{"product_id":"clearance-albany-river-rats®-long-sleeve-shirt","title":"CLEARANCE Albany River Rats® Long Sleeve Shirt","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur clearance section houses discounted apparel items. These consist of overstock, test prints, returns, misprinted, or out of print items from our collections. The specific details on the condition or defects for each item are listed in the item's description (if any). Items that were returned damaged or in otherwise non-new condition will not be sold and instead are donated to charity. All sales from this section are final.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWith one of the greatest logos in minor league hockey history, the Albany River Rats™ took the ice for the first time for the 1993-94 season. But prior to their arrival, there was a mini-hockey war for Capital District hockey supremacy.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vintageicehockey.com\/collections\/adirondack\"\u003eAdirondack\u003c\/a\u003e already played in Glens Falls in the AHL and the rival IHL put the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vintageicehockey.com\/collections\/ihl-albany-choppers\"\u003eAlbany Choppers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eat Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, moving much further east than the IHL had ever been. The AHL retaliated by putting the Capital District Islanders at RPI Arena in Troy, making it three teams in close proximity. The Choppers quickly imploded, and the Islanders would move to the Knick and rebrand as the River Rats a few years later in 1993. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe River Rats were initially affiliated with New Jersey and had lots of pro players come through their ranks because of it. Their first head coach was Robbie Ftorek and other NHLers spent considerable time there including Patrick Elias, Zack Parise, Brian Gionta, Mike Dunham, and many others. They hit the ground running and won 38 games in their first season and 46 in their second. Their second season also saw them post the best record in the AHL en route to a Calder Cup win over Fredericton in a four game sweep. The River Rats would have continued success throughout the 1990s, making the playoffs each of their first seven seasons. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter 2000, the Rats wouldn't have as much success although their parent club was still a regular Cup contender. The Rats would miss the playoffs six straight years, and after the 2005-06 season New Jersey would drop their affiliation. Carolina, and later Colorado, would become the parent clubs but the Rats weren't super stocked with talent. Keith Aucoin was a mainstay during this time and Johnny Boychuk spent a season in Albany before making it big in the NHL. The team would play around .500 for the four years they affiliated with Carolina and made the playoffs three times. After the 2009-10 season, the franchise would be relocated to Carolina and renamed the Checkers. New Jersey would make a return to Albany, as the Albany Devils would take over hockey at the Knick, moving in from Lowell, MA. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis would make a unique gift for the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ehockey fan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e in your life or a neat find for yourself of a vintage hockey team from New York\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFree standard shipping, no minimum. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e--\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAbout the shirt from the manufacturer:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufacturer: Bella + Canvas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e100% combed ring-spun cotton\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeather colors are 52% combed ring-spun cotton, 48% polyester\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFabric weight: 4.2 oz\/y² (142.4 g\/m²)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e32 singles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRegular fit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSide-seamed construction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrew neck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoverstitched collar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2″ ribbed cuffs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted in the USA\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlank product sourced from Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, or the US\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"listMCE\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"listMCE\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"listMCE\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"listMCE\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"listMCE\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Vintage Ice Hockey","offers":[{"title":"Slate \/ XL","offer_id":54700165103891,"sku":"Box1-17","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Slate \/ L","offer_id":54700165136659,"sku":"Box1-18","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Slate \/ M","offer_id":54700165169427,"sku":"Box1-19","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0253\/6459\/4766\/files\/Screenshot_2026-09-11_at_10.27.19_PM_c03b8a49-9b21-438f-939d-7ed2752a02e3.png?v=1789180762","url":"https:\/\/vintageicehockey.com\/products\/clearance-albany-river-rats%c2%ae-long-sleeve-shirt","provider":"Vintage Ice Hockey","version":"1.0","type":"link"}