The Syracuse Crunch are 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 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 Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

(AHL). They play in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

, at the

Upstate Medical University Arena The Upstate Medical University Arena (originally known as Onondaga County War Memorial and later as the Oncenter War Memorial Arena) is a multi-purpose arena located in Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex. Designed by Edgart ...

. They are the primary development affiliate of 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 ...

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...

History

Vancouver and Pittsburgh affiliations (1994–2000)

The franchise originated in 1992 as the

Hamilton Canucks The Hamilton Canucks were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They played in Hamilton, Ontario, at Copps Coliseum. They were the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). The tea ...

, which was an affiliate of the NHL's

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

. The Canucks played in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

, for two seasons, before relocating to

upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...

in 1994. They were then renamed the "Crunch" from a public vote that included five names. The Crunch played their first game in Syracuse on September 30, 1994, against the

Albany River Rats The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center. History Before the formation of the franchise Without a viable indoor arena with a ...

to a 7–7 tie with Lonny Bohonos scoring the first Crunch goal. The Crunch finished their first season 29–42–9–0, fifth place in the division, and outside the playoffs. The Crunch made the playoffs in the following season after finishing 31–37–5–7 and made it to the 1996 conference finals before losing to the eventual

Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its curr ...

champion

Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, a ...

. The team led the league in sellouts in 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons. In 1997, the Crunch added a second NHL affiliate 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 ...

. The 1998–99 AHL season was the Crunch's worst season in franchise history. The Crunch would finish the season with a league-worst record of 18–50–9–3. On November 25, 1998, the Crunch suffered their worst loss in team history to the

Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rh ...

, with a 14–2 final score. They allowed an AHL record of 10 goals in the first period. Goalie Craig Hillier allowed seven goals before being pulled for Mike Valley, who also allowed seven. The Penguins' affiliation ended after this season when they launched the

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the AHL affiliates of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. They play at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre ...

. On October 30, 1999, while playing against Rochester, goaltender Christian Bronsard scored the first and only Crunch goalie goal. Bronsard became the fourth goaltender in

history to score a goal. The Crunch qualified for the playoffs following the 1999–2000 season, their last season as Vancouver's AHL affiliate, but lost in the first round to the

Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...

Columbus affiliation (2000–2010)

The Crunch became the affiliate of the newly formed

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

following the 1999–2000 season. They made the playoffs in their first season under the Jackets, but lost in five games to the

in the first round. In the following 2001–02 season, the Crunch won their first division title in franchise history behind goaltender Jean-Francois Labbe. They swept the

Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum (arena), Spectrum ...

in three games in the first round, but lost to the eventual Calder Cup champion

Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...

in the next round in seven games. On March 17, 2002, the Crunch played against the

. This game was infamously named the "St. Patrick's Day Massacre". The Crunch accumulated 124 penalty minutes, 80 of which were fighting-related, while the Penguins had 162 penalty minutes with 102 for fighting. The Crunch won the game 4–0. The Crunch would miss the playoffs the following season, their second-worst season in franchise history, finishing 27-41-8-4. In the 2004 Calder Cup playoffs, the Crunch became the twelfth team to blow a 3–1 series lead when they lost to the Rochester Americans in the first round. The Crunch were on home ice for game seven and forward Kent McDonnell missed an empty net when the Americans' goalie

Ryan Miller Ryan Dean Miller (born July 17, 1980) is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) mostly for the Buffalo Sabres. Miller was drafted 138th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL E ...

was caught out of position. Rochester then recovered with an odd-man rush and

Norm Milley Norman Milley (born February 14, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning before moving to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga to play out his ...

beat Crunch goalie

Karl Goehring Karl Goehring (born August 23, 1978, in Apple Valley, Minnesota) is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an assistant coach with the UND Fighting Hawks of the NCHC. He led Apple Valley High School to a win in ...

to win the game in overtime. The 2005–06 season was the best season the Crunch had during the 80-game schedule format. They scored a team record of 272 goals, but they also allowed 251 goals, and ended the regular season second in their division, 13 points behind Grand Rapids. They also had 47 wins, which is tied with their 2018–19 season record, albeit in four less games with the 76-game schedule.

