By Lauren Kaszuba
Staff Writer
As a Syracuse native, I’m no stranger to hockey, more specifically the American Hockey League. Syracuse takes their hockey seriously, trust me. It’s no joke when you’re surrounded by a sea of blue and white at The War Memorial Arena at OnCenter in downtown Syracuse. Typically, you’d find me in that sea of blue and white.
Growing up, I went to a great amount of hockey games, from AHL to NHL. However, after I became a season ticket holder for the Crunch at age 16, I noticed something different about the crowds. Something I’ve never noticed before.
After a goal horn went off, the sea of blue and white would rise to its feet, shaking the arena. Fans hugged other fans they didn’t even know. They shared high-fives and smiles. Multiple chants were heard, making sure the opposing team knew that they were in Syracuse – and like mentioned earlier in this article, the city takes their hockey seriously. At age 16, I found myself sitting in section 20 of the arena each Friday and Saturday night of the season. Those people I hugged and high-fived eventually became my second family. I wasn’t the only one who had this thought process, either.
“[Hockey] gives people an outlet for almost every emotion, and even though you could be with thousands of strangers, it still feels like they are family. Being able to have someone to share the joys of victory and the agony of defeat with make it that more memorable,” Syracuse Crunch fan and section 20 veteran Zak Warner said. “The people I’ve met through hockey are some of the most important people in my life.”
Hockey has the power to unite a city like nothing else can. I’ve seen this with my own eyes. Whatever any fan is going through, they can step outside of the real world for a moment and step into the arena to forget about anything that’s causing them stress and/or anxiety. Everyone can be united as a whole, cheering for their team for a couple of hours. I can clearly recall some of my worst days being fixed by sitting down in the arena and watching hockey.
It’s not just a game, it’s a passion. A passion that not only runs through the veins of the biggest hockey fans, but passion that a whole city can get in on. I can provide two examples here, with the first being that I’ve taken multiple people to their first hockey game. No one has ever said it was boring, or that they didn’t like it. Second, I’ve lived in a city in which their team has made it to the Calder Cup Finals. When your city’s team makes it into the finals, it is unification of a city to another extreme.
With that being said, after my spring break filled with as many hockey games I could fit in, I thought about the empty void in my hockey-dedicated heart that Albany couldn’t fulfill. After seeing what Syracuse hockey did for its city, I wish I was able to see what hockey did for Albany.
To provide some background, the Albany Devils of the AHL moved to Binghamton during the 2017-18 season, to fill the gap that the former Binghamton Senators left. They were (and still are in Binghamton) the affiliate of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. The Albany Devils played their home games at the Times Union Center.
Maybe it’s just me, but as I walked by the Times Union Center about a month ago, I felt a bit bummed. Maybe it was just me as a hockey fan, but that venue seems to be a great arena for hockey games.
Though the Albany Devils left due to having low attendance (it was reported that, during their last season in Albany, they had the lowest average attendance at their home games out of all the teams in the AHL), I think the city lost out on the amazing unification capability that hockey brings.
Of course, I’m not a Devils fan, but it sure would be nice to have some professional hockey in this city and I surely can’t be the only one who feels this way. Any city losing their team is almost always a misfortune.
Don’t get your hopes up about a return, though. While teams have made comebacks to certain cities (often under a different name), the probability of an AHL team coming back to Albany is slim due to the low attendance rates they once had.
In conclusion, I will say this: if you’ve never been to a hockey game, go to one, even if you’re not a fan. I guarantee you’ll have a memorable experience and it will open your eyes to a whole new definition of “unity.”
As a longtime minor league hockey fan and native Albanian I to feel a huge void. I now rarely go to downtown Albany due to hockey’s departure, just have no reason to.
There are a few reasons why hockey wasnt well received the last several years. The Devils failed to connect locally with the community, I am not talking about team visits, community fundraising, or teddy tosses. I am talking ticket prices, promotions, and game start times. The Devils started all their games on Saturdays at 5pm. What ever happened to a night out? Albany fans love dinner and a movie, or in this case dinner and a game.
The Devils walked into Albany in 2010, immediately they turned down an offer to use the River Rats name and logo (it was offered to them to use). Second, the team decides to play 5 away (home games) down in Atlantic City. Had the Devils treated Albany fans the way they treat their fans in NJ at the NHL level I have no doubt attendance would have matched or exceeded that of Binghamton or Utica easily.
Capital District fans are smart, we are close enough to NYC and Boston. If you’re going to run a minor league team here it better be something special. This is why the Valley Cats and arena football is well supported. Fans know they are in for a good time regardless.
Hockey is alive and well in the region. Two DI college hockey teams, one which captured a national championship in 2014. A ECHL Thunder team just up the road just under an hour away has been very competetive and carries on affiliated hockey with both NJ and Tampa lives on. I have no doubt fans, Albany business community, and political leaders let a good thing slip away. I do believe though that maybe someday under the right circumstances a better organization who wants to be successful here could be better received. The Devils organization was no longer a good fit, they didnt care, sad.