Buffalo Norsemen Hockey Club (1975-1976)

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A team photo of the Buffalo Norsemen in their only season, 1975-1976.

The Buffalo Norsemen in their only season, 1975-1976. This NAHL semi-pro hockey team plays a single season (1975-1976) at the Tonawanda Sports Center on Ridge Road in North Tonawanda. Today, the facility is used at the North Tonawanda bus garage and NT Inter-Church Food Pantry.

The league is formed on May 1, 1973 out of the remains of the defunct, 39-year old Eastern Hockey League, and in 1977 serves as the basis for the legendary "Slap Shot" hockey movie starring Paul Newman. There are four founding teams: The Binghamton Dusters, The Cape Cod Cubs, The Mohawk Valley Comets, and the soon-to-be-infamous Johnstown Jets. Three weeks later the Long Island Cougars are added, coached by an EHL Long Island Ducks' defenseman.

The Buffalo team plays in North Tonawanda, and is owned by two local surgeons.

Fans of the league have a Facebook group.

Scattered notes:

1973-04-04 NT City attorney directed to negotiate w Tonawanda Sports Center Inc., "to lease ice time at a twin rink planned on Meadow Drive. The $2 million dollar rink will need rezoning approval (Buffalo Courier Express)
1973-04-17: The North Tonawanda Common Council set April 26 for a public hearing on rezoning 10 acres of vacant land on Ridge Rd. to permit building recreation facilities.
A twin ice rink and tennis complex costing about $2 million is planned by Tonawanda Sports Center Inc. owned by Dr. Dudley Turecki and Syde Taheri, both of the Lumber City.
The City Planning Commission has recommended approval of the change from multi-family residential to permit the complex, with a conforming business classification.
The council two weeks ago authorized investigation of the possibility of leasing ice time on the rink. (Ibid)
1973-09-27: Coaching a winning team and hoping for home-town talent are not Marshall’s only problems. He and his partners, Dr. Dudly Turecki and Dr. Syde A. Taheri hope their $2.4 million Tonawanda Sports Center — in Payne Ave., North Tonawanda — will be completed some time in December.
The Tondas are using the Hyde Park facility on a rental basis only through November because the Sport Center originally was scheduled to be completed by Dec. 1. The team has a string of home games in early December and may have to scramble for a place to play them until its own rink is complete.

Buffalo Norsemen Hockey Club (1975-1976)

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