2021-22 SPHL Season Thread

[Maritime Hockey]

We just interviewed Dylan Riley, who recently signed with the Huntsville Havoc.

I think this kid is a steal for an already stong Huntsville team.

Would love to hear some thoughts on what people think of the signing?

 

[JMCx4]

We just interviewed Dylan Riley, who recently signed with the Huntsville Havoc.

I think this kid is a steal for an already stong Huntsville team.

Would love to hear some thoughts on what people think of the signing? ...

IMO, Riley's signing at this point in the season for Huntsville was simply to fill a roster hole at forward with an entry-level salary burden; so in that respect, your "this kid is a steal" statement could be accurate. He's a very small forward for the SPHL, and his hockey resume is unremarkable over his late juniors & university play even for lower tier NA pro hockey. But Coach Detulleo is an intelligent recruiter - one of the best if not THE best in the SPHL for finding talent in the Canadian junior/college ranks - so he must've seen some value beyond money in Dylan's presence on the roster. Good luck to the young man.

 

[JMCx4]

With an SPHL schedule gap until Tuesday night (Evansville vs. Peoria for, like, the 23rd time this season ), it seemed like a good time to post a snapshot of League leading player stats with just 11 weeks left in their regular season ...

(#s prior to Saturday games)

 

[JMCx4]

And the SPHL regular season standings @ COHB ("close of hockey business") on Saturday night ...

Some observations about this stack-up and Saturday's final results:

1. 2nd place Knoxville is on a serious roll, with an 11-game regulation victory streak & winning 9 of their last 10 to climb within a point of 1st place Hu'ville.
2. Despite their 5-1 loss to E-ville, Quad City is still holding on to 3rd place. That has gotta piss off J-G Trudel & his PEO Rivermen, who are still trailing the 3rd place Storm despite a 4-game win streak and an 8-2-0-0 record in their last 10 games.
3. Roanoke hands their host Havoc just their 6th regulation loss of the season.
   
4. Pensy fans win the 13-run pool with the reigning playoff champion Flyers' home drubbing of Macon.
5. The Mayhem suck this season, but ...
6. The Boob-cats suck even more.

 

[Atlantian]

Pensacola set an SPHL record for most goals in a game with 13 against Macon last night. The teams also tied the league record for most goals by both teams with 17

 

[JMCx4]

Pensacola set an SPHL record for most goals in a game with 13 against Macon last night. The teams also tied the league record for most goals by both teams with 17

If there's such a thing as "performance bonuses" in the SPHL, the Pensacola owners lost money on that game.

 

[Af77]

Macon followed that giving up another 10 last night

 

[JMCx4]

As Macon puts Pensy & Roanoke behind them ...

 

[CrazyEddie20]

If there's such a thing as "performance bonuses" in the SPHL, the Pensacola owners lost money on that game.

There are no performance bonuses, but there can be a lot of money on the board.

 

[JMCx4]

Macon wins one for a change ...




But the Boob-cats ...

 

[JMCx4]

The SPHL's January wrapped up today, with Sunday victories for Fayetteville & Knoxville & Peoria(ville). So here's an end-of-month peek in at the League standings, to get back in a reporting rhythm ...

Points of casual interest:

• The Ice Bears went on a run while the Havoc took a nap.
• The Rivermen are also streaking, though they have the usual advantage of weak (and getting weaker) Midwest partners.
• The Marksmen have been making noise lately, and look like serious contenders (as long as this bullet note doesn't jinx them).
• And, no, the Bulls & Mayhem & Bobcats have not been eliminated from playoff contention ... but it ain't February quite yet ...

 

[Af77]

I had was really hoping that after sort of separating themselves from the bottom Birmingham might make a run (loosely defined) at the 8 spot....then they went out and lost to Macon so there goes that idea. As for Peoria's midwest partners, I can definitely say that as far as the Storm are concerned your comment about them getting weaker is correct so far. Peoria has handled the taxi squad related roster juggling MUCH better than we have and you can see it in the standings. We went from chasing Huntsville to dropping below Peoria in a hurry. The good news is that we should hopefully be getting some of our call ups back soon and 11 out of our last 23 are against VC and Evansville so hopefully we can right the ship heading into the play offs

 

[JMCx4]

The Boob-cats media guy can certainly put the spin to a story ... Bobcats Winning Where It Counts, In Development

 

[jabberoski]

The Boob-cats media guy can certainly put the spin to a story ... Bobcats Winning Where It Counts, In Development

Calling Ms. Tully the "first female owner of a professional hockey team" is quite the claim. Maybe sole, 100% owner? But she is not the first female owner of a pro hockey team.

