The Atlanta Knights was an IHL expansion team in 1992 as the top farm team of the
NHL's
Tampa Bay Lightning. They won the
Turner Cup in the 1993–94 season. The Knights featured the first professional
black head coach in
John Paris Jr. The Knights were also one of the first professional teams to play a female goalie,
Manon Rhéaume, in a regular-season game.
Record in Atlanta 1992–93: Knightmare on Peachtree Street Led by team captain & IHL legend
Jock Callander and a 40-goal explosion from right winger
Keith Osborne (each in their only season with the club), head coach
Gene Ubriaco's Knights would prove to be among the league's most formidable sides, amassing franchise single-season records in wins (52), points (111) & goals scored (333) en route to claiming the Atlantic Division championship. The initial Knights roster featured many players that would go on to cement themselves into the folklore of the club, among them centers
Brent Gretzky &
Colin Miller; wingers
Christian Campeau,
Stan Drulia and
Jason Ruff; defencemen
Jeff Buchanan,
Eric Dubois,
Chris LiPuma and
Shawn Rivers; and goalkeepers
Jean-Claude Bergeron and
Mike Greenlay. The inaugural Knights campaign also featured the North American professional hockey debuts of both
Manon Rhéaume (2 games, 0–1–0, 6.36 GAA) and the
1992 NHL entry draft's #1 overall pick,
Roman Hamrlik (2 games, one goal, one assist, two points, 2 penalty minutes), a future three-time NHL All-Star.
1993–94: The Knightmare Continues...and Comes True – Turner Cup Champions In 1993–94, the Knights became the first Atlanta-based sports franchise since the 1968
Atlanta Chiefs of the
North American Soccer League to win a professional championship, capturing the
Turner Cup in a best-of-seven Finals victory over the
Fort Wayne Komets, four games to two. The season-long goalkeepers
J.C. Bergeron (27–11–7, 3.07) and
Mike Greenlay (16–10–4, 3.58) were awarded the
James Norris Memorial Trophy (IHL). The play from off-season acquisitions
Steve Larouche and
Jeff Madill as well as the blueline brilliance of
Jeff Buchanan,
Eric Charron,
Cory Cross &
Eric Dubois contributed to the Knights' second-consecutive division championship. The 1993–94 season also saw Knights' legend
Stan Drulia establish single-season club records for goals (54), assists (60), and points (114). The captain's extraordinary play carried over into the post season, culminating in his being awarded the
Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (IHL) as MVP of the Turner Cup Playoffs with a 13-goal, 25 point performance over the tournament's 14-game span. 4-0 series sweeps in each of the Turner Cup Playoff's first two rounds (vs. the
Milwaukee Admirals and
San Diego Gulls (1990–95) respectively) earned the Knights their first Finals appearance. Greenlay's brilliant play continued throughout the tournament with the netminder posting an eye-popping 11–1 record, a microscopic 2.32 GAA & an outstanding .910 save percentage in 13 playoff appearances.
1994–95: The Knightmare Continues 1995–96: Waking From the Knightmare – Relocation For the 1996–97 season, the Knights relocated due to the Omni's impending demolition to make way for
Philips Arena, a facility that would become home to Atlanta's second
NHL expansion team, the
Atlanta Thrashers. During their years in Atlanta, Rick Morgan was their full-time national anthem singer and encouraged the crowd to shout "KNIGHTS!" during the line, "Gave proof through the "KNIGHTS" that our flag was still there." It was customary to hear an emphasized, shouted "KNIGHTS!" during the
national anthem at
Atlanta Thrashers games at
Philips Arena by spectators in honor of their team, and the tradition has carried over to
Atlanta United FC soccer matches at
Mercedes-Benz Stadium and to
Atlanta Gladiators games at
Gas South Arena.
Club records Single Season Games Played: Eric Dubois, Steve Larouche, Jeff Madill, Colin Miller (80, 1993–94) Goals:
Stan Drulia (54, 1993–94) Assists: Stan Drulia (60, 1993–94) Jamie Sargent (60, 1997–98) Points: Stan Drulia (114, 1993–94) Penalty Minutes: Chris LiPuma (379, 1992–93) Wins: J.C. Bergeron (27, 1993–94) Goals Against Average:
Derek Wilkinson (3.01, 1994–95)
Career Games Played: Christian Campeau (282) Goals: Stan Drulia (161) Assists: Stan Drulia (191) Points: Stan Drulia (352) Penalty Minutes: Chris LiPuma (970) Wins: J.C. Bergeron (60) Goals Against Average:
David Littman (3.36)
Playoff (Season, Career) Games Played: Goals: Steve Larouche (1993–94: 16), Stan Drulia & Steve Larouche (16) Assists: Jason Ruff (1993–94: 17), Stan Drulia (22) Points: Steve Larouche (1993–94: 26), Stan Drulia (38) Penalty Minutes: Wins: Mike Greenlay (1993–94 & Career: 11) Goals Against Average: Mike Greenlay (1993–94 & Career: 2.32)
Affiliates •
Tampa Bay Lightning (1992–1996) == References ==