The Dayton Gems were a minor league

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

team based in

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

, and members of the International Hockey League from 1964 to 1977, and 1979–1980. The Gems were an expansion team assembled from various cast-offs and young players looking for their first break in minor league hockey. The team began play in 1964 in the new Hara Arena. Dayton was the host for several IHL

all-star game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...

s due to the large attendance in their 5,500 seat arena. The Gems played

exhibition game An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, scrimmage, demonstration, training match, pre-season game, warmup match, or preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the playe ...

s against the US Olympic team as well as the Oklahoma City Blazers of the

Central Hockey League The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which opera ...

. The team had a few games a season televised locally as well as all games broadcast on the premier AM radio station in town. Other teams in the league copied the uniform styling of the Gems. The Dayton Gems were the first adult team in North America to make

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...

s mandatory, long before the

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

adopted them.

Team history

Local businessman Edgar “Lefty” McFadden provided the financial base for the team and acquired the team franchise for the International Hockey League. The Gems, taken from the nickname for

, the Gem City, were affiliated with the

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 (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

for several years. The Bruins provided some of the players and the trainer for the team. In the 1970s, the Gems became an affiliate for the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...

. After winning the Turner Cup two years in a row in 1968–69 and 1969–70, McFadden was selected as the minor league executive of the year. He then moved to Washington to assist the Capitals. The Gems struggled on and off the ice for the next few years as attendance decreased from 5,000 to 1,000 a game. The 1970s downturn in the economy, especially the auto industry, reduced disposable income in the community and negatively impacted attendance. The Gems recovered to win their final Turner Cup in 1976. Their red, white and blue uniforms with the crest of a hockey player superimposed over a diamond, are on exhibit at the

Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

. The Gems went into dormancy after the 1976–77 season, and were resurrected for the 1979–80 season. The revived Gems lasted only one season before ceasing operations for good.

Gems players and coaches from the NHL

* Jim Anderson * Larry Mickey * Larry Wilson (ice hockey) * Bob Bailey * Paul Nicholson * John Brenneman

Gems players in the NHL/WHA

A few players/coaches were able to make the sizeable jump to

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL) teams. * Gerry Moore *

Tom McVie Thomas McVie (6 June 1935 – 19 January 2025) was a Canadian professional ice hockey coach in the National Hockey League. Biography McVie grew up in a poor family and, upon signing his first junior league contract, is said to have left home wi ...

* Rick Bragnalo * Michel Rouleau in the WHA * Curt Ridley * Bill Horton in the WHA * Jim Bédard * Doug Patey * Frank Golembrosky in the WHA * Gord Lane played for the Capitals and the

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...

. * Tony White played several seasons as a

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...

with the Capitals. * Michel Dumas was Tony Esposito's back-up in goal for the

Chicago Black Hawks Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

for a few years. * Dave Forbes was a forward who played for the Bruins and Capitals as well as a season with the

Cincinnati Stingers The Cincinnati Stingers were an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979 and in the Central Hockey League during the 1979–80 season. Their home arena was Riverfront Coliseum. They are th ...

of the

World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association () was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972–73 WHA season, 1972 to 1978–79 WHA season, 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (N ...

(WHA). * Guy Trottier, "the little French-Canadian with the big shot" played for the Michigan Stags, Baltimore Blades, Ottawa Nationals, and

Toronto Toros The Toronto Toros were an ice hockey team based in Toronto that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1976. History The franchise was awarded to Doug Michel in 1971 for $25,000 to play in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 WHA season, 19 ...

of the

and the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

and

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...

of the

. *

Stan Jonathan Stanley Carl "Bulldog" Jonathan (born September 5, 1955) is a Canadian former ice hockey left winger, most notably for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, for whom he played for parts of eight seasons, and featured in two Stanley Cup ...

played for the

and

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

of the

. * Pat Rupp was a

goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as goalie or netminder) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their own team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays ...

on the 1964 and 1968 US Olympic hockey teams, but declined to sign an NHL contract, wanting to stay in Dayton. He played one game for the

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 ...

in 1963–1964.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dayton Gems (Original) Defunct ice hockey teams in Ohio International Hockey League (1945–2001) teams Ice hockey teams in Dayton, Ohio Ice hockey clubs established in 1964 Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1980 1964 establishments in Ohio 1980 disestablishments in Ohio Boston Bruins minor league affiliates Winnipeg Jets minor league affiliates