Hi folks, thanks for your response to this video. Yes, it was December 1993. I have changed the title to reflect that. The memory gets murky after so many years. There were so many stories on this trip that didn't make the final cut. Ryan Vandenbussche's father came on the road trip. His car was a constant, following the bus from city to city as we rolled through Upstate New York and Southern Ontario. In retrospect, that's a story I should have gone after. There was also a brawl before the game in Rochester, sparked by the Amerks Matthew Barnaby. So many of these players and coaches went on to bigger and better things. I always had a soft spot for Todd Gillingham, the lone Newfoundlander on this particular squad. Such a great spirit and sense of humour. It's a tragedy that Todd is no longer with us.
This is actually from 1993-94. The first game of the road trip was in Cornwall, home to the Cornwall Aces (they were the Halifax Citadels, having relocated to Cornwall at the start of the 1993-94 season). The second is in Albany, New York, home of the Albany River Rats (they were the Capital District Islanders, relocating from Troy to Albany at the start of the 1993-94 season). The third game is at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, home to the Hamilton Canucks (they were added to the AHL in the 1992-93 season). The only team from the road trip that was in existence during the 1991-92 season was the last one, the Rochester Americans.
I have many fond memories at AHL games as a kid during this time period, attending games at a few of the arenas featured in this video. I remember most of these players as well when St. John’s would come into town. I wish there were more videos like this, thank you for posting it!
Just watched a podcast featuring Cody Fransen who was reflecting on the tail end of his career after the NHL after his handful of seasons in the big league. As he recounted how he felt at the time knowing his time in the big leagues has all but faded away, he embraced his role in the A being a mentor to some younger guys who still had potential to get a call up. Some of these guys I never heard of. I'm guessing most of them were just living on that slim hope they'd get a chance but never did and had to live with that regret doing what they're doing after hockey.
I remember these days when i was playing semi-pro hockey🏒 & it was during this time period. Seeing the players on the bus for road trips really put a smile on my face & the table in the middle while 4 guys play cards & this was before the internet obviously & we didn’t have cell phones or “Macintosh” lap top computers💻 obviously to do video chats or whatever else, so cards was a pretty common thing or reading the news paper or the “Hockey News” magazine lol & then it would be rinse & repeat for the next road game & getting back home at 2-4am & having to lug your hockey equipment into your own dressing room & hanging everything up to air/dry out. Only the big dogs get the full treatment up in the NHL where each teams equipment staff takes care of everything for the players & even wipe their asses for them if need be with $100 bills from the players lol😂
Seeing a very young Marc Crawford as head coach was pretty cool to see & he obviously would go onto win a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche & other NHL teams as head coach or assistant coach duties. A young head coach Paul Maurice put in a lot of hours/time in the AHL & i think the ECHL as well. It was cool when Paul Maurice was coaching the Toronto Marlies & eventually got the head coaching job for the big club with the “Buds”👍 It was pretty crazy how many years the Maple🍁Leafs farm team the St.Johns Maple🍁Leafs were in St.Johns Newfoundland for which was quite the chore to bring players up & down until they finally smartened up after all those years to move their AHL farm club to Toronto in which is now called the “Toronto Marlies” which is just down the freeway to the old “Richo Coliseum”. Before the “Marlies” the Toronto Roadrunners AHL hockey🏒club were in Toronto & playing out of the “Richo Coliseum” as well & the “Roadrunners” were the farm team to the Edmonton Oilers… insert “Head Scratch” here lol😂 That one made no sense to me but they did have awesome uniforms imo👍
In every facet of life there is struggle and uncertainty of when things will see a turn of fortunes. With the players and the coaches, it's a game of attrition and the ones that keep at it, are doing the bare minimum to find success. Someone mentioned the coaches being Crawford and Quenville who are relatively recent names in the big league who also found some level of success. Of the players, I can only recognize Perrault who I guess you can say found some success as well but for the rest of the guys, they didn't get their chance to fulfill their dream.
This is the exact team that got me into hockey. Man, the memories.
Hi folks, thanks for your response to this video. Yes, it was December 1993. I have changed the title to reflect that. The memory gets murky after so many years. There were so many stories on this trip that didn't make the final cut. Ryan Vandenbussche's father came on the road trip. His car was a constant, following the bus from city to city as we rolled through Upstate New York and Southern Ontario. In retrospect, that's a story I should have gone after.
