Connecticut Chiefs

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Connecticut Chiefs
CityNewington, Connecticut
LeagueEastern Hockey League
DivisionCentral
Founded1996
Home arenaNewington Arena
ColorsGreen, Black, Gray, and White
Owner(s)Ryan Hughes
Jacques de Saint Phalle
General managerGreg Heffernan
Head coachGreg Heffernan
Franchise history
1996–2012Capital District Selects
2012–2018Connecticut Oilers
2018–presentConnecticut Chiefs
Championships
Playoff championships2014–15

The Connecticut Chiefs are a Junior Tier III ice hockey team from Newington, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

Previously known as the Oilers, the organization also had youth teams, ranging from age groups of 6 to 16-years-old, and competed in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) out of the SoNo Icehouse in Norwalk, Connecticut.[1][2] However, these teams joined the Connecticut RoughRiders organization when the Oilers relocated to Hamden.

History[edit]

The franchise was founded as the Capital District Selects playing out of Troy, New York. After several seasons as an independent midget team, the CD Selects joined the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) in 1998 as a part-time member, joining full-time in 1999. The team was owned and coached by former RPI coach Jim Salfi. Beginning with the 2002–03 season, the Selects played in the Eastern Junior Hockey League's South Division, until the Boston Junior Shamrocks were sold and moved to Philadelphia which moved the Selects to the North Division.

In 2012, the team was sold and relocated to Norwalk, Connecticut, and renamed the Connecticut Oilers and became affiliated with the United States Hockey League's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.[3] During the summer of 2013, Tier III junior hockey was drastically reorganized in the north eastern United States resulting in the Oilers moving to the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. On June 6, 2013, the AJHL became the Eastern Hockey League.

The Oilers would have their best season in 2014–15 and won the EHL playoffs and league championship. Winning the league championship would normally qualify the team for the 2015 USA Hockey Tier III National Championships, however due to a clerical error with a pair of the Oilers' import player's paperwork, the runner-up Northern Cyclones represented the EHL.[4] Due to these circumstances, the EHL would later void their playoff championship and claim a "vacant" playoff champion for that season.[5]

After the 2016–17 season, the Oilers relocated to Hamden, Connecticut, when the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders established an EHL expansion team in Norwalk called the Connecticut RoughRiders.[3]

In 2018, the Connecticut Chiefs, a youth hockey organization in Newington, Connecticut, obtained the Oilers' franchise rights and plan to operate the franchise in the EHL during the 2018–19 season.[6]

Due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the junior teams temporarily relocated halfway through the 2020–21 season to West Springfield, Massachusetts, as the Western Mass Chiefs.[7][8]

Season-by-season records[edit]

