Ice Hockey Wiki
Register
Advertisement

For the Ontario Hockey League team that was founded in 1989; please see Detroit Compuware Ambassadors.

Compuware Ambassabors
Compuware Ambassadors logo
City: Plymouth Township, Michigan
League: North American Hockey League
Operated: 1983 to 2003
Home Arena: Compuware Arena
Colors: Gold and Brown
Affiliates: Detroit Compuware Ambassadors
Franchise history
1958 to 1983: Detroit Jr. Red Wings (SOJHL)
1983 to 1984: On Hiatus
1984 to 2003: Compuware Ambassadors
Championships
Playoff Championships: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2002

The Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (also interchangeably known as the Compuware Ambassadors for much of their existence) were a junior A hockey team that played in the North American Hockey League from 1984 to 2003.  The team was based out of the Compuware Arena (now USA Hockey Arena) in Plymouth, Michigan

History[]

The Ambassadors organization itself dates back to the mid-1970's when Compuware founder (and later Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes owner) Peter Karmanos started an organization for youth hockey at all ages and this was their first attempt at such high a level.  Karmanos was the owner of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League in the early 1980's.  He would later sell the team in 1989 after an attempt to move the team across the river to Detroit, Michigan had failed.  He would later attempt to buy the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and attempt to move them to Detroit. He would obtain an expansion team on December 11, 1989.

The NAHL team would be formed from the Detroit Jr. Red Wings organization that dated back to 1958 as a member of several different Ontario-based junior hockey leagues including the Border Cities Junior B Hockey League and the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The team joined the Michigan Junior Hockey League. The team would join the North American Hockey League in 1976. The Jr. Wings as they were called at this point went on hiatus for the 1983-84 season and were replaced the following season by the Ambassadors.

The North American Hockey League team would win 11 league playoff championships during its tenure in the NAHL winning 5 straight from 1986 to 1990 and additional championships in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2002.


Yearly Standings[]

Season GP W L T OTL SOL Pts GF GA PIM Regular Season Finish Playoffs
1984-85 24 11 9 4 - - 26 110 108 - 2nd overall Lost final
1985-86 43 17 20 6 - - 40 194 224 - 3rd overall Won Championship
1986-87 37 23 8 6 - - 52 214 122 - T-1st overall Won Championship
1987-88 32 24 5 3 - - 51 212 99 - 1st overall Won Championship
1988-89 40 30 8 2 - - 62 248 149 - 1st Eastern Won Championship
1989-90 44 42 0 2 - - 86 343 196 - 1st Eastern Won Championship
1990-91 40 30 5 5 - - 65 - - - 1st Eastern
1991-92 42 29 8 3 2 - 63 229 122 - 1st Eastern Won Championship
1992-93 42 10 24 6 2 0 26 140 194 - 4th Eastern
1993-94 46 27 12 5 2 0 59 213 162 - 2nd Eastern Won Championship
1994-95 44 36 6 2 0 0 74 243 115 - 1st overall Won Championship
1995-96 46 29 12 5 0 0 63 191 153 1176 2nd overall Lost final
1996-97 46 33 10 - 3 0 69 217 148 - 2nd overall
1997-98 56 39 16 - 0 1 79 219 151 1315 2nd overall Won Championship
1998-99 56 39 11 - 0 6 84 214 147 1603 1st overall Won Championship
1999-00 56 38 15 - 0 3 79 211 143 1463 1st East
2000-01 56 32 21 - 3 0 67 193 171 1580 2nd East
2001-02 56 42 9 - 5 0 89 233 138 1785 1st East Won Championship
2002-03 56 41 12 - 3 0 85 210 143 1589 2nd East Lost in 2nd round
Advertisement