Albany Devils facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Albany Devils
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 Albany Devils were a professional ice hockey team. They played in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was closely connected to the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Albany Devils played their home games in Albany, New York, at the Times Union Center.

The team's story began in 1998 as the Lowell Lock Monsters. They played in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 2006, the New Jersey Devils bought the Lock Monsters. They changed the team's name to the Lowell Devils.

Because not many fans came to their games, the team moved to Albany in 2010. This was not the first time the New Jersey Devils had a team in Albany. From 1993 to 2006, the Albany River Rats were their main minor league team. In 2017, the Albany Devils moved again. They became the Binghamton Devils in Binghamton, New York.

The Team's Journey

How the Devils Came to Albany

On February 10, 2010, the owner of the Albany River Rats sold his team. The River Rats then moved to Charlotte. This left Albany without an AHL team. People in Albany quickly started looking for a new team. They wanted to bring professional hockey back.

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 Albany County made some changes to the arena. The Devils' general manager said it was too expensive to stay in Lowell.

On May 10, 2010, Albany County leaders voted. They agreed to spend $1.6 million. This money would be used to improve the arena. They planned to get a new scoreboard and better lighting.

Starting in Albany

On June 10, 2010, the New Jersey Devils made it official. They announced that the Lowell Devils would move 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.

The New Jersey Devils also announced new coaches. John MacLean became the head coach of the New Jersey Devils. He used to coach the Lowell Devils. Later, Rick Kowalsky was named head coach of the Albany team. Former New Jersey Devils player Tommy Albelin became the assistant coach.

Record-Breaking Moments

The Albany Devils had some great moments. On January 13, 2016, they won their 11th home game in a row. This set a new team record. On April 1, 2016, they broke another record. They won their 41st game of the season. This was their most wins ever in a season.

Moving On from Albany

On April 4, 2016, there was good news. The Times Union Center agreed to keep the Albany Devils until the 2018–19 season. However, on January 25, 2017, reports came out. The Albany Devils would move to Binghamton, New York. They would replace the Binghamton Senators team.

On January 31, the move was confirmed. The team became the Binghamton Devils. At that time, the Albany Devils had the lowest number of fans at their games in the league.

How the Team Performed

The Albany Devils played seven seasons in the AHL. Here's a quick look at their regular season and playoff results:

Records as of the end of the 2016–17 AHL season.

Team Leaders

Team Captains

These players were the team captains for the Albany Devils:

• Stephen Gionta, 2010–2012
• Jay Leach, 2012–2013
• Rod Pelley, 2013–2017