This article is about the former IHL team. For the current ECHL franchise, see Kalamazoo Wings.

The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, were a professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The team played in the International Hockey League from the 1974–75 season to the 1999–2000 season. The team played in Wings Stadium and was affiliated with the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, and the Dallas Stars.

History

That team, which had named itself for its affiliation with the NHL Detroit Red Wings, changed its name during the 1995 playoffs to the Michigan K-Wings because the league wanted to raise its appeal for expanding to larger markets. The team's owner, the late R.T. Parfet, was the only small-market owner to oblige. However, concerns about larger-market teams entering the league, the league's instability, and the Dallas Stars ending their affiliation led to the Wings owners to request inactive status on April 17, 2000, and the team was dissolved.[1] The IHL would fold a season later before the franchise could be resurrected.

The original team colors were red, white, and blue until the end of the 1987–88 season when the owners announced that they would change colors to green, gold, black, and white to match their new NHL affiliate, the Minnesota North Stars.

On July 27, 2000, the Madison Kodiaks of the United Hockey League announced that they were moving to Kalamazoo for the 2000–01 season, and would be known as the Kalamazoo Wings. The new K-Wings also obtained the rights to use the original team's name, colors, logos, and history as their own.

Championships

Year League Trophy
1979–1980 IHL Turner Cup
1978–1979 IHL Turner Cup

Standings

Year GP W L T/OTL* PTS GF GA Pct Standings
1974–1975 75 17 53 5 39 203 318 .260 10 of 11
1975–1976 78 27 41 10 6 273 318 .410 8 of 9
1976–1977 78 38 27 13 89 325 290 .571 2 of 9
1977–1978 80 35 31 14 84 315 288 .525 4 of 9
1978–1979 80 40 28 12 92 368 327 .575 4 of 9
1979–1980 80 45 26 9 99 366 274 .619 1 of 10
1980–1981 82 52 20 10 114 369 244 .704 1 of 8
1981–1982 82 41 36 5 89 355 333 .543 3 of 7
1982–1983 82 32 44 6 76 311 341 .463 5 of 8
1983–1984 82 37 38 7 83 333 316 .506 5 of 7
1984–1985 82 40 35 7 89 323 297 .543 5 of 9
1985–1986 82 47 35 0 100 345 314 .610 4 of 10
1986–1987 82 36 46 0 80 331 353 .479 8 of 9
1987–1988 82 37 33 12 86 328 360 .524 7 of 9
1988–1989 82 39 36 7 85 345 350 .518 6 of 10
1989–1990 82 53 23 6 112 389 311 .682 3 of 9
1990–1991 82 52 29 1 105 354 302 .640 2 of 11
1991–1992 82 37 35 10 84 292 312 .512 7 of 10
1992–1993 82 29 42 11 69 291 367 .421 10 of 12
1993–1994 81 48 26 7 103 337 297 .636 5 of 13
1994–1995 81 43 24 14 100 288 249 .617 5 of 17
1995–1996 82 40 24 18 98 290 272 .598 7 of 19
1996–1997 82 31 44 7 69 208 272 .421 17 of 19
1997–1998 82 39 36 7 79 223 261 .518 15 of 18
1998–1999 82 35 34 13 83 232 253 .506 11 of 16
1999–2000 82 33 37 12 78 178 223 .476 12 of 13

(*) - For 1987–1988 season Overtime Losses were tracked instead of Ties

Players

Team captains

  • Unknown, 1974–95
  • Brad Berry, 1995–99
  • Unknown, 1999–00

Team records

Retired numbers

Single season

Goals: 66 Canada Dave Michayluk (1984–85)
Assists: 113 Canada Rob Brown (1993–94)
Points: 155 Canada Rob Brown (1993–94)
Penalty minutes: 648 Canada Kevin Evans (1986–87)

Career

Career goals: 239 Canada Mike Wanchuk and Canada Kevin Schamehorn
Career assists: 308 Canada Brent Jarrett
Career points: 475 Canada Kevin Schamehorn
Career penalty minutes: 2,176 Canada Kevin Evans
Career games played: 495 Canada Kevin Schamehorn (1976–90)

References

  1. ^ Team History, Kalamazoo Wings. Accessed February 3, 2024. "Oct 30, 1974 - The Kalamazoo Wings play their first home game in front of 4,157 fans.... Apr 17, 2000 - The Dallas Stars end their affiliation agreement with the Kalamazoo Wings, resulting in the franchise's request for inactive status in the IHL."
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_K-Wings
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