page_title: Norfolk Admirals (AHL)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Norfolk Admirals (AHL) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Brandon Bochenski of the Norfolk Admirals awaits a faceoff against the Hartford Wolf Pack in Hartford, CT on 2/17/2010.
context_page_description: The Norfolk Admirals were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League. They became affiliated with the Anaheim Ducks after being dropped from the Tampa Bay Lightning following their 2012 AHL championship season. The Admirals played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope.
  For the 2015–16 season, the Admirals moved to San Diego, California to become the newest version of the San Diego Gulls as part of the AHL's efforts to create a Pacific Division. The Bakersfield Condors from the ECHL moved to Norfolk for the 2015–16 season and also use the name Norfolk Admirals.
context_section_description: The market was previously home to: 
  Tidewater Wings (1971–1972 AHL)
  Virginia Wings (1972–1975 AHL)
  Hampton Gulls (1974–1977 SHL, 1977–1978 AHL)
  Hampton Aces (1978–1981 NEHL)
  Hampton Roads Gulls (1982–1983 ACHL)
  Hampton Roads Admirals (1989–2000 ECHL)
  The original team ownership, Mark Garcea and Page Johnson (owners of the Hampton Roads Admirals franchise in the East Coast Hockey League), sought and gained admission to the American Hockey League as an expansion franchise for the 2000–01 season with an affiliation agreement with the Chicago Blackhawks. On May 26, 2004, the franchise was purchased by Ken Young after the original owners had put it up for sale. The team name pays homage to the area's long naval history.
  Norfolk was one of two franchises in the AHL named the Admirals, sharing the nickname with the Milwaukee Admirals. The Milwaukee franchise transferred from the defunct International Hockey League, and were allowed to keep their previous moniker.
  Norfolk's geographically closest rivals were the Hershey Bears, Charlotte Checkers, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Admirals had two mascots, a dog named Salty and a rabbit named Hat Trick.
  On March 19, 2007, the Blackhawks announced that their affiliation with the Admirals would end after the 2006–07 season. On March 29, 2007, the Tampa Bay Lightning officially announced the Admirals as their new affiliate.  On June 14, 2012 Tampa Bay announced their separation from the 2012 Calder Cup champions in favor of the Syracuse Crunch.  Later in that month owner Ken Young announced he had closed a five-year agreement with the Anaheim Ducks.
caption: Brandon Bochenski with the Admirals.
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