▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁franch ise ▁would ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁new ▁franch ises ▁of ▁the ▁E CH L . ▁ ▁Since ▁their ▁foundation ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁Chief s ▁have ▁played ▁their ▁home ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁Camb ria ▁County ▁War ▁Memorial ▁Arena . ▁The ▁Chief s ▁were ▁last ▁owned ▁by ▁former ▁New ▁York ▁R angers ▁general ▁manager ▁Neil ▁Smith . ▁Although ▁the ▁Chief s ▁franch ise ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Green ville , ▁the ▁name , ▁records , ▁log os ▁and ▁all ▁names ▁ident ifying ▁the ▁John st own ▁history ▁have ▁been ▁retained ▁by ▁a ▁non - pro fit ▁organization . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁History ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁ 1 0 ▁head ▁coach es ▁for ▁the ▁Chief s ▁franch ise . ▁The ▁franch ise ' s ▁first ▁head ▁coach ▁was ▁Joe ▁Sel ens ki , ▁who ▁held ▁the ▁position ▁while ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁AA HL . ▁Form er ▁N HL ▁player ▁Steve ▁Carl son ▁- ▁also ▁famous ▁for ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁movie ▁S lap ▁Sh ot ▁( movie ) ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Hans on ▁brothers ▁- ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁coach ▁who ▁took ▁the ▁Chief s ▁to ▁the ▁then - R iley ▁Cup ▁Final s , ▁losing ▁four ▁games ▁to ▁three ▁to ▁the ▁Carolina ▁Th under bird s . ▁Ed ▁John stone ▁co ached ▁the ▁Chief s ▁to ▁three ▁consecutive ▁thirty - win ▁seasons , ▁but ▁only ▁advanced ▁past ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁play offs ▁once . ▁Form er