The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, were a 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 hock ...
team in
Kalamazoo, Michigan. The team played in the
International Hockey League from the
1974–75 season to the
1999–2000 season. The team played in
Wings Stadium and was affiliated with the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
's
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
,
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...
, and the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
.
History
That team, which had named itself for its affiliation with the
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, changed its name during the 1995 playoffs to the Michigan K-Wings because the league wanted to raise its appeal for expanding to larger markets. The team's owner, the late R.T. Parfet, was the only small-market owner to oblige. However, concerns about larger-market teams entering the league, the league's instability, and the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
ending their affiliation led to the Wings owners to request inactive status on April 17, 2000 and the team was dissolved. The IHL would fold a season later before the franchise could be resurrected.
The original team colors were red, white, and blue until the end of the
1987–88 season when the owners announced that they would change colors to green, gold, black, and white to match their new NHL affiliate, the Minnesota North Stars.
On July 27, 2000, the
Madison Kodiaks
The Madison Kodiaks were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Madison, Wisconsin, during the 1999–2000 United Hockey League season. Affiliated with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals, the Kodiaks were an expansion team that filled the void ...
of the
United Hockey League
The United Hockey League (UHL), originally known as the Colonial Hockey League from 1991 to 1997 and last known as the International Hockey League from 2007 to 2010, was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league, with teams in the Unite ...
announced that they were moving to Kalamazoo for the
2000–01 season, and would be known as the
Kalamazoo Wings
The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Western Conference, Central Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Event Center. They are the affiliate ...
.
Championships
Standings
(*) - For 1987–1988 season Overtime Losses were tracked instead of Ties
Team records
Retired numbers
* #22
Mike Wanchuk
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documen ...
* #26
Kevin Schamehorn
Kevin Dean Schamehorn (July 28, 1956 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. He played in 10 National Hockey League games with the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings between 1976 and 1980. The rest of ...
Single season
:Goals: 66
Dave Michayluk (1984–85)
:Assists: 113
Rob Brown (1993–94)
:Points: 155
Rob Brown (1993–94)
:Penalty minutes: 648
Kevin Evans (1986–87)
Career
:Career goals: 239
Mike Wanchuk
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documen ...
and
Kevin Schamehorn
Kevin Dean Schamehorn (July 28, 1956 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. He played in 10 National Hockey League games with the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings between 1976 and 1980. The rest of ...
:Career assists: 308
Brent Jarrett
Brent may refer to:
* Brent (name), an English given and surname
Place name
;In the United States
* Brent, Alabama
*Brent, Florida
* Brent, Georgia
* Brent, Missouri, a ghost town
*Brent, Oklahoma
;In the United Kingdom
* Brent, Cornwall
*Br ...
:Career points: 475
Kevin Schamehorn
Kevin Dean Schamehorn (July 28, 1956 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. He played in 10 National Hockey League games with the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings between 1976 and 1980. The rest of ...
:Career penalty minutes: 2,176
Kevin Evans
:Career games played: 495
Kevin Schamehorn
Kevin Dean Schamehorn (July 28, 1956 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. He played in 10 National Hockey League games with the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings between 1976 and 1980. The rest of ...
(1976–90)
References
External links
Kalamazoo Wings All-Time RosterMichigan K-Wings All-Time Roster
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalamazoo Wings (1974-2000)
International Hockey League (1945–2001) teams
Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States
Ice hockey clubs established in 1974
Sports clubs disestablished in 2000
Professional ice hockey teams in Michigan
Sports in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Philadelphia Flyers minor league affiliates
Detroit Red Wings minor league affiliates
Dallas Stars minor league affiliates
Minnesota North Stars minor league affiliates
1974 establishments in Michigan
2000 disestablishments in Michigan