Long Island Cougars
Encyclopedia
The Long Island Cougars were a minor league
professional ice hockey
team that played at the Long Island Arena
in Commack, New York
, from 1973 to 1975.
From 1973 until 1975 the Cougars were a member club of the North American Hockey League
and were runners up for the Lockhart Trophy to the Syracuse Blazers
in the 1973-1974 season.
Notable players included:
As well as Richard Dumas, Brian Glenwright
, Dan Lodboa
, Al MacKenzie, Paul Menard, Jim Pritchard, Lorne Rombough who all played for the WHA Chicago Cougars.
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team that played at the Long Island Arena
Long Island Arena
Long Island Arena was a 4,000-seat indoor arena in Commack, New York from 1959 until 1996. The Long Island Ducks of the Eastern Hockey League, a popular team in the small community, called the Arena home from 1959 until the league folded in 1973, one year after the New York Islanders came into...
in Commack, New York
Commack, New York
Commack is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the towns of Huntington and Smithtown in Suffolk County, New York, United States on Long Island...
, from 1973 to 1975.
From 1973 until 1975 the Cougars were a member club of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
and were runners up for the Lockhart Trophy to the Syracuse Blazers
Syracuse Blazers
The Syracuse Blazers were a minor league hockey team that played in the Onondaga County War Memorial and New York State Fair Coliseum in Syracuse, New York....
in the 1973-1974 season.
Notable players included:
- Kevin AhearnKevin AhearnKevin Joseph Ahearn is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 78 games in the World Hockey Association with the New England Whalers in 1972–73...
who played on the 1972Ice hockey at the 1972 Winter OlympicsAt the 1972 Winter Olympics held in Sapporo, Japan, one ice hockey event was held: men's ice hockey. Games were held at the Makomanai Ice Arena and at the Tsukisamu Indoor Skating Rink.-Team USA:...
US Olympic hockey team as well as for the New England Whalers of the WHAWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926... - Jim BenzelockJim BenzelockJim Benzelock is a former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the first round, fifth overall, by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1968 NHL Amateur Draft...
who played for both the Chicago CougarsChicago CougarsThe Chicago Cougars were an original franchise in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975. The Cougars played their home games in the dilapidated International Amphitheatre. During the 1974 Avco Cup Finals against Gordie Howe and the Houston Aeros, the team's two home games were played at...
and Quebec NordiquesQuebec NordiquesThe Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
of the WHA - Curt BrackenburyCurt BrackenburyJohn Curtis Brackenbury is a retired professional ice hockey forward who played 141 games in the National Hockey League and 257 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Chicago Cougars, Minnesota Fighting Saints, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and St. Louis Blues.- External...
who played for the Quebec Nordiques (WHA and NHL) as well as the Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
and St. Louis BluesSt. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
of the NHL - Brian CoatesBrian CoatesBrian Coates is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 202 games in the World Hockey Association for the Chicago Cougars, Indianapolis Racers, and Cincinnati Stingers.-External links:...
who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars, Indianapolis RacersIndianapolis RacersThe Indianapolis Racers were a franchise in the former World Hockey Association from 1974 to 1978. They competed in five seasons, folding 25 games into the 1978–79 season. They played at Market Square Arena...
and Cincinnati StingersCincinnati StingersThe Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.-History:The Stingers franchise was awarded in... - Howie Colborne who played for the WHA Edmonton Oilers
- Gary Connelly who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars
- Rich Coutu who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars and Cincinnati Stingers
- Pat Donnelly who played for the WHA Cincinnati Stingers
- Michel Dubois who played for the WHA Indianapolis Racers and Quebec Nordiques
- Andre GillAndre Gill (ice hockey)Andre Marcel "Cannon" Gill was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. Gill played most of his career in the American Hockey League, being recalled to the Boston Bruins once for a five-game stand. He played two seasons with the Chicago Cougars of the World Hockey Association late in his...
who played for the NHL Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and the WHA Chicago Cougars - Don GordonDon Gordon (ice hockey)Don Gordon was a professional ice hockey player who played 94 games in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Chicago Cougars and Los Angeles Sharks.- References :...
