The Albany Choppers were an independent professional ice hockey team in Albany, New York, which existed for the first 55 games (of 82) in the 1990–91 season of the International Hockey League.
Creation
The Fort Wayne Komets had been mainstays of the IHL for four decades. Before the 1990–91 season, its owner, gravel magnate David Welker, opted to move his franchise to Albany. The city had recently built Knickerbocker Arena, which was built to National Hockey League standards of the time. They represented the IHL's first effort in years to push beyond its traditional heartland in the Great Lakes; they were the easternmost team in the IHL since the Johnstown Jets left the league in 1955. The Schenectady-based Price Chopper supermarket chain bought in as a minority partner—hence the name and colors of red, white and blue, which matched Price Chopper's corporate hues.
Among players for the Choppers were goaltenders Rick Knickle, former St. Louis Blue Bruce Racine and former Boston Bruin John Blue; former New York Islander and team captain Dale Henry, former Minnesota North Star Dave Richter, and Mario Lemieux's brother, center Alain Lemieux, who was the team's leading scorer until he was traded for cash. A large number of players were ex-Springfield Indians, including Henry, Lemieux, forwards Stu Burnie, Bob Bodak and Jim McGeough, and defensemen Vern Smith and Manny Vivieros. Dave Allison served as the team's head coach. Ken Morrow was to serve as the team's general manager, but he changed his mind and turned down the position, which was filled by Jim Salfi.
Early struggles
The team began play in the 1990–91 season, but ran into several major roadblocks. By this time, the IHL had firmly established itself as a top-level feeder league for the NHL. The entrenched American Hockey League was unnerved by the IHL's expansion into its traditional stronghold in the Northeast, and hastily planted a team just across the Hudson River in neighboring Troy, the Capital District Islanders. Moreover, the three-time Calder Cup champion Adirondack Red Wings were less than north in Glens Falls. Never in recent history had so many minor-league teams been crammed into such a small market. It did not help matters that the perennial college hockey powerhouse RPI Engineers also played in Troy. All three suffered at the gate through the subsequent price wars (although RPI benefited from having the Capital District Islanders as a tenant).