The IHL served as the National Hockey League's alternate farm system to the American Hockey League (AHL). The Des Moines Oak Leafs were a minor professional team founded in 1961 in Urbandale, Iowa.They played their home games at the Des Moines Ice Arena.. After two USHL campaigns, the club stepped up to the fully professional International Hockey League in … The International Hockey League (IHL) was a minor professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1945 to 2001. A ticket to the Oak Leafs vs. Capitals contests will also allow admittance to the Wild vs. Griffins game later that evening. Ken Gratton scored 277 goals and recorded 386 assists in his 856-game career with the Guelph Royals, Kitchener Rangers, Omaha Knights, Columbus Checkers, Kansas City Blues, Fort Wayne Komets, Port Huron Flags, Toledo Hornets, Des Moines Oak Leafs, Jersey Devils, Des Moines Capitols, Greensboro Generals and Broome Dusters. While his son, Scott is currently the coach of the Des Moines Oak Leafs, Craig Long was a long time and avid supporter of hockey in Des Moines. The Des Moines Oak Leafs were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Des Moines, Iowa, playing at Des Moines Ice Arena.The Oak Leafs were members of the United States Hockey League from 1961 to 1963, and the International Hockey League from 1963 to 1972. The Oak Leafs spent two years in the U before moving up to play professionally in the IHL, which battled against other midwestern teams. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1972 IHL TV HOCKEY AD~FLINT GENERALS vs DES MOINES OAK LEAFS~Bob Kobel at the best online prices at eBay… The Leafs started out as an junior side in the amateur United States Hockey League in 1961. The Leafs were coached by Terry Slater, who would eventually coach 12 years at Colgate. Des Moines Oak Leafs and the expansion Columbus Checkers. After 1972, the team was renamed the Des Moines Capitols. The league championship trophy was the Turner Cup. The Des Moines Oak Leafs enjoyed a 10-year run in the International Hockey League after five years in the USHL. However, Iowa was a … Six of the surviving seven teams merged into the AHL in 2001. Congratulations to Des Moines Oak Leafs senior Tyler May and Des Moines Capitals senior Luke Lanigan on receiving a $1000 Scholarship Award in honor of Craig Long. Because the IHL was an active league for so many years the information is contained in a number of pages on the site. Oak Leafs logo. The Des Moines Oak Leafs played minor league hockey in Iowa’s capital city from 1961 to 1972. 1964/65 Des Moines Oak Leafs program - $50 March 27 & 28, 1965 (IHL)program ...Toledo Blades at Des Moines Oak Leafs 1964/65 Quebec Aces (AHL) program - $40 The Dayton Gems won the league championship but was eliminated in four games by the Toledo Blades. The Des Moines Oak Leafs began play in 1961 in the USHL playing out of the Des Moines Ice Arena, which still exists today. The team played in the league until … The International Hockey League (1945-2001) was a professional minor league in the United States and Canada.. After 56 years of operation, financial instability led to the league's demise. Fort Wayne had a tough time with the suprising Des Moines Oak Leafs with the Komets taking the Iowa team to seven games. The team played it's home games in Des Moines Ice Arena, and were affiliated with the New York Rangers in 1971-72. Tickets for the Oak Leafs vs. Capitals games will go on sale at a later date. The Iowa Wild 2019-20 regular season is presented by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and runs from October through April. Initially members of the United States Hockey League (from 1961 to 1963, at a moment where the league was semi-professional), the Oak Leafs joined the International Hockey League in 1963. 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