Bakersfield Condors

Lore & Background

The Bakersfield Condors were established after the Oklahoma City Barons and Edmonton Oilers mutually agreed to end the Barons' operations following the 2014–15 season, citing financial problems and a desire to 'move on.' On January 29, 2015, the AHL announced the Oilers would relocate their franchise to Bakersfield as one of five charter members forming a new Pacific Division. A name-the-team contest was held from January 30 to February 15, 2015, with the Condors name announced on February 25, 2015. The team unveiled its logo and colors on April 2, 2015. The Condors replaced an ECHL team of the same name that had played from 1995 until the end of the 2014–15 season, after which that team moved to Norfolk, Virginia, to become the Norfolk Admirals.

Reader's Guide

The Condors participated in the AHL's first outdoor game in California, the Golden State Hockey Rush, on December 18, 2015, at Raley Field in West Sacramento against the Stockton Heat, losing 3–2 in front of 9,357 fans. Despite missing the playoffs in their first season, the Condors contributed to an overall increase in AHL attendance, averaging 5,195 per night—an increase of about 1,900 spectators compared to the former Barons and similar to the former ECHL Condors. In the 2016–17 season, they hosted the Condorstown Outdoor Classic against the Ontario Reign on January 7, 2017, at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium, winning 3–2 in overtime despite heavy rain. During the 2018–19 season, the Condors tied the second-longest AHL winning streak at 17 games, finished first in the Pacific Division in the regular season, and were eliminated by the San Diego Gulls in the second round of the playoffs.

Did You Know?

• The team tied the second-longest AHL winning streak at 17 games during the 2018–19 season.
• The Condors replaced an ECHL team of the same name that moved to Norfolk, Virginia, after the 2014–15 season.

From Oklahoma City to the Central Valley

The Bakersfield Condors did not arrive in California through a simple expansion. Their story begins with the mutual decision, announced on December 18, 2014, for the Oklahoma City Barons and the Edmonton Oilers to part ways after the 2014–15 campaign. Barons management pointed to financial difficulties, while the Oilers expressed a straightforward wish to move forward in a new direction. Just one month later, on January 29, 2015, the AHL confirmed that the Oilers would transplant their franchise to Bakersfield, slotting them in as one of five charter members building a brand-new Pacific Division for the 2015–16 season. The naming process became a community event: a public contest ran from January 30 through February 15, and on February 25 the word "Condors" was declared the winner. A full visual identity—logo and color scheme—was revealed on April 2, 2015, giving the new franchise its distinct look before a single regular-season puck dropped at Dignity Health Arena.

Under Open Skies and Playoff Pressure

Two outdoor showcases put the Condors on a wider stage in their early years. On December 18, 2015, the team took part in the AHL's first-ever outdoor game in California, billed as the Golden State Hockey Rush, at Raley Field in West Sacramento. The Stockton Heat edged them 3–2 in front of a crowd of 9,357. The following January, the Condors hosted their own outdoor event, the Condorstown Outdoor Classic, at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium. Rain fell heavily at times, yet the game proceeded as planned, and the Condors outlasted the Ontario Reign 3–2 in overtime on January 7, 2017. Beyond the spectacle, the team's competitive peak came during the 2018–19 campaign. From January 12 to February 25, 2019, they strung together 17 consecutive victories, tying the second-longest winning streak in AHL history. That run propelled them to the top of the Pacific Division at the regular-season mark. The San Diego Gulls, however, ended their postseason run in the second round, capping a season that blended historic momentum with the familiar sting of a playoff exit.

A Name with Roots and a Unique Place in the League

The Condors name carries a layered history in Bakersfield. Before the AHL franchise arrived, a team by the same name had played as a charter member of the West Coast Hockey League from 1995 until 2003, then continued in the ECHL from 2003 through the close of the 2014–15 season before relocating to Norfolk, Virginia, and rebranding as the Norfolk Admirals. The AHL Condors thus inherited a local identity that fans had known for nearly two decades. Their league position is equally distinctive: they are the only AHL club based in the United States whose parent organization is a Canadian NHL team, the Edmonton Oilers. That cross-border affiliation sets them apart from every other American-based AHL franchise. In their inaugural 2015–16 season the Condors did not reach the playoffs, yet they drew an average of 5,195 fans per home game—roughly 1,900 more than the former Barons had attracted and in line with what the old ECHL Condors had drawn—helping lift overall AHL attendance in the process.

Leadership on and off the Ice

The Condors have cycled through four captains since their 2015–16 debut, each marking a distinct era of the franchise. Ryan Hamilton led the squad from its founding through the 2017–18 season. Keegan Lowe took the "C" for the 2018–19 and 2019–20 campaigns, a stretch that included the historic 17-game winning streak. Brad Malone carried the captaincy from 2020 through 2024, and Seth Griffith has worn the letter from 2024 onward. Beyond the captain's role, the franchise has built a pipeline of players who go on to sustain NHL careers. The team's notable-alumni list is defined by a dual threshold: a player must have logged more than 100 games in Bakersfield and at least 100 games in the National Hockey League to qualify. That standard underscores the Condors' role as a developmental affiliate for the Oilers while also acknowledging the contributions of players who made Bakersfield a meaningful chapter in their professional journeys.

Gallery