who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars and Los Angeles SharksLos Angeles SharksThe Los Angeles Sharks were an ice hockey team that played in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1974. Their primary home arena was the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena but they sometimes played at the Long Beach Sports Arena when the Sports Arena had other contractual obligations... - Chris Grigg who played for the Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics
- Joe HardyJoe Hardy (ice hockey)Jocelyn Joseph "Joe" Hardy is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 210 games in the World Hockey Association and 63 games in the National Hockey League...
who played for the NHL Oakland/California (Golden) SealsCalifornia Golden SealsThe California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
and the WHA Chicago Cougars, Indianapolis Racers and San Diego MarinersSan Diego MarinersThe San Diego Mariners were an ice hockey team based in San Diego that played in the World Hockey Association. They played from 1974 to 1977. Their home ice was San Diego Sports Arena... - Dan Justin who played for the WHA Cincinnati Stingers
- Keith Kokkola who played for the WHA Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics, Chicago Cougars and Birmingham BullsBirmingham BullsThe Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being...
- Mark LomendaMark LomendaMark Lomenda is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He would play 164 games in the World Hockey Association with the Indianapolis Racers, Denver Spurs, Ottawa Civics, and Chicago Cougars.-External links:...
who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics,and Indianapolis Racers - Peter MaraPeter MaraPeter Mara is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He would play 107 games in the World Hockey Association with the Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs, and Ottawa Civics....
who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics - Larry MavetyLarry MavetyLarry Mavety is a former professional ice hockey player, and is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs ice hockey team of the Ontario Hockey League .-Playing career:...
who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars, Los Angeles Sharks, Toronto TorosToronto TorosThe Toronto Toros were an ice hockey team based in Toronto that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1976.The franchise was awarded to Doug Michel in 1971 to play in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 season...
, Indianapolis Racers, and Philadelphia BlazersPhiladelphia BlazersThe Philadelphia Blazers were an ice hockey franchise in the World Hockey Association for the 1972–73 WHA season that was based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.... - Dunc McCallumDunc McCallumDuncan Selby McCallum was a professional ice hockey player who played 100 games in the World Hockey Association and 187 games in the National Hockey League....
who played for the NHL Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, WHA Houston AerosHouston AerosThe Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
and Chicago Cougars - Wally OldsWally OldsWalter Raymond Olds was an ice hockey player who played five seasons in the World Hockey Association for the New York Raiders and Calgary Cowboys between 1972 and 1976. He was born in Warroad, Minnesota...
who played on the 1972 US Olympic Hockey Team, WHA New York RaidersNew York RaidersThe New York Raiders were an ice hockey team and founding member of the World Hockey Association based in New York City. Intended to be the WHA's flagship franchise, its short tenure was a result of being unable to compete with the National Hockey League's established New York Rangers, and the...
and Calgary CowboysCalgary CowboysThe Calgary Cowboys were an ice hockey team that played two seasons in the World Hockey Association from 1975–1977. The Cowboys played at the Stampede Corral in Calgary. The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles, though it never played a game in Miami... - Dick ProceviatDick ProceviatDick Proceviat is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 321 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Chicago Cougars and Indianapolis Racers.- References :...
who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars and Indianapolis Racers, - George SwarbrickGeorge SwarbrickGeorge Raymond Swarbrick is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played 132 NHL games with the Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philadelphia Flyers.-External links:...
who played for the NHL Seals, Penguins and Flyers - Dave Walter who played for the WHA Chicago Cougars, and San Diego Mariners
- Jim WatsonJim Watson (ice hockey)James Arthur Watson is a former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, and later in the World Hockey Association with the Los Angeles Sharks, Chicago Cougars, and Quebec Nordiques.In his NHL career, Watson played...
who played for the NHL Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, WHA Chicago Cougars, Los Angeles Sharks and Quebec Nordiques
As well as Richard Dumas, Brian Glenwright
Brian Glenwright
Brian Glenwright was a professional ice hockey player who played 65 games in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Chicago Cougars.- References :...
, Dan Lodboa
Dan Lodboa
Dan Lodboa was a professional ice hockey player who played 58 games in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Chicago Cougars.- References :...
, Al MacKenzie, Paul Menard, Jim Pritchard, Lorne Rombough who all played for the WHA Chicago Cougars.