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SPR Thunderbirds
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SPR Thunderbirds

Alias
Springfield Springfield Thunderbirds
Leagues Played
AHL 691 AHL Pre-Season 5
Links
Wikipedia
Matches Fixtures Results Squad
AHL 04/14 19:05 1 [2] PRO Bruins v SPR Thunderbirds [7] W 2-4
AHL 04/13 23:05 1 [4] CHA Checkers v SPR Thunderbirds [7] L 6-3
AHL 04/12 23:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v HAR Wolfpack [5] L 3-5
AHL 04/06 19:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v LAV Rocket [10] L 4-7
AHL 04/05 23:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v BEL Senators [12] L 0-3
AHL 04/03 15:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v TOR Marlies [8] L 3-6
AHL 03/30 21:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v UTI Comets [12] L 3-4
AHL 03/29 23:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v HAR Wolfpack [5] W 6-2
AHL 03/23 23:05 1 [3] SYR Crunch v SPR Thunderbirds [7] W 4-6
AHL 03/22 23:05 1 [4] CHA Checkers v SPR Thunderbirds [7] L 2-0
AHL 03/20 23:05 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v LV Phantoms [6] L 1-3
AHL 03/17 17:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v CHA Checkers [3] W 6-4
AHL 03/16 20:00 1 [7] SPR Thunderbirds v CHA Checkers [5] L 3-4
AHL 03/10 19:05 1 [6] SPR Thunderbirds v PRO Bruins [2] L 0-5
AHL 03/10 00:05 1 [9] TOR Marlies v SPR Thunderbirds [6] W 1-5
AHL 03/09 00:05 1 [8] BRI Islanders v SPR Thunderbirds [6] L 4-2
AHL 03/03 20:05 1 [32] BRI Islanders v SPR Thunderbirds [21] L 4-1
AHL 03/03 00:05 1 [22] LAV Rocket v SPR Thunderbirds [21] W 3-7
AHL 03/02 00:05 1 [6] SPR Thunderbirds v PRO Bruins [2] L 2-4
AHL 02/25 20:00 1 [6] SPR Thunderbirds v BRI Islanders [8] L 3-5
AHL 02/25 00:05 1 [3] PRO Bruins v SPR Thunderbirds [20] L 5-4
AHL 02/24 00:05 1 [4] HAR Wolfpack v SPR Thunderbirds [6] W 3-6
AHL 02/18 21:00 1 [5] SPR Thunderbirds v CHA Checkers [6] L 3-5
AHL 02/17 21:00 1 [6] SPR Thunderbirds v CHA Checkers [5] W 2-1
AHL 02/11 00:05 1 [1] HER Bears v SPR Thunderbirds [6] W 3-6
AHL 02/04 00:00 1 [6] SPR Thunderbirds v HAR Wolfpack [4] W 6-3
AHL 02/03 00:00 1 [6] SPR Thunderbirds v BRI Islanders [8] L 1-5
AHL 02/01 00:00 1 [5] SPR Thunderbirds v BRI Islanders [8] L 1-3
AHL 01/28 00:05 1 [5] CHA Checkers v SPR Thunderbirds [6] W 1-6
AHL 01/27 00:05 1 [5] CHA Checkers v SPR Thunderbirds [6] W 1-3

Wikipedia - Springfield Thunderbirds

The Springfield Thunderbirds are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League that began play for the 2016–17 season. They are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues. Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Thunderbirds play their home games at the MassMutual Center.

History

In May 2016, following the relocation of the Springfield Falcons to Tucson, Arizona, after the team was sold to the Arizona Coyotes, the AHL's Portland Pirates were sold to a Springfield-based group who relocated the franchise to Springfield for the 2016–17 season.

The new owners were a consortium of local business interests seeking to keep hockey in Springfield, and included Paul Picknelly, owner of the Springfield Sheraton and member of the family-owning Peter Pan Bus Lines, as well as several local hotel owners. A team from Springfield has taken the ice in the AHL and its predecessors for all but seven years since 1926, and in every season since 1954.

