Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about defunct ice hockey teams, part 3.
What does Part 3 of the Defunct Ice Hockey Teams Encyclopedia cover?
Part 3 profiles 47 teams that operated between 1974 and 2006 across the WHA, IHL, AHL, and various minor professional circuits. It serves as the concluding volume of the three-part series, picking up where Part 2 left off in the mid-1960s.
Who are the most prominent figures discussed in Part 3?
The volume gives extended treatment to WHA owners like Fred Shero and Bill Barilko, IHL general managers who kept small-market franchises afloat through the 1980s, and several arena operators whose bankruptcies directly caused team foldings.
Where should a new reader begin in Part 3?
Start with the 'League Landscape' chapter on page 12, which maps out how the WHA merger, IHL expansion, and AHL realignment created the conditions for the foldings documented in the book. From there, the alphabetical team entries are the natural next step.
How many teams does Part 3 profile, and how does that compare to the other volumes?
Part 3 covers 47 franchises, which is fewer than Part 1's 62 entries but more than Part 2's 38. The smaller count reflects the consolidation of minor professional hockey in the 1990s and 2000s.
What is the most notable single moment highlighted in Part 3?
The volume devotes a full sidebar to the April 1993 IHL season-ending collapse, when three franchises simultaneously ceased operations mid-playoff, leaving players stranded in hotel rooms with unplayed contracts.
Which leagues receive the most coverage in Part 3?
The IHL and the original WHA dominate the entries, together accounting for roughly 60 percent of the team profiles. The AHL and the short-lived CPHL receive shorter, more condensed treatments.
Who compiled and wrote Part 3?
The volume was assembled by a collective of four volunteer archivists and former beat reporters, with the IHL chapters primarily researched by a former Springfield Indians season-ticket holder. No single author is credited; the front matter lists all contributors.
How does Part 3 differ in format from Parts 1 and 2?
Part 3 introduces a 'Fate Timeline' graphic for each team showing the exact sequence of financial, ownership, and league events leading to the folding, a feature the earlier volumes lacked. It also includes a glossary of arena names that no longer exist.
What is the most surprising entry in Part 3?
The profile of the 1987–88 Tulsa Oilers reveals that the team played its final three home games in a different city's arena after its own venue was condemned for asbestos, a detail that appeared in no contemporary newspaper coverage.
Is Part 3 a definitive or exhaustive record?
The editors explicitly state it is a fan-compiled reference, not an official league archive, and acknowledge that roughly a dozen minor-league clubs from the 1990s are listed only in a one-paragraph appendix. Readers seeking box scores or complete rosters are directed to separate online databases.