NHL Cleveland Barons Hockey

Описание: Within months, The California Golden Seals scrambled to become the Cleveland Barons for the upcoming 1976-77 NHL season. The excitement of NHL hockey came to Cleveland and the Barons had the potential to become a competitive hockey club.

The Barons had solid goaltending, a good first line, and were one of the fastest teams in the NHL. But the young squad lacked lucky bounces, deep talent, and large crowds.

The franchise needed time and stability to develop a large fan base and a winning culture.

But the arena's location became a key marketing problem. The Barons' home rink was located on a desolate and rural highway between Akron and Cleveland. The Barons had the worst attendance in the NHL. The inaccessible and isolated venue only increased the distance between the team and potential fans.

Financial problems surfaced within a few months and the franchise couldn't pay players. Ownership was bleeding money and only a small group of loyal fans attended games. Players were disheartened and vocalized their unhappiness. The NHL governors saved the Baron's inaugural season by loaning the franchise money.

Miraculously, the Cleveland Barons began a 2nd NHL season with new, local ownership. But the hard luck continued. After 20 games, the Barons notched only 6 wins. The Barons quickly suffered multiple injuries and a team scoring drought. By late December, the organization was desperate for quick changes.

A flurry of trades instantly sparked some wins.

But the Barons soon slipped back into their downward spiral. The turning point was a humiliating 13 to 3 loss against the Buffalo Sabres. The drubbing seemed to kick the air out of the club. Near the end of the season, the Barons endured a frustrating 15-game winless streak.

It quickly became evident that ownership lacked the wealth, patience, and commitment to fully develop a competitive NHL franchise in Cleveland. When the season ended, the team folded and merged with the Minnesota North Stars.

Sadly, the NHL Cleveland Barons have become a distant memory for many vintage hockey fans.

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https://ralphklassen.wordpress.com/barons/

NOTE:
The past few years, I've been investigating and exploring the history of the Cleveland Barons' NHL hockey team. This video is a personal inquiry project and it is for educational purposes only. I do not own the artwork or imagery in this video.