | 6 | 5 | 73 | .480 | 190 | 226 | 5th, Northeast | 2012 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2012–13 | 76 | 31 | 32 | 1 | 12 | 75 | .493 | 193 | 225 | 4th, Northeast | 2013 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2013–14 | 76 | 40 | 23 | 5 | 8 | 93 | .612 | 220 | 193 | 2nd, Northeast | 2014 | L, 1–3, STJ | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | 76 | 37 | 28 | 5 | 6 | 85 | .559 | 199 | 201 | 4th, Northeast | 2015 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2015–16 | 76 | 46 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 102 | .671 | 212 | 167 | 2nd, North | 2016 | W, 3–1, UTI | L, 3–4, TOR | — | — |
| 2016–17 | 76 | 39 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 83 | .546 | 204 | 206 | 3rd, North | 2017 | L, 1–3, TOR | — | — | — |
| Totals | 536 | 256 | 211 | 28 | 41 | 581 | .542 | 1435 | 1501 | 3 Playoff Appearances | |||||
Team Captains
The following players served as team captains for the Albany Devils:
- Stephen Gionta, 2010–2012
- Jay Leach, 2012–2013
- Rod Pelley, 2013–2017
