Toledo Mercurys
CityToledo, Ohio
LeagueInternational Hockey League
Operated1947–1962
Home arenaToledo Sports Arena
ColorsGreen & Gold
   
Franchise history
1947–1949Toledo Mercurys
1949–1950Toledo Buckeyes (EAHL)
1950–1955Toledo Mercurys
1955–1956Toledo-Marion Mercurys
1956–1959Toledo Mercurys
1959–1960Toledo-St. Louis Mercurys
1960–1962Toledo Mercurys
Championships
Regular season titles1 (1948–49)
Division titles2 (1948–49, 1960–61)
Turner Cups3 (1947–48, 1950–51, 1951–52)

The Toledo Mercurys is a discontinued International Hockey League franchise from Toledo, Ohio. The Toledo Franchise was the first IHL franchise to be granted outside of the Windsor-Detroit area, for the cost of $1000 to Virgil Gladeaux of Toledo. The Mercurys existed 15 seasons in total from 1947 to 1962 with some minor naming variations. Toledo was successful on the ice, being the first IHL team to win multiple Turner Cup championships, and the first to do so consecutively.

History

For the 1949–50 season, the franchise was known as the Toledo Buckeyes.

The Mercurys won the Turner during their first year of operation in the 1947–48 season. Toledo defeated the Windsor Hettche Spitfires four games to one in the IHL championship series. Team coach and manager Andy Mulligan had signed nine players from his native Manitoba to build the team, including team captain and right-winger Max Labovitch, center Barney O'Connell and left wing Jake Kernahan . The Mercurys later won the United States Amateur hockey title, defeating the Elveth Rangers in two games, and the New York Rovers in three games.

In the 1948–49 season, the team played in both the north and south division of the IHL, because the team owners wanted to play more games. The Mercurys of the north division won the J. P. McGuire Trophy that year by capturing the IHL North title. In a rematch of the previous season's IHL championship, Windsor defeated Toledo four games to three.

For the 1949–50 season, the team was known as the Toledo Buckeyes while playing in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League. They were sponsored by the former Buckeye Brewing Company in Toledo. The team returned to the IHL in 1950 known again as the Mercurys. Toledo won consecutive Turner Cups in 1950–51 and 1951–52 defeating the Grand Rapids Rockets in the finals both seasons.

In the 1955–56 season, the Mercurys played some home games in Marion, Ohio at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, hence being known as the Toledo-Marion Mercurys. The Mercurys split home games between arenas again for the 1959–60 season. The Toledo-St. Louis Mercurys played some home games in St. Louis, Missouri at the St. Louis Arena.

The Mercurys franchise folded after the 1961–62 season. The International Hockey League returned to Toledo in 1963, with the Toledo Blades franchise.

Season-by-season record

Turner Cup Champions † League Leader in points * Division Champions ¤
Season League Team Division Regular Season Post Season
Finish GP W L T Pts GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
1947-48 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 2nd 30 15 10 5 35 113 98 7 6 1 41 24 Won in semifinals, 2-0 (Detroit Bright's Goodyears)
Won Turner Cup Finals, 4-1 (Winsdor Hettche Spitfires) †
1948-49 IHL Toledo Mercurys South Southern 2nd 32 21 7 4 46 173 93 12 7 5 60 51 Won in quarterfinals, 3-0 (Munice)
Won in semifinals, 1-1 (Won Goal Total 9–7) (Milwaukee)
Lost Turner Cup Finals, 3-4 (Winsdor Hettche Spitfires)
1948-49 IHL Toledo Mercurys North Northern ¤ 1st 35 20 7 8 48* 185 140 — — — — — Did Not Participate
1949-50 EAHL Toledo Buckeyes West 2nd 51 26 13 12 64 188 142 — — — — — N/A
1950-51 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 2nd 56 35 15 6 76 290 174 8 7 1 35 17 Won in semifinals, 3-0 (Sarnia)
Won Turner Cup Finals, 4-1 (Grand Rapids) †
1951-52 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 2nd 48 24 18 6 54 210 192 10 8 2 50 35 Won in semifinals, 4-0 (Chatham)
Won Turner Cup Finals, 4-2 (Grand Rapids) †
1952-53 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 3rd 60 32 25 3 67 210 207 5 1 4 8 22 Lost in semifinals, 1-4 (Cincinnati)
1953-54 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 4th 64 33 26 5 71 221 157 5 2 3 11 15 Won in quarterfinals, 2-1 (Troy)
Lost in semifinals, 0-2 (Johnstown)
1954-55 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 3rd 60 31 29 0 62 183 196 3 0 3 6 13 Lost in semifinals, 1-4 (Cincinnati)
1955-56 IHL Toledo - Marion Mercurys — 3rd 60 25 30 5 55 178 229 9 3 6 15 23 Won in semifinals, 3-2 (Troy)
Lost Turner Cup Finals, 0-4 (Cincinnati)
1956-57 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 5th 60 26 30 4 56 166 186 5 2 3 11 11 Lost in semifinals, 2-3 (Indianapolis)
1957-58 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 5th 64 26 32 6 58 214 248 — — — — — Did not qualify
1958-59 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 5th 60 22 36 2 46 196 248 — — — — — Did not qualify
1959-60 IHL Toledo - St. Louis Mercurys Eastern 3rd 68 28 36 4 60 266 298 — — — — — Did not qualify
1960-61 IHL Toledo Mercurys Eastern ¤ 1st 70 36 33 1 73 274 260 8 3 5 30 32 Lost in round Robin, 3-5 (Fort Wayne Eliminated, Muskegon Advances)
1961-62 IHL Toledo Mercurys — 7th 68 17 50 1 35 222 352 — — — — — Did not qualify
15 IHL Seasons[1] 2 Division Titles
1 McGuire Trophy		 835 391 384 60 842
(.504)		 3,101 3,078 72 39 33 267 243 10 Playoff Appearances
3 Turner Cup Championships

Franchise records

All-time leaders

Single season leaders

References

  1. ↑ "Toledo Mercurys Statistics and History". HockeyDB.
  2. ↑ http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=8465 Toledo Mercurys all-time player roster
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