The Greensboro Generals were a minor league ice hockey team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Greensboro was part of the Eastern Hockey League from 1959 to 1973, and then played in the Southern Hockey League from 1973 to 1977. The team was founded when the Troy Bruins of the International Hockey League were relocated by owner Ken Wilson and admitted to the EHL, to play in the recently built Greensboro Coliseum.
History The team was owned by a group of local investors led by Carson Bain, who brought in Roland McLenahan as the team's first coach. The Eastern Hockey League was classified as amateur, although Generals players were recruited and paid. The Generals debut game at the coliseum was a 4–1 victory versus Washington, played on November 11, 1959, in front of a crowd of 3,014. Goaltender Norm Defelice won the George Davis Trophy for the lowest goals against average in the 1959–60 season.
Ronnie Spong took charge of the Generals as player-coach in 1960, and remained in that role until 1971, leading the Generals to a winning record in all but one of those seasons. The Generals reached the championship finals three years in a row from 1962 to 1964, and won the league title in 1963. Centerman Don Davidson won the John Carlin Trophy in the 1963–64 season as the league's scoring champion. The Generals had solid goaltending in the late 1960s with Peter McDuffe winning the EHL Rookie of the Year in 1967–68, and Ernie Miller winning the George Davis Trophy in 1969–70 for the lowest GAA in the EHL. Greensboro returned to the league finals in 1970, but finished as runners-up.
In the spring of 1971, Bain and his partners sold the Generals to Tedd Munchak, owner of the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association. Don Carter became player-coach in 1972, then was replaced by Bob Smith as goaltender and coach in 1973. At the end of the season, the Generals along with three other teams, announced that they would leave the EHL to form the Southern Hockey League.
Ted Lanyon became head coach for the 1973–74 season, but struggled in the new league dropping to third place. The Generals moved to the smaller Piedmont Arena in 1975 due to financial difficulty, and Ronnie Spong returned as head coach. The Generals finished last place in each of the final three seasons of play. On January 4, 1977, the Generals folded mid-season due to continued financial problems. Three other SHL clubs folded the same week, and the league folded on January 31.
Major league affiliations The Generals were primarily affiliated with the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975, but also had secondary National Hockey League affiliations from 1967 to 1977.
YearsAffiliations1967–71Chicago Blackhawks 1971–72Toronto Maple Leafs1972–74Los Angeles Sharks1974–75Michigan Stags, Baltimore Blades, New York Islanders1975–76Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals1976–77Atlanta Flames, Cleveland Barons, Colorado Rockies
Notable players Notable Greensboro Generals players that also played in the National Hockey League or World Hockey Association:
Ron Anderson Steve Andrascik Jamie Bateman Jacques Blain Kirk Bowman Don Burgess Brian Bye Brian Cadle Jack Caffery Jeff Carlson Lyle Carter Chick Chalmers Jack Chipchase Mike Conroy Tom Cottringer Claude Cyr Murray Davison Norm Defelice Brian Derksen Jerry Engele John Fisher Greg Fox Russ Gillow Don Gordon Bruce Greig Howie Heggedal Earl Heiskala Paul Hoganson Bill Horton Don Howse Mike Hyndman Mike Jakubo Eddie Johnston Ed Johnstone Jim Jones Doug Kerslake Jarda Krupicka Moe L'Abbé Michel Lachance Ted Lanyon Barry Legge Bernie MacNeil Peter McDuffe Jimmy McLeod Rick Morris Bob Perreault Tony Poeta Jan Popiel Steve Richardson Lorne Rombough Bob Russell Barry Salovaara Nick Sanza Danny Schock Steve Self Tom Serviss Bob Sicinski Fred Speck Guy Trottier Gordon Tumilson Don Ward Jim Watson Steve West Alton White Ian Wilkie Gary Williamson Hal Willis Bob Winograd Roger Wilson Bill Young Jerry Zrymiak Wayne Zuk
Results Season-by-season results in the EHL and SHL.
SeasonLgeGPWLTPtsPctGFGAPIMStandingPlayoffs1959–60EHL642633 5570.445236253 8413rd, southernLost in round 11960–61EHL644022 2820.641339257 7531st, southernLost in round 11961–62EHL683630 2740.544284258 5051st, southernLost in finals1962–63EHL684026 2820.603305263 5881st, southernWon championship1963–64EHL724129 2840.583294257 8771st, southernLost in finals1964–65EHL723733 2760.528333301 6192nd, southernLost in round 11965–66EHL723731 4780.542291263 7853rd, southernLost in round 11966–67EHL723537 0700.486265279 9973rd, southernLost in round 11967–68EHL724620 6980.681364248 9061st, southernLost in round 21968–69EHL724122 9910.632350279 6811st, southernLost in round 21969–70EHL744522 7970.65533324111231st, southernLost in finals1970–71EHL734421 8960.65834023411322nd, southernLost in round 21971–72EHL73342712800.54828425212292nd, southernLost in round 21972–73EHL764028 8880.57939131513822nd, southernLost in round 11973–74SHL713337 1670.47228531011683rd, SHLLost in round 11974–75SHL722347 2480.33326238412805th, SHLOut of playoffs1975–76SHL72184212480.33322131712126th, SHLOut of playoffs1976–77SHL401524 1310.388140173 7986th, SHLfoldedTOTALSEHL9925423816911530.58144093700124187 division titles1 championshipTOTALSSHL25589150161940.38090811844458
References
External links The Eastern Hockey League