Kansas City Pla-Mors

(Redirected from Kansas City Americans)

The Kansas City Pla-Mors were a professional ice hockey team. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, they operated within the American Hockey Association (AHA) under various names from 1927 to 1942 and then under the United States Hockey League from 1945 to 1949 as the Kansas City Pla-Mors.

Kansas City Pla-Mors
CityKansas City, Missouri
LeagueAmerican Hockey Association
United States Hockey League
Operated1926–1942 (AHA)
1945–1950 (USHL)
Home arenaPla-Mor Arena
Colorsblue, red
   
Franchise history
1926–1927Chicago Cardinals / Americans
1927–1933Kansas City Pla-Mors
1933–1940Kansas City Greyhounds
1940–1942Kansas City Americans
1945–1949Kansas City Pla-Mors
1949–1950Kansas City Mohawks
Championships
Playoff championships1930, 1933, 1934, 1946, 1947

History

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The franchise was founded by Eddie Livingstone as the Chicago Cardinals in 1926.[1] After a fight over finances and ownership, Livingstone was forcibly removed as team owner and the team was transferred to Kansas City.

In their new home, the team performed well. After two (barely) winning seasons in the first two years, the Pla-Mors (taken from the name of their home rink) won both the regular season and league championship in 1930. Several successful seasons followed and after their second championship in 1933, the team's name was changed to 'Greyhounds'. A third title followed after the change but, after the departure of the head coach Bill Grant, the Greyhounds began to flag. 1935 saw the team post its first losing season in Kansas City, a trend that would continue for the rest of the decade. It wasn't until Johnny Gottselig took over as player/coach mid-way through the 40–41 season that the team recovered. Gottselig led the renamed 'Americans' to consecutive appearance in the league final but the team was unable to continue that run as World War II forced the league to cease operating for several years.

After the war, the United States Hockey League was created from the remnants of the AHA and the Kansas City franchise was restarted. The team took its original name of 'Pla-Mors' and won the first two championships in league history. In 1949, the team changed monikers once more and became the 'Mohawks'. The team played just one season under the new name before folding.[2] Afterwards, a different franchise came to Kansas City under the 'Cowboys' moniker but a year later the entire league ceased operations, ending professional hockey in Kansas City for the remainder of the decade.[3]

Season by season results

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Season GP W L T Pts Finish Coach(es) Postseason
1927–28 40 18 14 8 44 2nd Bill Grant Lost in Semifinal
1928–29 40 17 16 7 41 4th Bill Grant missed
1929–30 48 21 13 14 56 1st Bill Grant Won Championship
1930–31 48 28 16 4 56 T–2nd Bill Grant Lost in Finals
1931–32 48 28 18 2 56 2nd Bill Grant Lost in Semifinal
1932–33 46 25 20 1 51 1st Bill Grant Won Championship
1933–34 48 26 18 4 52 T–1st Mike Goodman Won Championship
1934–35 48 23 25 0 46 T–2nd Mike Goodman Lost in Semifinal
1935–36 48 20 26 2 40 5th Pudge MacKenzie missed
1936–37 48 21 23 4 42 T–3rd Pudge MacKenzie Lost in Semifinal
1937–38 48 21 22 5 42 5th Helge Bostrom missed
1938–39 55 15 33 7 30 5th Helge Bostrom missed
1939–40 48 20 28 0 40 5th Melville Keeling missed
1940–41 48 25 23 0 50 T–2nd Bill Hudson / Johnny Gottselig Lost in Final
1941–42 50 31 17 2 64 1st in South Johnny Gottselig Lost in Final
Total 711 339 312 60 .519 3 Championships

USHL

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Season GP W L T Pts Finish Coach(es) Postseason
1945–46 56 35 17 4 74 1st Elwin Romnes Won Championship
1946–47 60 29 20 11 69 2nd in Northern Elwin Romnes / Reg Hamilton Won Championship
1947–48 66 35 27 4 74 T–1st in Northern Reg Hamilton Lost in Quarterfinal
1948–49 66 30 23 13 73 2nd in Northern Reg Hamilton Lost in Quarterfinal
1949–50 70 30 28 12 72 3rd Hank Blade Lost in Semifinal
Total 318 159 115 44 .569 2 Championships

Notable players

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bold in the Hockey Hall of Fame

References

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  1. ^ Ross, J. Andrew (2015). Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945. Syracuse University Press.
  2. ^ "Did Kansas City have a NHL team? The history of pro hockey in KC". Fox 4 Kansas City. May 18, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  3. ^ "Revamping expected at U.S. league meet," Toronto Star, June 16, 1951, p. 16.
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