The Albany Devils were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team played in Albany, New York, from the 2010-11 season through the 2016-17 season, prior to their relocation.
This team was the main minor league affiliate for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). This was not the first time the New Jersey Devils had an AHL team in Albany.
Origins and Relocation
The franchise started in 1998 as the expansion Lowell Lock Monsters and played their home games in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Lock Monsters served as affiliates for several NHL teams before being purchased by the New Jersey Devils in 2006.
In 2006, the Devils purchased the Lock Monsters and rebranded the franchise as the Lowell Devils for the 2006-07 AHL season. Citing low attendance, the franchise was moved to Albany in 2010 and began play as the Albany Devils.
On June 10, 2010, the New Jersey Devils announced that they were moving the Lowell Devils to the Times Union Center in Albany beginning with the 2010-11 AHL season to play as the Albany Devils.
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This move returned AHL hockey to Albany after a four-year absence since the Albany River Rats' departure to Charlotte in 2006, capitalizing on the city's established hockey tradition and a new 10-year lease agreement with the Times Union Center.
The Albany Devils were fully owned and operated by the New Jersey Devils' parent organization, which controlled all hockey-related decisions, including coaching staff, player assignments, and scouting integration.
On June 10, 2010, the American Hockey League announced that the New Jersey Devils' affiliate, previously known as the Lowell Devils, would relocate to Albany, New York, for the 2010-11 season, following the expiration of their lease at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell and the failure to negotiate a renewal.
Preparations for the inaugural season included key staffing appointments and community engagement efforts to revive local interest.
On August 10, 2010, the New Jersey Devils named Rick Kowalsky as head coach, promoting him from the ECHL's Trenton Titans, with Tommy Albelin serving as assistant coach; this marked Kowalsky's first AHL head coaching role.
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Community outreach began with a press conference on August 26, 2010, at the Times Union Center, where team executives outlined ticket packages and fan initiatives, including group sales promotions and partnerships with local businesses to foster excitement.
The team encountered early challenges in building a dedicated fan base and integrating into Albany's sports landscape, which had been shaped by the popular River Rats' 17-year run as the Devils' affiliate from 1993 to 2006.
Attendance averaged around 3,000 per game in the first season, hampered by the recent void left by the River Rats and competition from college hockey at the University at Albany, though efforts like affordable ticket pricing and tie-ins to the parent club's history helped gradually reconnect with longtime supporters.
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Key Seasons
The 2013-14 season marked Albany's first playoff appearance since relocating to the city, as the team compiled a 40-23-13 record and advanced to the Calder Cup quarterfinals before falling 3-1 to the St. John's IceCaps.
Building on that momentum, the 2015-16 campaign represented the franchise's pinnacle, with a 46-20-10 record that earned 102 points and second place in the North Division.
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Highlights included an 11-game home winning streak from late November 2015 to mid-January 2016, setting a club record and culminating in a 3-0 shutout of the Springfield Thunderbirds on January 13.
Notable off-ice achievements included head coach Rick Kowalsky receiving the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's Coach of the Year.
In the 2013-14 postseason, the Devils entered as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference after a 93-point regular season. They faced the fourth-seeded St. John's IceCaps in the conference quarterfinals and were eliminated in four games, losing the best-of-five series 3-1.
The 2015-16 campaign marked the Devils' most successful playoff run, following a 102-point regular season that secured second place in the North Division.
In the division semifinals, Albany defeated the third-seeded Utica Comets 3-1 in the best-of-five series, outscoring them 15-8 across the four games. Advancing to the division finals against the Toronto Marlies, the Devils lost the best-of-seven series 3-4, with Toronto winning Game 7 by a 4-3 score.
The Devils' final playoff berth came in 2016-17 as the third seed in the North Division with 83 points. Matched against the second-seeded Toronto Marlies in the division semifinals, Albany was ousted in four games, dropping the best-of-five series 3-1 after a 3-0 home win in Game 1.
Relocation to Binghamton
The relocation of the Albany Devils was driven by persistent financial challenges, including declining attendance and ongoing losses for their NHL parent club, the New Jersey Devils.
On January 31, 2017, the American Hockey League's Board of Governors unanimously approved the franchise's move from Albany, New York, to Binghamton, New York, effective for the 2017-18 season, allowing the team to conclude its final campaign in Albany.
The 2016-17 season ended in April 2017 after a first-round Calder Cup playoff loss to the Toronto Marlies in five games, with the Albany Devils hosting Games 1 and 2 at the Times Union Center.
Transition logistics included a $2 million relocation fee paid by the Binghamton ownership group to the New Jersey Devils to offset financial risks, along with oversight of operations by Binghamton Senators management under a five-year agreement extending through the 2021-22 season at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena.
They went to Binghamton, New York and The new team, the Binghamton Devils, was announced on January 31.
The departure left a notable legacy in Albany, where fans demonstrated strong support during the final home games, including a playoff shutout victory in Game 1 that drew increased crowds amid the impending move.
Team Roster
The Albany Devils developed several standout performers during their tenure in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 2010 to 2017, with forwards Joe Whitney and Reid Boucher emerging as key offensive contributors.
Numerous Albany Devils alumni advanced to the National Hockey League (NHL), particularly with the parent New Jersey Devils club, highlighting the team's role in player development.
Throughout the Albany era, alternate captains supported the primary leaders by sharing responsibilities for on-ice decisions and team morale.
Rick Kowalsky served as the sole head coach of the Albany Devils throughout their entire existence from the 2010-11 season to the 2016-17 season, compiling an overall regular-season record of 213-203-38.
In recognition of his leadership during the 2015-16 season, in which Albany achieved a franchise-best 46-20-10 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, Kowalsky was awarded the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's Coach of the Year.
Kowalsky's coaching philosophy centered on implementing defensive systems that closely mirrored those of the parent New Jersey Devils organization, fostering a structured, low-scoring style of play that prioritized puck possession and neutral-zone control.
He was supported by a consistent assistant coaching staff, including longtime New Jersey Devils alumnus Sergei Brylin, who joined as an assistant in 2012 and helped maintain continuity in player development and tactical execution.
Legacy
In 2021, the New Jersey Devils relocated their AHL program from Binghamton to Utica, New York, kicking off their ten-year affiliation with the Utica Comets. The Comets compete in the North Division of the Eastern Conference and even won a regular season division championship in 2014-15 and 2021-22.