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Nova Scotia Voyageurs

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Nova Scotia Voyageurs
CityHalifax, Nova Scotia
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
Operated1971–1984
Home arenaHalifax Forum
(1971–78)
Halifax Metro Centre
(1978–84)
ColoursRed, White and Blue
AffiliateMontreal Canadiens
Franchise history
1965–1969Houston Apollos
1969–1971Montreal Voyageurs
1971–1984Nova Scotia Voyageurs
1984–1990Sherbrooke Canadiens
1990–1999Fredericton Canadiens
1999–2002Quebec Citadelles
2002–2015Hamilton Bulldogs
2015–2017St. John's IceCaps
2017–presentLaval Rocket
Championships
Regular season titles2: (1975–76, 1976–77)
Division titles2: (1972–73, 1976–77)
Calder Cups3: (1971–72,
1975–76, 1976–77)

The Nova Scotia Voyageurs were a professional ice hockey team, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They played in the American Hockey League, from 1971 to 1984. Originally chartered as the Omaha Knights of the Central Professional Hockey League before becoming the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League, the organization was relocated to Montreal after five seasons due to low attendance and travel costs. The Voyageurs (or "Vees" for short) played their first two seasons (1969–71), as the Montreal Voyageurs and were the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens.

In 1971, they relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were the first AHL team to be located in Atlantic Canada, and would be the first to play in the Halifax Metro Centre. The team was also the first Canadian club to win the Calder Cup, and were the class of the league for many years - only in two seasons did the team garner a losing record, and the Voyageurs never missed the playoffs. The team eventually moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec to become the Sherbrooke Canadiens.

The Vees won three Calder Cups, the first in 1972. Nova Scotia won again in 1976 and 1977, while their parent Canadiens were winning back-to-back Stanley Cups; this is the only time an NHL/AHL affiliated combo have won both Cups in the same year twice.

The team was replaced in Halifax by the Nova Scotia Oilers, an affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers and subsequently the Halifax Citadels, an affiliate of the Quebec Nordiques.

With the success of the Voyageurs in its existence of 13 seasons, it spawned a period of 34 consecutive years where there would be at least one AHL team in Atlantic Canada. This was largely due to the desire of several Canadian NHL franchises to continue to pay players sent down to the minors in Canadian dollars throughout the 1980s and 1990s. However, by the late 1990s, many of the remaining AHL teams in Atlantic Canada had disappeared, either by relocation or by the franchise being rendered dormant. The last remaining team in this long period would be the St. John's Maple Leafs, which moved from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2005 to Toronto, Ontario to play as the Toronto Marlies. The AHL did not return to Atlantic Canada until 2011 with the St. John's IceCaps.

Team records

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Single Season
Goals: 52 Canada Yvon Lambert (1971–72)
Assists: 73 Canada John Chabot (1982–83)
Points: 104 Canada Yvon Lambert (1971–72), 104 Canada Peter Sullivan (1974–75)
Penalty Minutes: 335 United States Dwight Schofield (1981–82)
GAA:
SV%:
Career
Career Goals: 103, Canada Dan Metivier
Career Assists: 163, Canada Wayne Thompson
Career Points: 251, Canada Don Howse
Career Penalty Minutes: 1084, Canada Dave Allison
Career Goaltending Wins:
Career Shutouts:
Career Games: 371, Jim Cahoon

Notable alumni

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List of Voyageurs alumni that played more than 100 games in Halifax, and also played at least 100 games in the National Hockey League and/or World Hockey Association.

Coaches

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Season-by-season results

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  • Montreal Voyageurs 1969–1971
  • Nova Scotia Voyageurs 1971–1984

Regular season

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Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Goals
for
Goals
against
Standing
1969–70 72 43 15 14 100 327 195 1st, East
1970–71 72 27 31 14 68 215 239 2nd, East
1971–72 76 41 21 14 96 274 202 2nd, East
1972–73 76 43 18 15 101 316 191 1st, East
1973–74 76 37 27 12 86 263 223 3rd, North
1974–75 75 40 26 9 89 270 227 3rd, North
1975–76 76 48 20 8 104 326 209 1st, North
1976–77 80 52 22 6 110 308 225 1st, AHL
1977–78 81 37 28 16 90 304 250 2nd, North
1978–79 80 39 37 4 82 313 302 3rd, North
1979–80 79 43 29 7 93 331 271 2nd, North
1980–81 80 38 37 5 81 335 298 3rd, North
1981–82 80 35 35 10 80 330 313 3rd, North
1982–83 80 41 34 5 87 378 333 2nd, North
1983–84 80 32 37 11 75 277 288 4th, North

Playoffs

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Season 1st round 2nd round Finals
1969–70 W, 4–1, BALT L, R-R vs.BUF & SPR
1970–71 L, 0–3, SPR
1971–72 W, 4–1, SPR W, 4–0, BOS W, 4–2, BALT
1972–73 W, 4–0, PROV W, 4–0, BOS L, 1–4, CIN
1973–74 L, 2–4, PROV
1974–75 L, 2–4, ROCH
1975–76 bye W, 4–0, ROCH W, 4–1, HER
1976–77 W, 4–2, HER W, 4–2, ROCH
1977–78 W, 3–1, SPR L, 3–4, MAI
1978–79 W, 3–2, NB L, 2–4, MAI
1979–80 L, 2–4, MAI
1980–81 L, 2–4, NB
1981–82 W, 3–1, MAI L, 1–4, NB
1982–83 L, 3–4, MAI
1983–84 W, 4–3, FRED L, 1–4, MAI

See also

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References

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