Original Blazers Franchise, 1965-1977
The first incarnation of the Blazers played in an earlier Central Hockey League between 1965 and 1977. Initially they were a Boston Bruins farm team. The first coach was Harry Sinden, and NHL stars Bernie Parent, Gerry Cheevers, Doug Favell, Reggie Leach, Rick MacLeish, Wayne Cashman, Ivan Boldirev, J. P. Parise, Ross Lonsberry, Dallas Smith, Bill Goldsworthy and Jean Pronovost played for the Blazers. From 1973 to 1976 the team was affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs and their roster included Mike Palmateer, Blaine Stoughton, Pat Boutette and all-time NHL penalty leader Dave "Tiger" Williams.
Gregg Sheppard was the franchise's leading career scorer. Their home arenas were the Fairgrounds Arena and the Myriad Convention Center Arena. The Blazers won the CHL championship in 1966 under player-coach Harry Sinden and repeated in 1967.
This team was created through the relocation of the Minneapolis Bruins, who began play in 1963 after originating as the Kingston Frontenacs of the defunct Eastern Professional Hockey League. John Brooks, sports director of the local CBS TV affiliate KWTV Channel 9 and radio play-by-play voice for high-profile University of Oklahoma football 1978-92, was the on-air voice of the original Blazers in the 1970s as well. His catch phrase for Blazers same-day game radio ads was "Let's play hockey... TONIGHT!"
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“The real antichrist is he who turns the wine of an original idea into the water of mediocrity.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)