Andy Delmore Andrew J. Delmore (born December 26, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Delmore played 283 games in the National Hockey League (NHL), recording 43 goals and 58 assists for 101 points. He was considered an offensive def ...

won the

Eddie Shore Award The Eddie Shore Award is presented annually to the AHL's best defenceman. The award winner is chosen by AHL media and players. The award is named after Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Shore. Winners NHL-level Eddie Shore Award One of the Bos ...

, scoring 72 points in 66 games, while also making the AHL First All-Star team at the end of the season. Mark Hartigan also scored 75 points in 49 games, averaging over a point and a half per game. They then lost in the first round of the

2006 Calder Cup playoffs The 2006 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 18, 2006. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for division semifinals, finals and conference finals. The conference ch ...

to the

Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets ...

in six games. During the 2007–08 season, the Crunch went on a 15-game winning streak at the end of the season from March 8 to April 13, 2008, to make the playoffs. The Crunch also went without losing a game in regulation for the final 23 games of the season, spanning from February 22 to April 13, 2008. They defeated the

in six games, where five of them went to overtime. They advanced to the second round to face the

Toronto Marlies The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a c ...

, but blew another 3–1 series lead. The Crunch played the first outdoor game in AHL history on February 20, 2010, against the

Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...

. The Mirabito Outdoor Classic took place at the Grandstand at the

New York State Fairgrounds The New York State Fair, also known as the Great New York State Fair, is a 13-day showcase of agriculture, entertainment, education, and technology. With midway rides, concessionaires, exhibits, and concerts, it has become New York's largest a ...

in Syracuse. The game set a then AHL attendance record of 21,508. Syracuse won the game 2–1, with goals scored by Alexandre Picard and

David Liffiton David "Dave" Liffiton (born October 18, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and the Colorado Avalanche. Playing career Liffiton began his junior career w ...

. Goaltender

Kevin Lalande Kevin Lalande (born February 19, 1987) is a Canadian-Belarusian former professional ice hockey goaltender who most notably played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for HC Dinamo Minsk. Playing career Lalande played junior hockey in the Ontar ...

made 36 saves en route to the Syracuse victory. The Crunch missed the playoffs in their final two seasons as the affiliate of the Blue Jackets, as they switched their affiliation to the

Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons were a former ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center. In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ar ...

in 2010.

Anaheim affiliation (2010–2012)

The Anaheim affiliation lasted two seasons, resulting in one playoff appearance in the 2011–12 season. They lost in the first round to the

St. John's IceCaps The St. John's IceCaps were a professional ice hockey team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. They were members of the North Division of the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was originally aff ...

in four games. The affiliation produced future NHL players such as

Kyle Palmieri Kyle Charles Palmieri (; born February 1, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks. Growing up ...

Nick Bonino Nicholas Lawrence Bonino (born April 20, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey center and an alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsbu ...

, and

Patrick Maroon Patrick Maroon (born April 23, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Big Rig", Maroon has previously played for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers ...

Tampa Bay affiliation (2012–present)

The Crunch signed a multi-year affiliation deal with the

beginning with the 2012–13 season. The affiliation bought immediate success, resulting in the team's first division championship in 11 years. At the end of the 2012–13 regular season, Tyler Johnson won the

Les Cunningham Award The Les Cunningham Award is given annually to American Hockey League's "Most Valuable Player" of the regular season, as voted on by AHL media and players. The award was first presented in the 1947–48 season, is named after Les Cunningham, a five ...

Willie Marshall Award The Willie Marshall Award is given 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 Hocke ...

, and the President's Award. He was the first MVP in Crunch history. He totaled 65 points, scoring 37 goals and assisted on 28 goals. The team reached the 2013

finals, their first ever Calder Cup appearance, but lost to the

Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey, hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and play home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National H ...

