The New York Slapshots were coached by Dave Schultz, a former NHL veteran who spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers during their Broad Street Bullies days.
The following year, owner Rudy Slucker announced that the Slapshots would be playing their games at the Houston Field House, a 5,367-seat arena located on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Considered to be an "absentee owner" by Commissioner Miron, Slucker told league president Bill Coffey that he needed corporate sponsorship to continue to run the franchise.
[6] With the nearby Mohawk Valley Comets also struggling, the ACHL Board Of Governors held an emergency meeting in Utica, New York, NY on November 17, 1986.
The ACHL finished the season with four teams: Mohawk Valley, Erie Golden Blades, Virginia Lancers, and Carolina Thunderbirds.