The Erie Blades played in the North American Hockey League
in the NAHL’s final two years of existence. The team can best be described as
mediocre. The Blades are indirectly related to the present day Portland Pirates
of the American Hockey League. The team played their home games out of the Erie
County Field House. The Arena had seating for 3,750 with an overall capacity of
5,250. The building now serves as a warehouse.
In their first year, the Blades were affiliated with the
Denver Spurs / Ottawa Civics franchise of the World Hockey Association. In
1976-77, their affiliation switched to the WHA’s Houston Aeros.
1975-76
The Blades started out their first year with some NAHL big
names on the roster. However, during the season, Dave Staffen,
Larry
Mavety and Bill
Goldthorpe moved on. Erie finished third in the West Division with 75
points in 74 games during the regular season. In the Lockhart Cup playoffs, the
Blades met up with the Philadelphia
Firebirds in the opening round. The Firebirds took the series, three games
to two.
Erie was coached in both their NAHL seasons by Nick Polano.
Nick was fresh off a pro career that spanned from 1959-60 to 1973-74 in pretty
much every North American league except for the NHL. He played 17 games in the
WHA with the Philadelphia
Blazers in 1972-73. The following year, he appeared in the NAHL with the
Cape Cod Cubs before becoming the team’s head coach midway through the season.
Polano went on to coach the Detroit Red Wings for three years from 1982-83 to
1984-85.
1976-77
Robbie Neale led the Blades offensively with 66 points in 56
games. Neale’s contribution was a far cry from league leader Rod
Bloomfield who tallied 173 points with the Binghamton Dusters. Eddie Mio
played 15 games in net for Erie. Mio went on to play in the National Hockey
League from 1979-80 to 1985-86 with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and
Detroit Red Wings.
Erie finished fifth in the eight team league with 78 points
over 74 games. The Blades exacted revenge on the Philadelphia Firebirds in the
opening round, downing their rivals, three games to one. In the semi-finals, Erie
was taken out by the Syracuse
Blazers, four games to one. Syracuse went on to capture the Lockhart Cup
championship.