The team boasted a number of future NHL stars including Brett Hull, Joel Otto, Mike Vernon, Bill Ranford, Bob Sweeney, Gary Roberts, Lyndon Byers, Dave Reid, Brian Bradley and others.

[1][2][3][4][5][6] In the summer of 1982, with Chicago having already pulled out of New Brunswick in favour of affiliating with the Springfield Indians on their own,[2][7][8][9] the Maple Leafs announced that they would not operate the team in Moncton the following year after they couldn't come to terms with the city on a new arena lease,[2][8][9] even though the team had the fifth-highest attendance in the league.

[10] At the same AHL Board of Governors meeting that the franchise's relocation to become the St. Catharines Saints was approved,[11][12][13][14][15] the Edmonton Oilers received approval to purchase a new AHL franchise to replace the departed Hawks in Moncton,[11][12][14][15] leading to establishment of the Moncton Alpines as their affiliate that fall.

During the 1986–87 season, Brett Hull won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's rookie of the year.

They are, Joel Otto, Dave Reierson, Gary Roberts, Ken Sabourin and goaltender Mike Vernon.