. On November 22, 2014, the Syracuse Crunch set a new United States indoor professional hockey attendance record with 30,715 fans at the Carrier Dome for the "

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

Frozen Dome Classic". Syracuse defeated the

Utica Comets The Utica Comets are a professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York, with home games at the Adirondack Bank Center. They are members of the North Division in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL) and affiliated wit ...

2–1. The Crunch won their second division title under the Tampa affiliation in the 2016–17 season. They advanced to their second Calder Cup appearance, again against the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Griffins took the series in six games and won the series 4–2. They also lost an AHL record eight road games during the playoffs. On May 5, 2018, the Syracuse Crunch played their longest game in team history, which the Crunch lost 2–1 in double overtime to the

. The game lasted 95 minutes and 10 seconds. The Crunch previously played two double-overtime games, both in the

2017 Calder Cup playoffs The 2017 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 20, 2017, with the playoff format that was introduced in 2016. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played Playoff format#Best-of-five playoff, best- ...

. They played a double-overtime game in the first round against the

, resulting in a 4–3 double-overtime win. That game lasted 90 minutes and 37 seconds, their previous record. They also played another double-overtime game in the 2017 Calder Cup Finals, a 6–5 loss in double overtime to the

, lasting 87 minutes and 2 seconds. The 2018–19 season was the best season the Crunch has had during the 76-game schedule format. The Crunch tied a team record in points with 102, and tied a franchise record in wins with 47. Eddie Pasquale won the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award,

Carter Verhaeghe Carter Verhaeghe ( ; born August 14, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Mapl ...

won the

John B. Sollenberger Trophy The John B. Sollenberger Trophy is given to American Hockey League's leading scorer for the season. History The award was named for John B. Sollenberger in 1955. Sollenberger was a long-time contributor to the league as manager and president of ...

, and Verhaeghe and

Alex Barre-Boulet Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis_(given_name), Alexis. People Multiple *Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Harris (disambigu ...

both won the

, as they both tied for the league lead in goals scored. The Crunch also achieved 900 franchise victories with a 6–2 win over the

on March 30, 2019. The Crunch won their third division title in the Tampa affiliation, but were upset in four games by the

Cleveland Monsters The Cleveland Monsters are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team began play in 2007 as the Lake Erie Monsters and since 2015 has served as the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hock ...

. The Crunch played their first 62 games of the 2019–20 season, but the season was suspended on March 12, 2020, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. The season was ultimately cancelled on May 11, 2020. The start of the following season was also pushed back to February 5, 2021. The Crunch also gained a temporary second NHL affiliation in the

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

as their AHL affiliate, the

Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...

, opted out of participating in the abbreviated season. Prior to the pandemic-related schedule changes, the Crunch were to face the

in an outdoor game hosted by Utica at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park in

Rome, New York Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States, located in the Central New York, central part of the state. The population was 32,127 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Rome is one of two principal cities in the Utica–Ro ...

, on February 13, 2021, however, the game did not take place as scheduled.

Syracuse hockey history

American Hockey League teams that played in Syracuse: * Syracuse Stars (1930–1936) in the Original IHL *Syracuse Stars (

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

–1940) in the IAHL – The first team to win the

in ( 1936–37) * Syracuse Warriors (

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

–

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

) * Syracuse Eagles ( 1974–75) * Syracuse Firebirds ( 1979–80) Other hockey teams that played in Syracuse: *Syracuse Braves (1962–1963) ( EPHL) *

Syracuse Blazers The Syracuse Blazers were a minor league professional ice hockey team that played in the Onondaga County War Memorial and State Fair Coliseum in Syracuse, New York. The team played in the Eastern Hockey League from 1967 to 1973 and the North ...

(1967–1973) ( EHL) *Syracuse Blazers (1973–1977) (

NAHL Nahl or NAHL may refer to: * Nahl (surname) * National Accident Helpline, a British personal injury lawyer service * North American Hockey League, an American junior hockey league * North American Hockey League (1973–1977), an American professi ...

