The Fredericton Express were a professional ice hockey team based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. They played in the American Hockey League between 1981 and 1988. The Express were affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. Home games were played at the Aitken Centre on the University of New Brunswick campus.
After the Canucks hired Brian Burke as vice president and director of hockey operations in 1987, tensions between the joint ownership by the two teams were beginning to show. Burke visited Fredericton for the first time in October of that year. The previous season the Express had the second worst record in the AHL, and the team's top five scorers were all sent down by the Canucks.
Despite the internal conflict, in 1988 the Express played their best season yet, with a 42–21 win–loss record. The Express went on to play in the Calder Cup Finals, where they lost to the Hershey Bears, with a final score of 4–2. During the summer of that year, they moved to become the Halifax Citadels.
Season-by-season results
Regular season Season Games WonLostTiedOTLPoints Goalsfor Goalsagainst Standing1981–82 802055 5— 452754085th, North1982–83 804527 8— 983482841st, North1983–84 804530 5— 953402621st, North1984–85 803636 8— 802793012nd, North1985–86 803537 8— 783193114th, North1986–87 803243— 5 692923576th, North1987–88 804227 8 3 953703182nd, North
Playoffs Season1st round2nd roundFinals1981–82 Out of playoffs1982–83 W, 4–2, Adirondack L, 2–4, Maine —1983–84 L, 3–4, Nova Scotia ——1984–85 L, 2–4, Sherbrooke ——1985–86 L, 2–4, Adirondack ——1986–87 Out of playoffs1987–88 W, 4–2, Sherbrooke W, 4–1, Maine L, 0–4, Hershey
American Hockey League Hall of Famers AHL Hall of Fame Honored Members Name Seasons Induction Year Tim Tookey 1981-83 (player) 2008 Wendell Young 1983-87 (player) 2026
See also List of ice hockey teams in New Brunswick
References