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Regular Season Finish Playoffs
Capital District Selects
1999–00 38 21 14 3 — 45 171 133 4th of 11, EJHL
2000–01 no data 7th EJHL Lost Quarterfinal game, 2–4 vs. Boston Jr. Bruins[9]
2001–02 38 19 14 2 3 43 157 138 4th of 6, South
7th of 12, EJHL		 Lost Quarterfinal game, 1–8 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[10]
2002–03 38 20 16 2 0 42 141 109 4th of 6, South
6th of 12, EJHL		 Lost Quarterfinals vs. Boston Jr. Bruins[11]
2003–04 38 25 11 0 2 52 158 130 1st of 6, South
3rd of 12, EJHL		 Won Quarterfinals vs. Boston Harbor Wolves
Lost Semifinal game, 5–6 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[12]
2004–05 51 20 24 6 1 47 173 202 4th of 7, South
8th of 13, EJHL		 Won Play-in game, 5–3 vs. New England Junior Huskies
Lost Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs[13]
2005–06 45 16 25 3 1 36 147 184 7th of 7, South
12th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
2006–07 45 16 24 4 1 37 136 163 5th of 7, South
11th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
2007–08 45 19 24 2 0 40 146 149 6th of 7, South
11th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
2008–09 45 8 31 5 1 22 133 234 7th of 7, South
13th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
2009–10 45 9 31 2 3 23 126 228 6th of 7, North
13th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
2010–11 45 6 36 2 1 15 117 251 7th of 7, North
14th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
2011–12 45 1 39 — 5 7 103 283 7th of 7, North
14th of 14, EJHL		 Did not qualify
Connecticut Oilers
2012–13 45 12 28 — 5 29 120 179 6th of 7, South
12th of 14, EJHL		 Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors[14]
2013–14 44 26 13 3 2 57 170 121 1st of 6, Central
4th of 17, EHL		 Lost First Round, 1–2 vs. Valley Jr. Warriors
2014–15 44 31 11 1 1 64 183 103 1st of 5, Central
4th of 19, EHL		 Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Boston Junior Rangers
Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs.Walpole Express
Won Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Philadelphia Little Flyers
Won Finals, 3–2 vs. Northern Cyclones
League Champions* (voided)[4]
2015–16 41 28 11 — 2 68 159 130 2nd of 9, South Conf.
4th of 18, EHL-Premier		 Won First Round, 2–0 vs. New Jersey Rockets
Won Second Round, 2–0 vs. Hartford Jr. Wolfpack
Lost Semifinals, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
2016–17 48 17 27 — 4 38 135 208 1st of 4, Central Div.
5th of 8, South Conf.
14th of 17, EHL-Premier		 Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. New York Apple Core
2017–18 50 14 33 — 3 31 118 205 3rd of 4, Central Div.
6th of 8, South Conf.
14th of 16, EHL		 Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. Philadelphia Little Flyers
Connecticut Chiefs
2018–19 44 13 28 — 3 29 137 198 5th of 5, South Div.
10th of 10, New England Conf.
16th of 18, EHL		 Did not qualify
2019–20 46 14 28 — 4 32 112 182 9th of 11, New England Conf.
15th of 19, EHL		 Did not qualify
2020–21 38 17 17 — 4 38 124 138 3rd of 7, Central Div.
9th of 17, EHL		 Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Seahawks Hockey Club
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Walpole Express
2021–22 46 18 23 — 5 41 140 158 2nd of 4, Central Div.
14th of 17, EHL		 Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Connecticut Roughriders
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Worcester Jr Railers
Lost Wild Cqard Gm 2-3(ot) New Jersey 87's
2022–23 46 15 25 6 0 36 100 136 3rd of 5, Central Div.
17th of 19, EHL		 Won Semifinals, 2–1 HC Rhode Island
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Worcester Jr Railers
2023–24 46 17 25 3 1 38 124 175 3rd5th of 6, Central Div.
19th of 23, EHL		 Won Play In, 1-0 HC Rhode Island
Lost Div Semifinals, 1-2 Worcester Jr Railers

Notable alumni[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Connecticut Oilers Youth Hockey home page". Connecticut Oilers. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  2. ^ "AYHL home page". AYHL. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "CT RoughRiders Press Release". Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. March 6, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "DAILY DISH: Eastern Hockey League's Switch-a-roo-ski - Junior Hockey News". Junior Hockey News. March 27, 2015.
  5. ^ "EHL History". Eastern Hockey League. Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  6. ^ "CT Chiefs Join Eastern Hockey League". CT Chiefs. January 28, 2018.
  7. ^ "EHL First Round Playoff Preview: Five Best-Of-Three Series Set To Begin This Week". Hockey Night in Boston News. March 2, 2021.
  8. ^ "Around the #EShow - First Half Recap". YouTube. January 4, 2021.
  9. ^ "EJHL Playoffs".
  10. ^ "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2002".
  11. ^ "| Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2003".
  12. ^ "Feisty Forward for Golden Knights | Amateur Hockey News | March 28, 2004".
  13. ^ "EJHL Playoffs, Updated Daily | Amateur Hockey News | March 14, 2005".
  14. ^ "Junior hockey -- Oilers ousted from EJHL playoffs". 27 February 2013.

External links[edit]

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