) *Syracuse Condors (Granted a franchise by the NAHL for 1977–78 season, but the league folded and the team never played a game) *Syracuse Hornets (1980–1981) ( EHL) – played only ten games (0-9-1) * Syracuse Jr. Crunch/Syracuse Stars (1996–2005) in the

Metro Junior A Hockey League The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to ...

and

Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...

Logos

Owner Howard Dolgon came up with the

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

mascot Crunchman for the team's debut in 1994. In 2000, as the Crunch became an affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Crunchman was replaced with Al the Ice

Gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...

. Al remained until 2012, when Dolgon found the new affiliation with Tampa Bay a good reason to return with Crunchman. Image:Syracuse Crunch 1994.png, Original Crunch logo
1994–2000 Image:Second Syracuse logo (2000-2010).jpg, Second Crunch logo
2000–2010

Image:Syracuse Crunch Logo.svg, Third Crunch logo
2010–2012 Image:Syracuse Crunch.svg, Current Crunch logo
2012–present Image:Syracuse 5th anniversary.png, 5th Anniversary logo
1998–99 AHL season, 1998-99br>
Image:Crunch 10th Anniversary.jpg, 10th Anniversary logo
2003-04 AHL season, 2003-04br>
Image:Syracuse Crunch 25th Anniversary Season Logo.png, 25th Anniversary logo
2018-19 AHL season, 2018-19

Season-by-season results

Players and coaches

Current roster

Updated December 27, 2022.

Team captains

* Dane Jackson, 1994–1995 *

Mark Wotton Mark A. Wotton (born November 16, 1973) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars. Playing career Considered small for an NHL defender, Wotton was selecte ...

, 1995–1999 *

Brian Bonin Brian Raymond Bonin (born November 28, 1973) is an American former professional ice hockey center. He was drafted in the ninth round, 211th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career After being named Minnes ...

, 1999–2000 * Mike Gaul, 2000–2001 *

Sean Pronger Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...

, 2001–2002 *

David Ling David Gregory Ling (born January 9, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. Ling was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 7th round (179th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career Junior Ling played with th ...

, 2002–2003 * Darrel Scoville, 2003–2004 * Jamie Pushor, 2004–2007 *

Zenon Konopka Zenon Konopka (born January 2, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Also known as "Zenon the Destroyer", Konopka played for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, Ottawa ...

, 2007–2008 * Dan Smith, 2008–2009 *

Derek MacKenzie Derek MacKenzie (born June 11, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who most notably played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 128th o ...

, 2009–2010 * Joe DiPenta, 2010–2011 *

Nate Guenin Nathaniel Lawrence Guenin (born December 10, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Guenin played high school hockey in the Pittsburgh suburb of Hopewell. He ...

, 2011–2012 * Mike Angelidis, 2012–2016 *

Luke Witkowski Luke Witkowski (born April 14, 1990) is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey Le ...

, 2016–2017, 2019–2021 *

Erik Condra Erik Paul Condra (born August 6, 1986) is an Americans, American former professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward who played in 372 National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars. He ...

, 2017–2018 * Gabriel Dumont, 2018–2019, 2021–present

Head coaches

Jack McIlhargey John Cecil McIlhargey (March 7, 1952July 19, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, and Hartford Whalers from ...

: 1994–1999 *

Stan Smyl Stan or STAN may refer to: People * Stan (given name), a list of people with the given name ** Stan Laurel (1890–1965), English comic actor, part of duo Laurel and Hardy * Stan (surname), a Romanian surname * Stan! (born 1964), American author, ...

: 1999–2000 *

Gary Agnew Gary Agnew (born May 24, 1960) is a Canadians, Canadian ice hockey coach currently serving as an associate coach with the Abbotsford Canucks. He was formerly an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. He has al ...

: 2000–2006 *

Ross Yates Ross Richard Yates (born June 18, 1959) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) player and a former American Hockey League (AHL) head coach. Biography As a youth, Yates played in the 1970, 1971 and 1972 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hock ...

