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The Erie Blades name was used by two professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
teams in
Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
. Both teams played their home games in the Erie County Field House. After the second Blades team folded, the void was filled by the
Erie Golden Blades The Erie Golden Blades were a minor league hockey team in Erie, Pennsylvania, which played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. The team's inaugural season was the Erie County Field House, which closed in 1983. The team relocated to Louis J. Tu ...
, a team in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League from 1982 to 1987. They changed the colors from Orange and Black to Gold and Blue with the name change.


1975–1977

The first team was a member of the
North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alterna ...
from 1975 to 1977. Nick Polano was the team's coach both seasons, and returned to coach the second Blades team for its first three seasons.


1978–1982

The second team was a member of the
Northeastern Hockey League The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
during the 1978–79 season, then the
Eastern Hockey League The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional United States ice hockey league. Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933–1953) The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). The league was founded by Tommy Lockhart, ...
from 1979 to 1981. The Blades won three consecutive league championships during these seasons. The Blades were then admitted to the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
for the 1981–82 season. The AHL Blades continued affiliation with the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
and
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making ...
.
Lou Angotti Louis Frederick Angotti (January 16, 1938 – September 15, 2021) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks, Philad ...
replaced Polano as the head coach in 1981. After a poor season on the ice, the team was relocated to
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore wa ...
, merging with the
Baltimore Skipjacks The Baltimore Skipjacks were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The Skipjacks originated in 1979, and played as the Baltimore Clippers in the Eastern Hockey League (1978–1981), Eastern Hockey L ...
of the
Atlantic Coast Hockey League The Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey. The Bob Payne Trophy was awarded to the team who won the league playoff championship. Acc ...
, for the 1982–83 season. Coach Angotti and sixteen players were transferred to the Skipjacks.


Season-by-season results

* Erie Blades 1975–1977 (
North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alterna ...
) * Erie Blades 1978–1979 (
Northeastern Hockey League The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
) * Erie Blades 1979–1981 (
Eastern Hockey League The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional United States ice hockey league. Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933–1953) The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). The league was founded by Tommy Lockhart, ...
) * Erie Blades 1981–1982 (
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
) ;Regular Season ;Playoffs


References

{{Defunct Pennsylvania sports teams 1975 establishments in Pennsylvania 1982 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Boston Bruins minor league affiliates Buffalo Sabres minor league affiliates Defunct ice hockey teams in Pennsylvania Denver Spurs minor league affiliates Eastern Hockey League (1978–1981) teams Houston Aeros minor league affiliates Ice hockey clubs established in 1975 Ice hockey teams in Pennsylvania Los Angeles Kings minor league affiliates New York Islanders minor league affiliates North American Hockey League (1973–1977) teams Ottawa Civics minor league affiliates Pittsburgh Penguins minor league affiliates Quebec Nordiques minor league affiliates Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1982