Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are the city's first professional hockey team, going back to the IHL's inception. They debuted in the 1928-29 season at the Peace Bridge Arena in Fort Erie, Ontario. The roof of the arena collapsed in March 1936 due to severe snowfall, and the team relocated to Niagara Falls. However, that iteration of the Bisons only lasted 11 games before dissolving.
When the Syracuse Stars relocated to town in 1940-41, a new and much-loved version of the Bisons emerged. The squad would play their games in Buffalo's beautiful new Memorial Auditorium (The Aud). In the 1950s, the team had a jersey with a hockey playing Bison on it, and its colors were red and blue for most of their history. The squad has more history than we can fit here throughout the span of 30 seasons. Eddie Shore and Fred Shero were among their coaches, and alumni include Toe Blake, Terry Crisp, Vic Hadfield, Doug Harvey, Harry Lumley, Brad Park, and Gillies Villemure. The team's emblem was altered to an iconic bottle cap later on as well.
The Bisons reached the Finals nine times in their 30 seasons, winning five championships. This included a four-game sweep of the Springfield Kings in their last season, 1969-70. The team would be disbanded at the end of the season to make room for NHL expansion into the city.
When the Syracuse Stars relocated to town in 1940-41, a new and much-loved version of the Bisons emerged. The squad would play their games in Buffalo's beautiful new Memorial Auditorium (The Aud). In the 1950s, the team had a jersey with a hockey playing Bison on it, and its colors were red and blue for most of their history. The squad has more history than we can fit here throughout the span of 30 seasons. Eddie Shore and Fred Shero were among their coaches, and alumni include Toe Blake, Terry Crisp, Vic Hadfield, Doug Harvey, Harry Lumley, Brad Park, and Gillies Villemure. The team's emblem was altered to an iconic bottle cap later on as well.
The Bisons reached the Finals nine times in their 30 seasons, winning five championships. This included a four-game sweep of the Springfield Kings in their last season, 1969-70. The team would be disbanded at the end of the season to make room for NHL expansion into the city.
