Hockey has almost always been a part of the sports scene in the Binghamton area. Professional hockey began in Broome County in 1973 when the Broome Dusters competed in the North American Hockey League, or NAHL. It was the first minor league team to hit the ice in the Southern Tier.
The Broome Dusters were an ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League. They played in Binghamton, New York, United States at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.
Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena
On Thursday afternoon, the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame honored the Dusters with a panel of former players and people who were critical in the growth of Southern Tier professional hockey. The panel included former Dusters players Frank Hamill, Max Hansen, Roger Kosar and Pierre Laganier. Joining the players were former Dusters broadcaster Roger Neel and former Owner/GM of the Binghamton Whalers, Binghamton Rangers, Binghamton Senators and Binghamton Devils, Tom Mitchell.
The NAHL Era (1973-1977)
The Broome Dusters played from 1973-1977 in the North American Hockey League. That’s when I got my first taste of professional hockey that eventually led to my lifelong love of the sport.
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The team logo was designed by Johnny Hart, artist of the comic strip B.C. The Dusters played in the NAHL, which served as the inspiration for the movie Slap Shot, which includes a "Broome County" team. One scene in the film was specifically drawn from events that occurred in Binghamton.
In the movie, the Hanson brothers wear black-rimmed, Coke-bottle eyeglasses, and in one game, get into a fight immediately after the opening faceoff. In reality, both Jeff and Steve Carlson of the Johnstown Jets wore similar glasses, and did get into a long fight right after an opening faceoff. Johnstown Coach Dick Roberge told the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, "We got into Binghamton about two or three weeks before the playoffs. In the team warmup, we're out there and all the Binghamton players came out with the plastic glasses and big noses, every one of them, poking fun at the Carlson brothers. We went back in the dressing room and the boys said, 'Coach, as soon as that puck is dropped, we're pairing up.' We had one heckuva fight. They went about 30 minutes until everyone got tired.
Fans of the Dusters were able to have a sit-down conversation with the players and ask them about their experiences playing professional hockey. One thing all of the players had in common was their love and appreciation for the fans in Broome County.
“The fan base here, I can describe in one word, they’re very loyal,” said Hansen. “They’re very loyal to their team and they will support you win, lose or draw.”
During the 1970s, many minor league hockey teams folded due to financial issues caused by poor fan turnout. However, this was never an issue for the teams in Binghamton. It was quite the opposite. In the mid-1970s, Binghamton gained the nickname “Hockeyville” for its sold-out crowds and intense fan support.
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Hamill, one of the original Broome Dusters, told 12 News the fans are the reason the game was able to grow in Broome County.
“When someone says, we went to the games and at the early days and sold out. I say, ‘Thanks very much for buying tickets and supporting us,’” said Hamill. “Back at that time, teams were going bankrupt and closing all around the United States.”
Hamill said he wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the fans.
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Transition to the AHL (1977-1980)
The Dusters competed in the North American Hockey League from 1973-1977 before making the jump to the AHL. From 1977 to 1978, the Dusters were the affiliates of the Pittsburgh Penguins before becoming the affiliate of the Quebec Nordiques for the 78 to 79 season. The Dusters split their affiliation between the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings for the 1979 to 1980 season.
The Broome Dusters, AKA the Binghamton Dusters, were a popular minor league hockey team during the mid-1970’s in Broome County, New York. Bobby Orr’s brother, Ron Orr, was the Dusters’ General Manager. Binghamton resident Johnny Hart, who penned the syndicated comic strips B.C.
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But the Rhode Island club fell on hard times during the mid-1970’s. The sale was approved, the (new) Dusters were hurriedly admitted to the AHL just days before the 1977-78 season began, and hockey survived in Binghamton. As part of the transaction, the Dusters became a farm team of the NHL’s doormat Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Dusters era came to an end in May 1980 when the Hartford Whalers of the NHL purchased the club and re-branded it as the Binghamton Whalers (1980-1990).
Here's a table summarizing the key information about the Broome Dusters:
| League | Years | Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| North American Hockey League (NAHL) | 1973-1977 | None |
| American Hockey League (AHL) | 1977-1980 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977-1978), Quebec Nordiques (1978-1979), Boston Bruins/Los Angeles Kings (1979-1980) |
Successors and the Legacy of Hockey in Binghamton
Although the Dusters began the era of professional hockey in Binghamton, they were far from the last team to take the Ice at the now-called Visions Federal Credit Union Veterans Memorial Arena.
After the 1979 to 1980 season, the Dusters became the Binghamton Whalers and would dawn the iconic green, blue and white uniforms from 1980 to 1990. Then, they served as the farm team for the Hartford Whalers. The Whalers made one Calder Cup appearance during their tenure in 1982 where they lost the series four to one to the New Brunswick Hawks.
In 1990, the team became the Binghamton Rangers, keeping their affiliation a little closer to home. The Rangers minor league team would call Binghamton home until 1997 when they decided to move to Hartford and become the Wolf Pack.
Following the Rangers departure, Binghamton hockey dropped from the ranks of the AHL. Filling the void was the BC Icemen of the United Hockey League who would play in downtown Binghamton from 1997 until 2002. During their time in the UHL, the Icemen would make the playoffs in three of their five years but never made a championship game.
Then came the Binghamton Senators, who called Binghamton home for the longest of the seven teams to battle in the arena. The B-Sens came in 2002 and would play in Binghamton until 2017 when they then moved to Bellville, Ontario. The Binghamton Senators would find success in 2011, bringing home the Calder Cup (the only Calder Cup in Binghamton hockey history) against the Houston Aeros in six games taking the series four to two.
Once the Sens left, Binghamton was picked up by the New Jersey Devils as a farm team, making the move from Albany to Binghamton in 2017. The Devils wouldn’t find much success on the ice in Binghamton and had the shortest tenure in Binghamton, lasting only 4 seasons.
Since 2021, Binghamton hasn’t been home to an AHL program, but filling in the gap was the Binghamton Black Bears of the Federal Prospects Hockey League, or FPHL. The Black Bears are currently entering their fourth season in Binghamton coming off of a four-to-three Commissioners Cup victory on home ice in 2023. They outlasted the Carolina Thunderbirds in the finals.
This is the first event in a series the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame plans to put on highlighting local sports teams and their success and impact on the community throughout the years.
Ultimately they never returned are now the Utica Comets.