1990-91 Detroit Ambassadors

"YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE"

It was a phrase uttered by most Ontario Hockey League observers whenever they watched the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors during their inaugural season in 1990-91.  "Hang in there. Your team is struggling, like all expansion teams. But it won't be long before they'll be in the hunt."

Although the Compuware Ambassadors finished the first season with a record of 11 wins, 50 losses and five ties, observers knew Ambassadors' President Jim Rutherford and general manager Tony McDonald would stick with a plan to make the Ontario Hockey League's first American-based franchise a success.

The plan worked before. In the early 1980's, Ambassadors' owner Peter Karmanos purchased the Windsor Spitfires. After a couple of rough years, the Spitfires took flight the top of the OHL, culminating in a league championship in 1987-88.

The Ambassadors were a mix of third and fourth-line veterans looking for a last chance to try to succeed in the OHL, and raw rookies who would become the building blocks of a championship team.

Learning how to win is never easy. Detroit went 0-7 before posting its first victory, 7-3 over Owen Sound at Cobo Arena October 4, 1990. Ambassadors then beat Hamilton and Oshawa for a three-game winning streak. But the team wouldn't win again for another month, going 0-11-1, before beating Sault Ste. Marie, 2-1 on November 13th.

THE PIONEERS

McDonald moved players in and out of the lineup regularly.  The team's first-ever starting goaltender -Kevin McDougall- lost the three games he ever started and was traded to Owen Sound just two weeks after the season began.

He was replaced by free-agent rookie Jamie Shea, who was outstanding despite inflated numbers (5.92 goals-against while facing a league-leading 41 shots per game). Shea was paired most of the season with veteran Kevin Butt, acquired from Oshawa.

Veteran Trevor McIvor played just 26 games - scoring 7 goals with 12 assists - before deciding to retire in late November. Typical of expansion teams, McIvor was among Detroit's scoring leaders for a long time after leaving. McIvor didn't long, but replacement Chris Skoryna played in the OHL for four years.

In a far-sighted trade made December 29, McDonald traded veteran centerman Jon Stos to Sudbury for right wing J.D. Eaton. Eaton turned out to be one of those building blocks, playing over 200 games for the Ambassadors and Jr. Red Wings.

Despite the losing, there were some bright lights. Even as a rookie trying to learn the league, first round pick Pat Peake (39-51) produced offensively, figuring in over 40 percent of the team's goals.

Right wing Mark Lawrence was seen a bust before coming to Detroit, revived his career with a solid season (27-38) and was drafted by the Mesota North Stars.

Defenseman John Wynne (11-26) proved to be an offensive-minded defenseman. After leaving the Ambassadors, he would become the CIAU's (Canadian University) Collegiate-Player-of-the-Year.

The Ambassadors earned the reputation as a team that could be beaten on the scoreboard, but not physically. Captain Paul Mitton (152 PIM's), David Benn (119) and Tom Sullivan (185 PIM's) led the Detroit hit parade and were aided by Trent and Troy Gleason (97 and 112 PIM's) and David Myles (118).

After losing its final game of the season, 6-5 in Sault Ste. Marie on March 15, the Ambassadors held their season-ending banquet the following afternoon.

Obviously, it was time to move up the OHL ladder.

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