Oklahoma City Barons facts for kids
The Oklahoma City Barons was a professional ice hockey team. They played in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team started playing in the 2010–11 season. Their home games were at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Quick facts for kids Oklahoma City Barons |
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| City | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Western Conference |
| Division | West Division |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Operated | 2010–2015 |
| Home arena | Cox Convention Center |
| Colors | Blue, orange, white |
| Owner(s) | Oilers Entertainment Group Prodigal, LLC (local management) |
| Affiliates | Edmonton Oilers (NHL) Bakersfield Condors (ECHL) |
| Website | http://www.okcbarons.com |
| Franchise history | |
| 1984–1988 | Nova Scotia Oilers |
| 1988–1996 | Cape Breton Oilers |
| 1996–2003 | Hamilton Bulldogs |
| 2003–2004 | Toronto Roadrunners |
| 2004–2005 | Edmonton Road Runners |
| 2010–2015 | Oklahoma City Barons |
| 2015–present | Bakersfield Condors |
| Championships | |
| Division Championships | 1 (2011–12) |
Contents
History of the Barons
On February 9, 2010, the American Hockey League (AHL) decided to move an inactive team to Oklahoma City. This team had not played since 2005. Before becoming the Barons, the team had been known by six different names. The first name was the Nova Scotia Oilers. The most recent name was the Edmonton Road Runners.
Fans helped choose the name "Barons" in a contest. The Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City had also been home to other hockey teams before. These included the Oklahoma City Stars and the Oklahoma City Blazers.
Bob Funk Jr. led the group that owned the Barons. He had also led the group that owned the former Blazers team.
Coaches and Management
Todd Nelson was the Barons' first head coach. Gerry Fleming was his assistant coach. Bill Scott became the team's first general manager. He used to work for the AHL.
In December 2014, Todd Nelson was promoted to coach the Edmonton Oilers, the Barons' main team. Gerry Fleming then became the Barons' head coach.
Why the Team Left Oklahoma City
After their first season in 2010–11, the Barons had low attendance at their games. They were among the bottom five teams in the league for average attendance. In the 2012–13 season, they had the lowest attendance in the league.
Because of these financial losses, the Oilers and Barons announced on December 18, 2014, that the Barons would stop playing after that season.
On January 29, 2015, the AHL announced a new plan. The Edmonton Oilers' AHL team would move to Bakersfield, California. This new team, the Bakersfield Condors, started playing in the 2015–16 season. They became part of a new Pacific Division in the league.
Team Information
Logos and Uniforms
The Oklahoma City Barons' original colors were midnight blue, copper, and white. They also used red for outlines. Later, their colors changed to blue, orange, and white. These colors were similar to those used by the Edmonton Oilers between 1996 and 2011.
The Barons' logo featured an oil derrick. This symbolized Oklahoma's history in oil production. It also showed the connection between Oklahoma City and Edmonton, Canada, which is also known for oil.
The Barons wore Reebok EDGE style uniforms, like other AHL teams. Their home uniform was white with a midnight blue collar and trim. Their away uniform was midnight blue with a copper collar and trim. The Barons logo was on the front of both jerseys. The jerseys were styled after the Edmonton Oilers' old away and alternate jerseys. The Barons' shoulder logos included the Edmonton Oilers logo and a smaller "OKC" logo.
Mascots
The Oklahoma City Barons had an official team mascot named Derrick. Derrick was a mountain lion. He was introduced on July 27, 2010, after a fan contest to name him.
Derrick's job was to meet fans, take photos, and sign autographs at games. He also made appearances around Oklahoma City. On February 19, 2012, the Barons introduced a second mountain lion mascot named Bit.
Season Summary
The Oklahoma City Barons played for five seasons. They made it to the playoffs in all five seasons. In the 2011–12 season, they finished first in their division (West Division). They had a total of 5 playoff appearances during their time in Oklahoma City.
Players
Team Captains
- Ben Ondrus, 2010–11
- Bryan Helmer, 2011–12
- Josh Green, 2012–13
- Anton Lander, 2013–15
- Ryan Hamilton, 2015
Notable Alumni
These players played over 100 games for the Oklahoma City Barons and also played over 100 games in the National Hockey League.
Mark Arcobello
Brandon Davidson- Taylor Fedun
- Josh Green
- Bryan Helmer
- Brad Hunt
Anton Lander
Martin Marincin- Tyler Pitlick
- Chris VandeVelde
Individual Award Winners
- Willie Marshall Award (Leading Goal Scorer)
- Colin McDonald, 2010–11
- Eddie Shore Award (Best Defenseman)
- Justin Schultz, 2012–13
- Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award (Best Goaltender)
- Yann Danis, 2011–12
- Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award
- Brandon Davidson, 2012–13
- Bryan Helmer, 2010–11
Team Records
Single Season Records
- Goals: Colin McDonald, 42 (2010–11)
- Assists: Brad Moran, 52 (2010–11)
- Points: Alexandre Giroux, 78 (2010–11)
- Penalty minutes: Triston Grant, 163 (2011–12)
- Wins (Goaltender): Yann Danis, 26 (2011–12) & Richard Bachman, 26 (2013–14)
- Shutouts (Goaltender): Yann Danis, 5 (2011-12)
- GAA (Goals Against Average): Yann Danis, 2.07 (2011–12)
- SV% (Save Percentage): Yann Danis, .924 (2011–12)
Career Records
- Career games: Curtis Hamilton, 208 (2011–15)
- Career goals: Mark Arcobello, 60 (2010–14)
- Career assists: Mark Arcobello, 101 (2010–14)
- Career points: Mark Arcobello, 161 (2010–14)
- Career penalty minutes: Alex Plante, 336 (2010–13)
- Career wins (Goaltender): Yann Danis, 52 (2011–13)
- Career shutouts (Goaltender): Yann Danis, 7 (2011–13)