The Thunderbirds inherited the Florida Panthers' affiliation with the Pirates. The Panthers assigned their assistant general manager, Eric Joyce, to be Springfield's general manager and named Geordie Kinnear as the new head coach. The Thunderbirds also named Bruce Landon, the Falcons' and Indians' longtime president and general manager, as a consultant, while hiring AHL executive Nathan Costa as their executive vice-president in charge of business operations. The team's new name was announced at a press conference on June 15, 2016. Team management explained that Thunderbirds invokes both the mythological Thunderbird and the United States Air Force presence in the region, such as the Barnes and Westover Air Reserve Bases.

The Thunderbirds played their first game on October 15, 2016, a 4–2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Anthony Greco scored the first goal in team history. On October 22, 2016, the Thunderbirds played their home opener, a 5–4 win, against the St. John's IceCaps. Dryden Hunt scored the first goal on home ice, and MacKenzie Weegar scored the game-winning goal in overtime in front of a sellout crowd of 6,793. While the inaugural season did not result in a playoff berth, average attendance rose from 3,108 in the Falcons' last season to 4,618 and including three sellouts.

On February 17, 2018, it was announced that the Springfield Thunderbirds and the MassMutual Center would host the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic and Skills contest, to take place on January 27–28, 2019. This marked the first AHL All-Star Game in Springfield since 1959. MGM Springfield served as the host of the event. The Western Conference was victorious in the skills competition, while the Central Division defeated the Atlantic Division in the championship game of the round-robin event. Both events were sold out.

On March 6, 2020, the Springfield Thunderbirds announced a five-year affiliation deal with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL starting from the 2020–21 season. The affiliation with Florida did not yield any playoff appearances, but saw a number of players recalled to the NHL. The team had seen attendance rise in each of its four seasons. Drew Bannister was announced as the second head coach in team history coming from the Blues' previous affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. However, due to the ongoing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thunderbirds were one of three teams that opted out of the 2020–21 AHL season.

In the 2021-22 AHL season, with COVID restrictions lifted and the Thunderbirds having by far their best season, they led the Atlantic Division with a 43-26-4-3 record, with a team record average attendance of 5,375. They made the playoffs for the first time, sweeping the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Charlotte Checkers in the first two rounds before winning the third against the Laval Rocket in seven games. In the Thunderbirds' first Calder Cup Finals appearance, they were defeated by the Chicago Wolves in five games.

The market was previously home to:

  • Springfield Indians (1926–1994)
  • Springfield Falcons (1994–2016)
The SPR Thunderbirds are a professional ice hockey team based in Springfield, Massachusetts. The team was founded in 1994 and has since become a beloved fixture in the local community. The Thunderbirds play in the American Hockey League (AHL) and are affiliated with the National Hockey League's (NHL) Florida Panthers.

The team's home arena is the MassMutual Center, which has a seating capacity of over 6,500 fans. The Thunderbirds have a passionate fan base that fills the arena for every home game, creating an electric atmosphere that is unmatched in the league.

The team's logo features a fierce-looking bird with lightning bolts shooting out of its eyes, symbolizing the team's speed and power on the ice. The Thunderbirds are known for their aggressive style of play, with a focus on physicality and speed.

Over the years, the Thunderbirds have had many talented players come through their ranks, including several who have gone on to play in the NHL. The team has also won several division titles and made multiple playoff appearances.

Off the ice, the Thunderbirds are active in the community, participating in various charitable events and initiatives. The team is committed to giving back to the community that has supported them for so many years.

Overall, the SPR Thunderbirds are a dynamic and exciting team that brings high-energy hockey to the city of Springfield. With a dedicated fan base and a talented roster of players, the Thunderbirds are sure to continue making waves in the AHL for years to come.