St. Paul Vulcans
Encyclopedia
The St. Paul Vulcans are a defunct Junior A ice hockey
franchise that was based in Bloomington
, Minnesota
. The franchise was a charter member of the United States Hockey League
(USHL) that started play with the 1979-80 season. The franchise was renamed the Twin Cities Vulcans for the start 1995 and folded in 2000.
in 1971. A year later, the league changed its name to the Can-Am Junior Hockey League. The team also changed their name to the St. Paul Jr. Stars. Their rival, the Thunder Bay Vulcans
, sponsored by an organization in St. Paul, dropped their sponsorship of the franchise when they announced they would be playing exclusively in Canada the next season. At the start of the 1973 playoffs, the Vulcan organization began funding the Jr. Stars and their name was changed to the St. Paul Vulcans. Despite the name change, the Vulcans were league champions in 1973 and for their only time in team history, entered into the Canadian Centennial Cup playdowns. In the Eastern Centennial Cup Quarter-final, the Vulcans squared off against the Central Junior A Hockey League
's Pembroke Lumber Kings
. The Lumber Kings downed the Vulcans 4-games-to-1 to end their playoff run.
Due to disagreements between the American and Canadian teams in the CAJHL, the league was divided into the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
(again) and the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The Vulcans would be one of the stronger members of the MWJHL. In 1977, the MWJHL would merge into the United States Hockey League
- introducing junior hockey to what would become America's top tier of junior hockey.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
franchise that was based in Bloomington
Bloomington
Bloomington is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Bloomington, California*Bloomington, Idaho*Bloomington, Illinois** the Bloomington meteorite of 1938, which fell in Illinois, United States *Bloomington, Indiana...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The franchise was a charter member of the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
(USHL) that started play with the 1979-80 season. The franchise was renamed the Twin Cities Vulcans for the start 1995 and folded in 2000.
History
The Vulcans franchise began as the Minnesota Jr. Stars of the Thunder Bay-Minnesota Junior A Hockey LeagueThunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league that existed from circa 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region....
in 1971. A year later, the league changed its name to the Can-Am Junior Hockey League. The team also changed their name to the St. Paul Jr. Stars. Their rival, the Thunder Bay Vulcans
Thunder Bay Beavers
The Thunder Bay Beavers were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Canadians were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were 1972 National Centennial Cup quarter-finalists, losing to the eventual winner Guelph CMC's....
, sponsored by an organization in St. Paul, dropped their sponsorship of the franchise when they announced they would be playing exclusively in Canada the next season. At the start of the 1973 playoffs, the Vulcan organization began funding the Jr. Stars and their name was changed to the St. Paul Vulcans. Despite the name change, the Vulcans were league champions in 1973 and for their only time in team history, entered into the Canadian Centennial Cup playdowns. In the Eastern Centennial Cup Quarter-final, the Vulcans squared off against the Central Junior A Hockey League
Central Junior A Hockey League
The Central Canada Hockey League is a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league operating in eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League...
's Pembroke Lumber Kings
Pembroke Lumber Kings
The Pembroke Lumber Kings are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League and are the longest running and winningest team in CJHL history as well as 2011 Royal Bank Cup National Junior A Champions...
. The Lumber Kings downed the Vulcans 4-games-to-1 to end their playoff run.
Due to disagreements between the American and Canadian teams in the CAJHL, the league was divided into the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league that existed from circa 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region....
(again) and the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The Vulcans would be one of the stronger members of the MWJHL. In 1977, the MWJHL would merge into the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
- introducing junior hockey to what would become America's top tier of junior hockey.
