Lake Erie Monsters old name

How did the American Hockey League start?

In 1936, the Canadian-American Hockey League merged with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the American Hockey League (AHL). Eight teams hit the ice that first season, playing in familiar cities like Cleveland, Springfield, Philadelphia, Providence and Syracuse. Frank Calder, the NHL's president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of the new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The first Calder Cup was won by the Syracuse Stars, beginning a tradition that continued in 2005 when the Philadelphia Phantoms were crowned AHL champions.

The Cleveland Indians (IHL) (1929-1933)

The roots of professional hockey in Cleveland traces back to the Cleveland Indians, who began play in the International Hockey League in 1929-30. The Indians played for five seasons, until being renamed the Cleveland Falcons for the 1934-35 season.

The Cleveland Falcons (IHL) (1934-1936)

The Cleveland Falcons were a professional ice hockey team in Cleveland that played home games in the Elysium Arena. The team was founded in 1934 as a member of the International Hockey League, where they played for two seasons. In 1936, the team transferred to the International-American Hockey League along with three other teams from the International Hockey League. After playing the 1936-37 season in the new league, they were renamed the Cleveland Barons, for the 1937-38 season.

The Cleveland Barons (AHL) (1936-1973)

The original incarnation of the Cleveland Barons was the most successful team in AHL history. The team played at the Cleveland Arena in the AHL from 1936 to 1973. In that time they won ten division titles and nine Calder Cups, both unsurpassed AHL records. Originally known as the Cleveland Falcons in 1936-37, they became the Barons after only one season.

The preeminent star of the franchise was Fred Glover, the team's career leader in goals, assists, points, penalty minutes and seasons (and second in league history in all those categories). Also notable was Hall of Fame goaltender Johnny Bower, who before he starred in the NHL, played brilliantly for the Barons for nine seasons and is the AHL's career shutout leader.

The longtime general manager for the franchise was James C. Hendy, a Hall of Fame Builder and the first prominent statistician in the history of the sport. Other notable players included Les Cunningham, a five-time league All-Star for whom the AHL's MVP award is named, Jack Gordon, Bill Needham (the team's career leader in games played), Cal Sterns, Fred Thurier and Les Binkley.

The Cleveland Crusaders (WHA) (1972-1976)

The Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association (WHA) began play in 1972. The team played in the Cleveland Arena from 1972-1974 and then in the Richfield Coliseum from 1974-1976. Having the second hockey team in the city shrank the market for the Barons and caused their demise. The Barons could not compete with the WHA practice of hiring ex-NHL players whose contracts had expired, and consequently, lost many fans. The owner, Nick Mileti, decided the team could not compete against the Crusaders and moved the Barons to Jacksonville, Florida.