NAHL Welcomes Buffalo Norsemen As New Team Unveils Rink Plans, article (The Hockey News, 1975-05-23).htm
Dublin Core
Title
NAHL Welcomes Buffalo Norsemen As New Team Unveils Rink Plans, article (The Hockey News, 1975-05-23).htm
Description
BUFFALO—
The major news media personnel gathered at Buffalo’s Statler Hilton Hotel for a press conference called by the North American Hockey League to introduce the new Buffalo entry, which officially became known as the Norsemen. Greater Buffalo Hockey Club Inc. named its principal officers and they included Dr. Dudley Turecki, president and Dr. Syde Taheri, chairman of the board.
The club’s general manager is Willie Marshall, a super star (before the word became popular) in the American Hockey League over a span of 20 years. Marshall holds most of that league’s career offensive records and his signing was a popular choice in the Buffalo area. Marshall also spent part of a couple of seasons with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. He has served as coachgeneral manager of two junior clubs since his retirement from the active ranks and looks upon his new job as a “big challenge.” This new position, in effect, will be Marshall’s first job in the pro ranks outside of his outstanding career as a player.
Marshall has been serving as the manager of the Tonawanda Sports Center, the building the Norsemen will call home. The center is located in North Tonawanda, a suburb of Buffalo. The Buffalo club will begin the season in a building that will hold some 3,000 fans, sometime on or about Jan. 1, 1976 they are hoping to be playing in a new facility located adjacent to the present structure. The new facility should seat in the area of 6,000-6,500 when complete, if everything goes according to schedule.
No coach was named by the new club but all indications pointed to a presently active player in the NHL or WHA (bet on the first one) joining this club as coach next year. Marshall indicated that the Norsemen would be naming a coach right after the NHL playoffs had concluded. They do have their man in mind but right now nothing has been signed.
What this club does have is a place to play, a well known general manager, and a group of dedicated owners bent on becoming a successful franchise. They also enjoyed a big press splash from their conference that officially launched the team. Team and NAHL officials were hoping for the same kind of success that the Buffalo Sabres have enjoyed. The Sabres began their entrance into the NHL with a press conference in the same Statler Hiton in Buffalo. Commissioner Bob Dextraze was at the NHAL-run press gathering and was very pleased at not only the turnout but also for “the enormous genuine interest in us as expressed by the media.”
Looking back at the NAHL finals, in a tale of two cities (Binghamton and Johnstown), both cities paid high tribute to their respective clubs even after the finals had ended.
In Johnstown the Jets 4-0 series conquest was roundly received. Johnstown certainly enjoyed having a winning team. The morning after their final victory the citizens of Johnstown gathered on the sidewalks to pay tribute to their Jets. The Jet players rode in open cars amidst the noise and beat of a marching band. The Lockhart Cup, won the previous night by the players, was also there, riding in one of the open cars. Radio and television stations and the newspapers all joined in saluting the new Lockhart Cup winners. It was something that the Jet players and management had to really enjoy.
In Binghamton, the team may have lost the series but they didn’t lose their hard core fans. The Booster Club organized a banquet for the team and presented several awards. Each player received a gift from the Booster Club at the party held just a few days after the finals had ended. Some of the major award winners were Rod Bloomfield (most valuable player). Dale McBain (best defenseman), and Rick Lemay (best goaltender).
The major news media personnel gathered at Buffalo’s Statler Hilton Hotel for a press conference called by the North American Hockey League to introduce the new Buffalo entry, which officially became known as the Norsemen. Greater Buffalo Hockey Club Inc. named its principal officers and they included Dr. Dudley Turecki, president and Dr. Syde Taheri, chairman of the board.
The club’s general manager is Willie Marshall, a super star (before the word became popular) in the American Hockey League over a span of 20 years. Marshall holds most of that league’s career offensive records and his signing was a popular choice in the Buffalo area. Marshall also spent part of a couple of seasons with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. He has served as coachgeneral manager of two junior clubs since his retirement from the active ranks and looks upon his new job as a “big challenge.” This new position, in effect, will be Marshall’s first job in the pro ranks outside of his outstanding career as a player.
Marshall has been serving as the manager of the Tonawanda Sports Center, the building the Norsemen will call home. The center is located in North Tonawanda, a suburb of Buffalo. The Buffalo club will begin the season in a building that will hold some 3,000 fans, sometime on or about Jan. 1, 1976 they are hoping to be playing in a new facility located adjacent to the present structure. The new facility should seat in the area of 6,000-6,500 when complete, if everything goes according to schedule.
No coach was named by the new club but all indications pointed to a presently active player in the NHL or WHA (bet on the first one) joining this club as coach next year. Marshall indicated that the Norsemen would be naming a coach right after the NHL playoffs had concluded. They do have their man in mind but right now nothing has been signed.
What this club does have is a place to play, a well known general manager, and a group of dedicated owners bent on becoming a successful franchise. They also enjoyed a big press splash from their conference that officially launched the team. Team and NAHL officials were hoping for the same kind of success that the Buffalo Sabres have enjoyed. The Sabres began their entrance into the NHL with a press conference in the same Statler Hiton in Buffalo. Commissioner Bob Dextraze was at the NHAL-run press gathering and was very pleased at not only the turnout but also for “the enormous genuine interest in us as expressed by the media.”
Looking back at the NAHL finals, in a tale of two cities (Binghamton and Johnstown), both cities paid high tribute to their respective clubs even after the finals had ended.
In Johnstown the Jets 4-0 series conquest was roundly received. Johnstown certainly enjoyed having a winning team. The morning after their final victory the citizens of Johnstown gathered on the sidewalks to pay tribute to their Jets. The Jet players rode in open cars amidst the noise and beat of a marching band. The Lockhart Cup, won the previous night by the players, was also there, riding in one of the open cars. Radio and television stations and the newspapers all joined in saluting the new Lockhart Cup winners. It was something that the Jet players and management had to really enjoy.
In Binghamton, the team may have lost the series but they didn’t lose their hard core fans. The Booster Club organized a banquet for the team and presented several awards. Each player received a gift from the Booster Club at the party held just a few days after the finals had ended. Some of the major award winners were Rod Bloomfield (most valuable player). Dale McBain (best defenseman), and Rick Lemay (best goaltender).
Date
1975-05-23
Collection
Citation
“NAHL Welcomes Buffalo Norsemen As New Team Unveils Rink Plans, article (The Hockey News, 1975-05-23).htm,” North Tonawanda History, accessed November 30, 2025, https://nthistory.com/items/show/4687.