| Capital District Islanders | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Troy, New York |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Operated | 1990–1993 |
| Home arena | Houston Field House |
| Colors | Blue, orange and white |
| Affiliate | New York Islanders |
| Franchise history | |
| 1990–1993 | Capital District Islanders |
| 1993–2010 | Albany River Rats |
| 2010–present | Charlotte Checkers |
TheCapital District Islanders were a team in theAmerican Hockey League based inTroy, New York, which is located within a region popularly called theCapital District. The Islanders were the principal minor league affiliate of theNational Hockey League'sNew York Islanders during the 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons.
The Islanders were born out of an effort to coax an AHL team intoAlbany's newly builtKnickerbocker Arena. However, theAdirondack Red Wings, based inGlens Falls, had long claimed the Capital District as part of its home territory, and initially refused to allow an AHL expansion team to play in Albany.
Those plans changed when theInternational Hockey League expanded eastward out of its Great Lakes stronghold to move theFort Wayne Komets to Knickerbocker Arena as theAlbany Choppers. By this time, the IHL had firmly established itself as the AHL's equal, and the AHL was unnerved by this encroachment into its Northeastern heartland. It sought to sabotage the Choppers by locating another team in the Albany area. It hastily granted an expansion team to a group headed by one of the suitors for an Albany AHL franchise, car dealer Michael Cantanucci.[1] The new team would play atRensselaer Polytechnic Institute'sHouston Field House on its Troy campus. It quickly secured an affiliation with the NHL Islanders, bringing with them most of the players who had been on theCalder Cup championSpringfield Indians the previous year. In the ensuing price and attendance wars, the Choppers folded midseason.
The Islanders' best record was in the 1992–93 season, when the team finished 34-34-12 for third place in its division and a playoff berth. Among the team's notable players wereGreg Parks, its leading career scorer in only one and a half seasons; forwardsRichard Kromm andBrent Grieve, defensemenDennis Vaske,Jeff Finley andDean Chynoweth and goaltenderDanny Lorenz.
In 1993, Cantanucci sold the franchise to local insurance magnate Albert Lawrence.[2] Lawrence renamed the team theAlbany River Rats, changed its affiliation to theNew Jersey Devils, and moved the team to Albany'sKnickerbocker Arena, the same arena in which the Albany Choppers played in 1990. The currentAHL affiliation of theNew York Islanders is theBridgeport Islanders.
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | 80 | 28 | 43 | 9 | 65 | 284 | 323 | 7th, South |
| 1991–92 | 80 | 32 | 37 | 11 | 75 | 261 | 289 | 4th, North |
| 1992–93 | 80 | 34 | 34 | 12 | 80 | 280 | 285 | 3rd, North |
| Season | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | Out of playoffs | |||
| 1991–92 | L, 3-4,Springfield | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | L, 0-4,Adirondack | — | — | — |