 

[JMCx4]

Calling Ms. Tully the "first female owner of a professional hockey team" is quite the claim. Maybe sole, 100% owner? But she is not the first female owner of a pro hockey team.

But I'll bet she's the first one to have a Director of Team Security.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Supposedly the Bobcats have hired David Ayres (yes, that David Ayres, the Zamboni driver who beat the Leafs) as their new head coach.

I can't wait for their poorly-written press release touting their new head coach's NHL playing experience.

Ellen literally can't get out of her own way.

 

[SemireliableSource]

I know he was in town for some promotion or something (they touted meeting him at the game). It seemed bizarre but this would be even more bizarre.

 

[SoupNazi]

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Let's not give Sara Civian any more attention. She doesn't deserve it.

 

[GindyDraws]

The sooner VC is out of the league, the better for everyone.

I know Bloomington was also a disaster, but at least it was in a town that reasonably "fit" the footprint the league was going for, metrics-wise.

Though, the SPHL will still want to add teams in the Peoria region to justify travel to the area, which makes me wonder... who else is there?

 

[JMCx4]

The Rivermen & Peoria Civic Center extended their lease agreement right before their 2020-21 season-that-never-was. I could never find a source citing the length of that extension, but social media rumors have bubbled up again about troubles in the future of Peoria hockey. So the SPHL may not need to worry about propping up their "North Division" much longer.

 

[JMCx4]

ICE BEARS SET SPHL RECORD, WIN IN OVERTIME

42 wins on the season (42-10-4 finishing record). Very impressive.

 

[JMCx4]

The SPHL made it through another season, with all 11 teams completing 56 games as (sometimes re-) scheduled. Here are the final 2021-22 standings ...

And the President's Cup first round schedule & game times/locations are all set to kick off Wednesday & Thursday of this week ...

#1 Knoxville Ice Bears vs. #8 Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 13 at Knoxville – 7:35 pm
Game 2 – Saturday, April 16 at Roanoke – 7:05 pm
Game 3 – Sunday, April 17 at Knoxville – 5:00 pm (if necessary)


#2 Huntsville Havoc vs. #7 Evansville Thunderbolts
Game 1 – Thursday, April 14 at Huntsville – 7:00 pm
Game 2 – Saturday, April 16 vs. Evansville – 7:00 pm (at Swonder Ice Arena)
Game 3 – Sunday, April 17 at Huntsville – 7:00 pm (if necessary)


#3 Peoria Rivermen vs. #6 Pensacola Ice Flyers
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 13 vs. Pensacola – 7:00 pm (at Pelham Civic Complex)
Game 2 – Friday, April 15 at Peoria – 7:15 pm
Game 3 – Saturday, April 16 at Peoria – 7:15 pm (if necessary)


#4 Fayetteville Marksmen vs. #5 Quad City Storm
Game 1 – Wednesday, April 13 at Quad City – 7:10 pm
Game 2 – Friday, April 15 at Fayetteville – 7:00 pm
Game 3 – Saturday, April 16 at Fayetteville – 6:00 pm (if necessary)


(all times local)

Two of four series utilizing alternative ice centers, most surprising one (to me) being P'cola "home ice" at the Birmingham Bulls' arena. The joys of last-minute scheduling.

 

[SemireliableSource]

The Rivermen & Peoria Civic Center extended their lease agreement right before their 2020-21 season-that-never-was. I could never find a source citing the length of that extension, but social media rumors have bubbled up again about troubles in the future of Peoria hockey. So the SPHL may not need to worry about propping up their "North Division" much longer.

That would be a shame. Peoria leaving would kill QC and if VC tried to make another go of it, they'd be killed too. Couple that with Macon's death, which seems inevitable, and the league could see a huge drop in membership this offseason.

 

[Prospector Hockey]

The Rivermen & Peoria Civic Center extended their lease agreement right before their 2020-21 season-that-never-was. I could never find a source citing the length of that extension, but social media rumors have bubbled up again about troubles in the future of Peoria hockey. So the SPHL may not need to worry about propping up their "North Division" much longer.

Whoever started that rumor is full of absolute bs.
1. Trudel just got extended as HC for 2022-2023.
2. During COVID, there was worry the PCC was gonna close, but the arena got a $25 Million grant from the state, and I know some of that went towards a brand new ice plant. So ice is of no worry at all.
3. Besides this season, the Rivermen have been almost always near the top of the SPHL attendance. Given the large amounts of merch purchased this season (thanks to new branding/logos), all the jersey auctions that brought in additional money, and the fact that the team has built a massive reserve in terms of savings over the last several seasons that the COVID break couldn't really make much of a dent in, the Rivermen are absolutely staying.