: 2006–2010 *Mark Holick: 2010–2012 *

Trent Yawney Trent G. Yawney (born September 29, 1965) is a Canadian professional hockey coach and a former defenceman. He is currently assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL), and has previously served as the head co ...

: 2012 * Jon Cooper: 2012–2013 *

Rob Zettler Rob Zettler (born March 8, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nash ...

: 2013–2016 * Benoit Groulx: 2016–present

Current coaching staff

* Benoit Groulx — Head coach *

Gilles Bouchard Gilles Bouchard (born February 28, 1971) is a Canadian ice hockey coach with the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League. He previously coached the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for five seasons. ...

— Assistant coach * Eric Veilleux — Assistant coach * Joe Palmer — Goaltending and video coach

Honored numbers

The Crunch raised a banner following a fan vote during the team's fifth season in honor of fan favorite #14 "Big Bad" John Badduke. It is not retired, as it would later be worn by former United States Olympian

Darby Hendrickson Darby Joseph Hendrickson (born August 28, 1972) is an American former professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), center. He played in the National Hockey League, NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota ...

Serge Aubin Serge D. Aubin (born February 15, 1975) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and a former professional ice hockey centre who played 374 games in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers. He is c ...

, Richard Panik, Justin Courtnall, Brandon Alderson, Mike McNamee, Kevin Lynch, Devante Stephens and most recently, Brandon Crawley. During the

2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season was the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12. Team and NHL affiliation changes The Iowa Stars are renamed and are now cal ...

, the team temporarily reserved, but not retired, #7 as a tribute to

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

after his death. This honors Reg Dunlop, the player-coach for the fictional Charlestown Chiefs, which Newman played in the movie '' Slap Shot''. The movie was filmed partially at

Onondaga County War Memorial The Upstate Medical University Arena (originally known as Onondaga County War Memorial and later as the Oncenter War Memorial Arena) is a multi-purpose arena located in Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex. Designed by Edgart ...

. Coincidentally, other scenes were filmed at

Cambria County War Memorial Arena The Cambria County War Memorial Arena is a 4,001-seat multi-purpose arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that is managed by SMG Entertainment. It was built in 1950, for the Johnstown Jets of the Eastern Hockey League. The arena was built on the si ...

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, Johnstown is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropol ...

, the home ice of the Crunch's former

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...

affiliate, the

Johnstown Chiefs The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1987 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League (now "ECHL") when that ...

. The banner was raised October 14 and was up for the entire season, but the number was not retired, as it was most recently worn by Crunch player

Mathieu Joseph Mathieu Joseph (born February 9, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round, 120th overall, of the 2015 NHL Entr ...

in the 2019–20 season. On March 26, 2016, the Syracuse Crunch retired

Dolph Schayes Adolph Schayes (May 19, 1928 – December 10, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A top scorer and rebounder, he was a 12-time NBA All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA selection. ...

' number #4. Schayes played for the

Syracuse Nationals The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA history in wins and playoff appearances. 1946– ...

and their successor, the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

. He was the first player in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

to score 15,000 points in his career. This number isn't officially retired, as the number was most recently worn by Trevor Carrick during the 2022–23 season.

Notable Crunch alumni

Franchise records and leaders

''Records as of the beginning of the 2022–23 AHL season''

Single season records

:Goals: Lonny Bohonos, 40 (1995–96) :Assists: Bill Bowler, 58 (2000–01) :Points:

, 82 (2018–19) :Penalty minutes:

Jody Shelley Jody Shelley (born February 7, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. During his National Hockey League (NHL) career he played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers. ...

, 357 (2000–01) :Wins:

Corey Hirsch Corey Hirsch (born July 1, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender, currently working for Sportsnet as a colour commentator on Vancouver Canucks radio broadcasts. He spent the majority of his National Hockey Leag ...

