The Connecticut Nor'easter are a Junior Tier II ice hockey team from Simsbury, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

Previously known as the Oilers, the organization also had youth teams, ranging from age groups of 6 to 16-years-old, and competed in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) out of the SoNo Icehouse in Norwalk, Connecticut. However, these teams joined the Connecticut RoughRiders organization when the Oilers relocated to Hamden.

History

The franchise was founded as the Capital District Selects playing out of Troy, New York. After several seasons as an independent midget team, the CD Selects joined the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) in 1998 as a part-time member, joining full-time in 1999. The team was owned and coached by former RPI coach Jim Salfi. Beginning with the 2002–03 season, the Selects played in the Eastern Junior Hockey League's South Division, until the Boston Junior Shamrocks were sold and moved to Philadelphia which moved the Selects to the North Division.

In 2012, the team was sold and relocated to Norwalk, Connecticut, and renamed the Connecticut Oilers and became affiliated with the United States Hockey League's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. During the summer of 2013, Tier III junior hockey was drastically reorganized in the north eastern United States resulting in the Oilers moving to the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. On June 6, 2013, the AJHL became the Eastern Hockey League.

The Oilers would have their best season in 2014–15 and won the EHL playoffs and league championship. Winning the league championship would normally qualify the team for the 2015 USA Hockey Tier III National Championships, however due to a clerical error with a pair of the Oilers' import player's paperwork, the runner-up Northern Cyclones represented the EHL. Due to these circumstances, the EHL would later void their playoff championship and claim a "vacant" playoff champion for that season.

After the 2016–17 season, the Oilers relocated to Hamden, Connecticut, when the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders established an EHL expansion team in Norwalk called the Connecticut RoughRiders.

In 2018, the Connecticut Chiefs, a youth hockey organization in Newington, Connecticut, obtained the Oilers' franchise rights and plan to operate the franchise in the EHL during the 2018–19 season.

Due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the junior teams temporarily relocated halfway through the 2020–21 season to West Springfield, Massachusetts, as the Western Mass Chiefs.

In 2024, the Connecticut Nor'easter, obtained the Chiefs' franchise rights and plan to operate the franchise in Simsbury, Connecticut. New owner, Adam Westhaver, announced that both the EHL and the EHPL teams will be active at their new location.

Season-by-season records Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Regular season finish PlayoffsCapital District Selects 1999–00 38 21 14 3 — 45 171 133 4th of 11, EJHL 2000–01 no data 7th EJHL Lost Quarterfinal game, 2–4 vs. Boston Junior Bruins 2001–02 38 19 14 2 3 43 157 138 4th of 6, South7th of 12, EJHLLost Quarterfinal game, 1–8 vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 2002–03 38 20 16 2 0 42 141 109 4th of 6, South6th of 12, EJHLLost Quarterfinals vs. Boston Junior Bruins 2003–04 38 25 11 0 2 52 158 130 1st of 6, South3rd of 12, EJHLWon Quarterfinals vs. Boston Harbor WolvesLost Semifinal game, 5–6 vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 2004–05 51 20 24 6 1 47 173 202 4th of 7, South8th of 13, EJHLWon Play-in game, 5–3 vs. New England Junior HuskiesLost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 2005–06 45 16 25 3 1 36 147 184 7th of 7, South12th of 14, EJHLDid not qualify 2006–07 45 16 24 4 1 37 136 163 5th of 7, South11th of 14, EJHLDid not qualify 2007–08 45 19 24 2 0 40 146 149 6th of 7, South11th of 14, EJHLDid not qualify 2008–09 45 8 31 5 1 22 133 234 7th of 7, South13th of 14, EJHLDid not qualify 2009–10 45 9 31 2 3 23 126 228 6th of 7, North13th of 14, EJHLDid not qualify 2010–11 45 6 36 2 1 15 117 251 7th of 7, North14th of 14, EJHLDid not qualify 2011–12 45 1 39 — 5 7 103 283 7th of 7, North14th of 14, EJHLDid not qualifyConnecticut Oilers 2012–13 45 12 28 — 5 29 120 179 6th of 7, South12th of 14, EJHLLost First Round, 0–2 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors 2013–14 44 26 13 3 2 57 170 121 1st of 6, Central4th of 17, EHLLost First Round, 1–2 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors 2014–15 44 31 11 1 1 64 183 103 1st of 5, Central4th of 19, EHLWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Boston Junior RangersWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs.Walpole ExpressWon Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Philadelphia Little FlyersWon Finals, 3–2 vs. Northern CyclonesLeague Champions* (voided) 2015–16 41 28 11 — 2 68 159 130 2nd of 9, South Conf.4th of 18, EHL-PremierWon First Round, 2–0 vs. New Jersey RocketsWon Second Round, 2–0 vs. Hartford Jr. WolfpackLost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 2016–17 48 17 27 — 4 38 135 208 1st of 4, Central Div.5th of 8, South Conf.14th of 17, EHL-PremierLost First Round, 0–2 vs. New York Apple Core 2017–18 50 14 33 — 3 31 118 205 3rd of 4, Central Div.6th of 8, South Conf.14th of 16, EHLLost First Round, 0–2 vs. Philadelphia Little FlyersConnecticut Chiefs 2018–19 44 13 28 — 3 29 137 198 5th of 5, South Div.10th of 10, New England Conf.16th of 18, EHLDid not qualify 2019–20 46 14 28 — 4 32 112 182 9th of 11, New England Conf.15th of 19, EHLDid not qualify 2020–21 38 17 17 — 4 38 124 138 3rd of 7, Central Div.9th of 17, EHLWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Seahawks Hockey ClubLost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Walpole Express 2021–22 46 18 23 — 5 41 140 158 2nd of 4, Central Div.14th of 17, EHLWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Connecticut RoughridersLost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Worcester Jr. RailersLost Wild Cqard Gm 2-3(ot) New Jersey 87's 2022–23 46 15 25 6 0 36 100 136 3rd of 5, Central Div.17th of 19, EHLWon Semifinals, 2–1 HC Rhode IslandLost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Worcester Jr. Railers 2023–24 46 17 25 3 1 38 124 175 5th of 6, Central Div.19th of 23, EHLWon Play In, 1-0 HC Rhode IslandLost Div Semifinals, 1-2 Worcester Jr. RailersConnecticut Nor'Easter 2024–25 46 21 22 1 2 45 139 159 3rd of 5, Central Div.13th of 21, EHLLost Div Semifinals, 1-2 HC Rhode Island 2025–26 50 22 25 2 1 47 158 169 3rd of 5, Central Div.10th of 20, EHLWon Div Semifinals, 2-1 Providence CapitalsLost Div Finals 0-2 HC Rhode Island

Notable alumni Dave Evans - Clarkson University (Carolina Hurricanes 1999 Draft Pick) Ben Guite - University of Maine (Montreal Canadiens 1997 Draft Pick) Jay Leach - Providence College (NHL player) David Leggio - Clarkson University (TPS Turku SM-liiga player) Nick Petrecki - Boston College (San Jose Sharks 2007 1st Round Draft Pick) Matthias Trattnig - University of Maine (Chicago Blackhawks 1998 Draft Pick) Curtis Valentine - Bowling Green University (Vancouver Canucks 1998 Draft Pick) Shawn Weller - Clarkson University (Ottawa Senators 2004 Draft Pick) Brian Robbins - UMass - Lowell

References

External links Connecticut Chiefs Website Eastern Hockey league (EHL) Website