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Kansas City Scouts Team Formation
In 1974, the NHL ended its first expansion period by adding teams in Kansas City, Missouri and Washington, D.C. Kansas City was awarded a franchise on June 8, 1972, and Kemper Arena was constructed to host the team’s games. Kansas City had been the home of several minor league ice hockey teams through the years. The Scouts shared Kemper Arena with the Kansas City Kings basketball franchise from the National Basketball Association. The arrival of the Scouts and Washington Capitals resulted in the NHL creating four divisions, and the Scouts were placed in the Smythe Division.
The club was founded as the Kansas City Scouts in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1974. The Scouts moved to Denver, Colorado in 1976 and became the Colorado Rockies.
Established
1974
City
Kansas City – Denver – New Jersey
League History
1974 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
1982 – Present / New Jersey Devils
1976 – 1982 / Colorado Rockies
1974 – 1976 / Kansas City Scouts
Nickname
Scouts – The owners of the new Kansas City franchise, led by Edwin G. Thompson, originally wanted to call their team the Kansas City Mohawks, since the Kansas City metropolitan area includes portions of Missouri and Kansas. The name would have combined Missouri’s postal abbreviation (MO) and the Kansas nickname of Jayhawkers. However, the Chicago Black Hawks objected because Mohawks sounded too much like Black Hawks. The team then held a contest for people to name the new team. The name Scouts was chosen, named after The Scout which is located in Penn Valley Park and overlooks downtown Kansas City. The iconic statue is featured as the team’s logo.
Championship
Stanley Cups 0
2003, 2000, 1995
Arena
2007 – Present / Prudential Center
1982 – 2007 / Continental Airlines Arena
*Denver*
1976 – 1982 / McNichols Sports Arena
*Kansas City*
1974 – 1976 / Kemper Arena
Owner
2013 – Present / New Jersey Devils, LLC
2004 – 2013 / Jeffrey Vanderbeek
2000 – 2004 / YankeeNets
1982 – 2000 / John McMullen
1976 – 1982 / Jack Vickers
1974 – 1976 / Edwin G. Thompson
Retired Number
3 / Ken Daneyko
4 / Scott Stevens
26 / Patrik Elias
27 / Scott Niedermayer
30 / Martin Brodeur
99 / Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history