Knoxville Knights
The Knoxville Knights were the first pro hockey team in the state of Tennessee, entering the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) for the 1961-62 season. The Knights moved south from New Jersey after spending a season there as the Jersey Larks (and previously the Washington Presidents). They would make it until 1968 when the team would fold due to financial difficulty. Their most notable alumni includes former NHL coach Pat Quinn, who played for the Knights in 1963-64. The tradition of hockey in Knoxville continues today, as the city has a franchise in the SPHL, the Knoxville Ice Bears.Â