, 30 (1997–98) :GAA: Jean-Francois Labbe, 2.18 (2001–02) :SV%: Jean-Francois Labbe, .928 (2001–02)

Single postseason records

''Minimum 10 Calder Cup playoff games played'' :Goals: Lonny Bohonos, 14 (1996) :Assists:

Ondrej Palat Ondrej is a Slovak male given name, equivalent to Andrew. Notable people with the name include: * Ondrej Duda, Slovak football player * Ondrej Otčenáš (1987), Slovak ice hockey player * Ondrej Nepela, Slovak figure skater ** Ondrej Nepela Arena ...

, 19 (2013) :Points:

Cory Conacher Cory Conacher (born December 14, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL). Playing career Growing up ...

, 28 (2017) :Penalty minutes: Richard Panik, 59 (2013) :Wins:

Cedrick Desjardins Cédrick or Cedrick is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Cedrick Banks (born 1981), American professional basketball player * Cedrick Bowers (born 1978), left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher *Cédrick Desjardins (born 1985) ...

(2013) and Mike McKenna (2017), 13 :GAA: Jean-Francois Labbe, 1.91 (2002) :SV%: Jean-Francois Labbe, .939 (2002)

Career records

:Career games: Brad Moran, 334 :Career goals: Mark Hartigan, 107 :Career assists: Brad Moran, 143 :Career points: Brad Moran, 241 :Career penalty minutes: Jeremy Reich, 820 :Career goaltending wins:

, 78 :Career shutouts: Jean-Francois Labbe and Karl Goehring, 11

Trophies and awards

Award winners

;

Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award The Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award is given each year to the player in the American Hockey League determined to be the most outstanding rookie. The award is based on voting by the media and the players. It was named after Dudley "Red" Garrett ...

( 2018–19) ;

( 2005–06) *

Matt Taormina Matthew Angelo Taormina (born October 20, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played with the New Jersey Devils and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career As a youth, Taormina ...

( 2016–17) ; Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award * Eddie Pasquale ( 2018–19) ; James C. Hendy Memorial Award *Vance Lederman ( 2014–15) ;

James H. Ellery Memorial Awards The James H. Ellery Memorial Awards are presented annually to the individuals of the news media for outstanding media coverage of the American Hockey League. The awards are given in memory James Ellery, former publicity director for the AHL. The fi ...

*Adam Benigni ( 1994–95) *Seth Everett ( 1995–96) *Lindsay Kramer ( 1996–97) ;

( 2018–19) ;

Ken McKenzie Award The Ken McKenzie Award is presented annually to an individual who accomplished the most during the season in promoting his or her American Hockey League team, by marketing and public relations. The award is named for Ken McKenzie, the co-founder an ...

*Tim Kuhl ( 1994–95, 1995–96) *Jim Sarosy ( 2001–02, 2009–10) ;

* Tyler Johnson ( 2012–13) ;

Thomas Ebright Memorial Award The Thomas Ebright Memorial Award is presented annually for outstanding career contributions to the American Hockey League. The award is named for Thomas Ebright, the former owner of the Portland Pirates and Baltimore Skipjacks The Baltimore Sk ...

*Howard Dolgon ( 2013–14) ;

* Tyler Johnson ( 2012–13) *

( 2018–19) ;

Yanick Dupre Memorial Award The Yanick Dupre Memorial Award is presented annually to the American Hockey League's man of the year for service to his local community. The award winner is chosen by the league president. The award is named after former Hershey Bears player Yan ...

* Eric Neilson ( 2013–14) *Brad Chavis (

2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...

)

References

External links

Syracuse Crunch Official Website
{{Navboxes , title=Related articles , state=collapsed , list1= {{AHL {{Sports in Syracuse {{Upstate New York Sports {{Syracuse, New York Tampa Bay Lightning minor league affiliates Ice hockey teams in New York (state) 1994 establishments in New York (state) Ice hockey clubs established in 1994 Vancouver Canucks minor league affiliates Pittsburgh Penguins minor league affiliates Columbus Blue Jackets minor league affiliates Anaheim Ducks minor league affiliates