Springfield Thunderbirds tickets

'About Springfield Thunderbirds'

'

League: American Hockey League

Conference: Eastern

Location: Springfield, Mass.

Venue: MassMutual Center

Notable Players: Anthony Greco, Dryden Hunt, Paul Thompson, Harry Zolnierczyk, Jayce Hawryluk, Samuel Montembeault, Chris Driedger

'Springfield Thunderbirds Tickets'

'

Springfield is one of the most iconic teams in the history of minor league hockey. The first incarnation of the Springfield hockey program was the Indians. Introduced in 1926, the Indians stormed out of the gate with two straight championships in the Canadian-American Hockey League. After embarking for the AHL, Springfield won seven Calder Cup championships and finished as the runner-up twice. The 1960-1962 Indians, which won three consecutive championships, can claim to be one of the best AHL teams in history. Springfield also won the coveted cup in 1971, 1975, 1990 and 1991. After the Indians departed for Worcester in 1994, marking the end of a rich legacy, Springfield founded the Falcons to replace them. This relationship with the city of Springfield ended when the

Arizona Coyotes

bought the Falcons franchise and moved it to Tucson in 2016. In the same year, a Springfield ownership group purchased the defunct Portland Pirates and revived it as the Thunderbirds. Get your Springfield Thunderbirds tickets at StubHub today.

'Who is Springfield’s NHL affiliate?'

'

Springfield has an affiliation agreement with the

Florida Panthers

, which can recall or send players down during the regular season. However, the franchise is actually owned by a local Springfield group.

'What was Springfield’s record last season?'

'During the 2018-2019 regular season, Springfield achieved 80 points with a record of 33-29-9-5. As the seventh team in the Atlantic Division, the Thunderbirds did not make the playoffs. However, Springfield still had several memorable performances. Right winger Anthony Greco led all scorers with 30 goals and 59 points while Harry Zolnierczyk had 36 assists. Chris Driedger and Samuel Montembeault split time in goal. Driedger was 18-10 with a 2.45 goals against average while Montembeault went 13-16 with a 3.24 goals against average. Both players had a single shutout.'

'What is Springfield’s schedule like for the season?'

'

Springfield’s 2019-2020 campaign began on October 5 and concludes on April 11. Some of the most important divisional foes on the schedule include the

Charlotte Checkers

,

Bridgeport Sound Tigers

,

Hershey Bears

,

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

,

Lehigh Valley Phantoms

,

Providence Bruins

and

Hartford Wolf Pack

. The team offers several unique events throughout the season, including pregame concerts, postgame skates on the ice, giveaways, fan appreciation weekends and other special promotions. After the conclusion of the regular season, the Calder Cup playoffs then begin the week of April 13. Springfield will need to finish within the top four spots of the division to qualify for the postseason.

'Does Springfield have any rivals?'

'The Springfield Thunderbirds share a rivalry with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Separated by only 26 miles on I-91, both teams meet frequently during the regular season as critical Atlantic Division foes.'

'Who is Springfield’s head coach?'

'

AHL veteran Geordie Kinnear has been Springfield’s head coach since the team arrived in 2016. Kinnear has spent plenty of time in the AHL as a player and coach. He had previously served as a special assignment scout for the

New Jersey Devils

and an assistant coach for the Albany River Rats starting in 2001. After the River Rats changed affiliations in 2007, Kinnear became a part of the

Carolina Hurricanes

organization and served as the assistant coach of the Charlotte Checkers for six seasons.

'What is the venue like?'

'

The

MassMutual Center

is a convention center complex and multi-purpose arena. Located in downtown Springfield, the arena holds up to 8,000 spectators at a time. Accessible seating, along with seating for up to three other companions, is available throughout the arena. MassMutual is also the home of the

American International College Yellow Jackets men’s ice hockey team

from Division I. Get your Springfield Thunderbirds tickets at StubHub.