Season-by-Season Standings
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results |
| 1971-72 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 1 | |||||
| 25 | 3rd TBMJHL | ||||||||
| 1972-73 | 32 | 27 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 170 | 79 | 56 | 1st CAJHL | ||||||
| 1973-74 | 60 | 38 | 21 | 1 | |||||
| 343 | 263 | 77 | 3rd MWJHL | ||||||
| 1974-75 | 60 | 33 | 25 | 2 | |||||
| 305 | 298 | 68 | 3rd MWJHL | ||||||
| 1975-76 | 50 | 25 | 24 | 1 | |||||
| 272 | 230 | 51 | 3rd MWJHL | ||||||
| 1976-77 | 48 | 29 | 18 | 1 | |||||
| 239 | 203 | 59 | 1st MWJHL | ||||||
| 1977-78 | 51 | 16 | 35 | 0 | |||||
| 209 | 287 | 32 | 3rd USHL-MW | ||||||
| 1978-79 | 50 | 12 | 38 | 0 | |||||
| 170 | 255 | 24 | 4th USHL-MW | ||||||
| 1979-80 | 48 | 10 | 38 | 0 | |||||
| 205 | 303 | 20 | 4th USHL-N | ||||||
| 1980-81 | 48 | 28 | 19 | 1 | |||||
| 291 | 223 | 57 | 3rd USHL-N | ||||||
| 1981-82 | 48 | 26 | 21 | 1 | |||||
| 263 | 251 | 53 | 4th USHL | ||||||
| 1982-83 | 48 | 18 | 28 | 2 | |||||
| 242 | 294 | 38 | 6th USHL | ||||||
| 1983-84 | 48 | 37 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 246 | 160 | 77 | 1st USHL |
| 1984-85 | 48 | 31 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 263 | 198 | 63 | 4th USHL |
| 1985-86 | 48 | 33 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 258 | 178 | 69 | 2nd USHL |
| 1986-87 | 48 | 21 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 236 | 228 | 47 | 8th USHL |
| 1987-88 | 48 | 29 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 277 | 181 | 66 | 3rd USHL |
| 1988-89 | 48 | 38 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 306 | 171 | 76 | 2nd USHL |
| 1989-90 | 48 | 27 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 229 | 197 | 56 | 6th USHL |
| 1990-91 | 48 | 28 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 228 | 182 | 60 | 4th USHL |
| 1991-92 | 48 | 31 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 255 | 179 | 67 | 3rd USHL |
| 1992-93 | 48 | 26 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 212 | 201 | 55 | 5th USHL |
| 1993-94 | 52 | 20 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 175 | 183 | 44 | 7th USHL |
| 1994-95 | 48 | 31 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 211 | 166 | 65 | 3rd USHL |
| 1995-96 | 46 | 18 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 169 | 184 | 43 | 8th USHL |
| 1996-97 | 54 | 25 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 190 | 211 | 53 | 4th USHL-N |
| 1997-98 | 56 | 19 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 162 | 242 | 43 | 6th USHL-N |
| 1998-99 | 56 | 22 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 183 | 246 | 44 | 4th USHL-C |
| 1999-00 | 58 | 31 | 19 | 0 | 8 | 203 | 174 | 70 | 5th USHL-W |
Playoffs
- 1972 Lost Final
- Minnesota Jr. Stars defeated Westfort HurricanesWestfort HurricanesThe Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once.-History:...
2-games-to-none - Thunder Bay Vulcans defeated Minnesota Jr. Stars 4-games-to-none
- 1973 Won League, Won TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy final, Lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy quarter-final
- St. Paul Jr. Stars defeated Minneapolis BruinsMinneapolis BruinsThe Minneapolis Bruins were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League from 1963 to 1965. Minneapolis operated as a farm team to the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins. The team originated as the Kingston Frontenacs of the Eastern Professional Hockey League, which...
by default (Bruins forfeit late in Game 1) - St. Paul Jr. Stars defeated Thunder Bay CentennialsThunder Bay BeaversThe Thunder Bay Beavers were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Canadians were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were 1972 National Centennial Cup quarter-finalists, losing to the eventual winner Guelph CMC's....
4-games-to-none CAJHL CHAMPIONS, JACK ADAMS TROPHY CHAMPIONS - Pembroke Lumber KingsPembroke Lumber KingsThe Pembroke Lumber Kings are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League and are the longest running and winningest team in CJHL history as well as 2011 Royal Bank Cup National Junior A Champions...
(CJHL) defeated St. Paul Vulcans 4-games-to-1