There was also a brawl before the game in Rochester, sparked by the Amerks Matthew Barnaby. So many of these players and coaches went on to bigger and better things. I always had a soft spot for Todd Gillingham, the lone Newfoundlander on this particular squad. Such a great spirit and sense of humour. It's a tragedy that Todd is no longer with us.
This is actually from 1993-94. The first game of the road trip was in Cornwall, home to the Cornwall Aces (they were the Halifax Citadels, having relocated to Cornwall at the start of the 1993-94 season). The second is in Albany, New York, home of the Albany River Rats (they were the Capital District Islanders, relocating from Troy to Albany at the start of the 1993-94 season). The third game is at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, home to the Hamilton Canucks (they were added to the AHL in the 1992-93 season). The only team from the road trip that was in existence during the 1991-92 season was the last one, the Rochester Americans.
I was about to write the same thing!
I have many fond memories at AHL games as a kid during this time period, attending games at a few of the arenas featured in this video. I remember most of these players as well when St. John’s would come into town. I wish there were more videos like this, thank you for posting it!
Good video. Thanks.
Just watched a podcast featuring Cody Fransen who was reflecting on the tail end of his career after the NHL after his handful of seasons in the big league. As he recounted how he felt at the time knowing his time in the big leagues has all but faded away, he embraced his role in the A being a mentor to some younger guys who still had potential to get a call up. Some of these guys I never heard of. I'm guessing most of them were just living on that slim hope they'd get a chance but never did and had to live with that regret doing what they're doing after hockey.
This was a real treat !
I remember these days when i was playing semi-pro hockey🏒 & it was during this time period. Seeing the players on the bus for road trips really put a smile on my face & the table in the middle while 4 guys play cards & this was before the internet obviously & we didn’t have cell phones or “Macintosh” lap top computers💻 obviously to do video chats or whatever else, so cards was a pretty common thing or reading the news paper or the “Hockey News” magazine lol & then it would be rinse & repeat for the next road game & getting back home at 2-4am & having to lug your hockey equipment into your own dressing room & hanging everything up to air/dry out. Only the big dogs get the full treatment up in the NHL where each teams equipment staff takes care of everything for the players & even wipe their asses for them if need be with $100 bills from the players lol😂
Marc Crawford and Joel Quenneville were the coaches
Seeing a very young Marc Crawford as head coach was pretty cool to see & he obviously would go onto win a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche & other NHL teams as head coach or assistant coach duties. A young head coach Paul Maurice put in a lot of hours/time in the AHL & i think the ECHL as well. It was cool when Paul Maurice was coaching the Toronto Marlies & eventually got the head coaching job for the big club with the “Buds”👍 It was pretty crazy how many years the Maple🍁Leafs farm team the St.Johns Maple🍁Leafs were in St.Johns Newfoundland for which was quite the chore to bring players up & down until they finally smartened up after all those years to move their AHL farm club to Toronto in which is now called the “Toronto Marlies” which is just down the freeway to the old “Richo Coliseum”. Before the “Marlies” the Toronto Roadrunners AHL hockey🏒club were in Toronto & playing out of the “Richo Coliseum” as well & the “Roadrunners” were the farm team to the Edmonton Oilers… insert “Head Scratch” here lol😂 That one made no sense to me but they did have awesome uniforms imo👍
Very good stuff tank you.
Gilly was a friend of mine. He passed earlier this year unfortunately.
In every facet of life there is struggle and uncertainty of when things will see a turn of fortunes. With the players and the coaches, it's a game of attrition and the ones that keep at it, are doing the bare minimum to find success. Someone mentioned the coaches being Crawford and Quenville who are relatively recent names in the big league who also found some level of success. Of the players, I can only recognize Perrault who I guess you can say found some success as well but for the rest of the guys, they didn't get their chance to fulfill their dream.
Chitaroni has a son playing in the OHL right now. Apparently he’s a good player.
You mean the winter of 1993-1994
Excuse my language but just where in the Sam Hill is Michael J fox
Before the internet. Weird.
Not that it matters, but this is 1993-94. Leafs led the league in penalty minutes.
4 minute mark Crawford obviously annoyed that a player will be called up and thus weakening his AHL team.
So they dress a whole team minus the guy Chitaroni who can't play so effectively minus 1 player from the lineup?
Chit shitaroney
What kind of vehicle were you in when you were following the leafs?