This Day in Hockey History – August 1, 1979 – Islanders to Indy

Aug 1, 2019

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Most NHL fans know that the New York Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships between 1980 and 1983 (and lost the fifth in 1984). Few realize that during that dynasty, the Islanders had a farm team in Indianapolis, the Checkers of the Central Hockey League (CHL). On August 1, 1979, the Islanders announced their new CHL franchise, which they kept until the league folded in 1984.

Indianapolis had been the home of the WHA’s Racers, who played from 1974 through the first 25 games of the 1978-79 season. Their most famous player was Wayne Gretzky, when he was too young to join the NHL. The way in which the WHA team folded left Indy bitter and missing hockey.

Meanwhile, the Islanders decided to expand into a new area rather than keep using the Fort Worth Texans as their top farm team. The Colorado Rockies agreed to make Fort Worth the home of their first farm team, freeing the Islanders to look elsewhere. Islanders President and GM Bill Torrey explained, “The reason we moved here to a new market was because we’re a little further down the road than Colorado with our farm operation and more capable of placing a team here. … We had a good relationship with Fort Worth for six years, but with the growth of hockey nationally and its expansion we moved here because it is a major market with a major arena.”

They also chose Indianapolis because, Torrey said, “I think Indianapolis is a good hockey town.” He assured former Racers fans, “When hockey treats Indianapolis right, we feel Indianapolis will treat hockey right.” The Islanders wanted to help Indianapolis’ market rather than depend on that market to make money. “We’re not looking for anything from Indianapolis. It is up to us to put a good product on the ice and we will. You’ll see as good hockey as you’ve seen in the last five or six years.” Torrey certainly sounded positive about the future when he remarked, “I can’t think of a better place for our top farm team to operate. I know that our many fine players will bring the best of CHL action to Indianapolis.”

The NHL franchise felt that the CHL was the strongest of the other leagues. Torrey noted, “I think outside the NHL, the best hockey in the U.S. will be played this season in the CHL. I don’t like the tag minor league. This (the CHL) is a development league. Minor league is what you saw in ‘Slapshot.’ The players here will be only a step or two away from the major leagues. And they will all be under contract to the Islanders.” Torrey emphasized, “We believe in the farm system and of scouting and developing our own players.” The Islanders franchise felt that Indianapolis would give the players necessary experience. “We’re here because we feel it’s the best place to continue the process of developing players.”

Torrey made the franchise announcement at Market Square Arena, where the team originally had contracted to play. The pricing and other administrative details still needed to be worked out, but they wanted to give some priority to former Racers ticket holders.

The Checkers received James Devellano as GM. He had scouted for the Islanders since 1974. Their first coach would be Bert Marshall, who had played defense for the Islanders for seven seasons before serving as their assistant coach.

During their five seasons in the CHL and as a farm team for the Islanders, the Checkers won the Adams Cup (named for President Jack Adams) twice, in 1982 and 1983. The CHL folded directly following the 1984 championships. As a result, the Islanders sold the Checkers to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ owner, and the Checkers joined the International Hockey League (IHL).

In 1987, due to heavy financial losses, the franchise folded, leaving Indianapolis without a hockey team for a full season. The Indianapolis Ice of the IHL formed in 1988 and operated until 1999.