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Plattsburgh Pioneers hockey logo, New York, 1984–1985

Plattsburgh Pioneers

Plattsburgh, New York1984–1985

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Order classic Plattsburgh Pioneers tees, hoodies, jerseys and hats. The Pioneers were the first QMJHL team to play in the United States in 1984-85, earning a point in an overtime debut against the Hull Olympiques before losing their next 16 games. The team disbanded after 17 games, and the league wiped its results from the standings. Celebrate one of junior hockey's strangest stories by browsing all of our Pioneers gear, then read the team history below. We are a small business dedicated to bringing back the history and designs of fondly remembered and long-lost hockey teams from throughout hockey history.

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Plattsburgh Pioneers History

The Plattsburgh Pioneers were the first QMJHL team to play in the United States (1984-85), and they may be the greatest illustration of a league with weak expansion processes. Their short tenure was a disaster. Because the league elected not to award the team an expansion draft, the squad was filled with largely low-level American players that weren't really skilled enough for the 'Q'. The squad made its debut at home against the Hull Olympiques, which included future NHL players Luc Robitaille and Stephane Richer.  This would be the high point of the Pioneer's run, as they  would miraculously force overtime and earn a point. But after that game, their coach resigned, and they went on to lose their next 16 contests with a goal difference of -128. (averaging an 11-3 loss each game). The Pioneers disbanded just after the 17th game, and the Q refused to recognize the team's statistics or games in the standings, wiping their results out.  It would take until 2003 for the league to again expand to the United States when a team in Maine was added.

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