The Toledo Blades and Hornets were the International Hockey League franchise of Toledo, Ohio from 1963 to 1974. The first four years (1959-1963) of the franchise was in Omaha, NE as the Omaha Knights. After moving to Toledo for the 1963-64 season, they were renamed the Blades. The team name was changed to Hornets in 1970. The franchise left Toledo after the 1973–74 season for Lansing, MI, where they became the Lansing Lancers.
The Blades were the Regular Season Champions in 1963–64, with 86 points and were awarded the Huber Trophy. The Blades won the Turner Cup in 1964 and 1967.
The Leading Rookie Award was awarded to Blades players Don Westbrook in 1964, Bob Thomas in 1965, and Wayne Zuk in 1970.
Blades goaltender, Glenn Ramsay, won the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the fewest goals against during the 1963–64 regular season, his third Norris Trophy in a row. Glenn also won his sixth and final Norris Trophy in 1967.
In 1965, team captain, William "Chick" Chalmers, was awarded the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy, for the player voted most valuable through his display of outstanding playing ability and sportsmanlike conduct over the course of the regular season by the league coaches.
After the Hornets left in 1974, the IHL awarded a new franchise to Toledo, the Goaldiggers.
Season-by-season record
Turner Cup Champions †League Leader in points *Division Champions ¤
SeasonTeamDivisionRegular seasonPostseasonFinishResult1963–64Blades—1st704125486*27820713854339Won in semifinals, 4-3 (Port Huron)Won in Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Fort Wayne) †1964–65Blades—4th7032362662973274041224Lost in semifinals, 0-4 (Fort Wayne)1965–66Blades—6th702048242248366—————Did not qualify1966–67Blades—3rd72393128028424710823623Won in semifinals, 4-0 (Dayton)Won in Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Fort Wayne) †1967–68Blades—5th7229291472261307—————Did not qualify1968–69Blades—2nd7241238902822358353638Advanced in Round 1, 1-2 (Columbus, Port Huron eliminated)Lost in semifinals, 2-3 (Muskegon)1969–70BladesSouthern2nd723233771241265303611Lost in quarterfinals, 0-3 (Des Moines)1970–71Hornets—7th7217441145211319—————Did not qualify1971–72HornetsNorthern4th722646052270371—————Did not qualify1972–73HornetsNorthern3rd743633577257261413513Lost in quarterfinals, 1-3 (Port Huron)1973–74HornetsNorth3rd763342167260302312913Lost in quarterfinals, 1-2 (Flint)11 Seasons0 Division Titles1 Huber Trophy79234639056748(.472)2,8893,2074521241471617 Playoff Appearances2 Turner Cup Championships
Franchise records
All-time leaders
Goalshttps://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=8457 Toledo Blades all-time player rosterhttps://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=8461 Toledo Hornets all-time player roster 1 Greg Jablonski 271 2 William Chalmers 167 3 Stan Maxwell 140 4 Mauril Morrissette 127 5 Jim Sanko 115
Assists 1 William Chalmers 358 2 Greg Jablonski 352 3 John Gravel 299 4 Stan Maxwell 194 5 Jim Sanko 191
Points 1 Greg Jablonski 623 2 William Chalmers 525 3 John Gravel 376 4 Jim Sanko 306 5 Stan Maxwell 334
References
External links A to Z Encyclopaedia of Ice Hockey Toledo Blades/Hornets History Blades Game Pucks