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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
Albany Devils logo.svg
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.

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
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