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FHL on the move

PH Hockey Fan

Registered User
Jan 14, 2015
19
0
The Port Huron Prowlers and the new St. Clair Shores team should develop a good regional rivalry. I was hoping for a better venue than what that arena has to offer. When I coached my son, we played there. It is a nice arena for Bantam and High School hockey but bleacher seating for "pro" hockey just doesn't seem to fit. I still hold out hope that some better midwest opportunities for the FHL will materialize.
 

jason2020

Registered User
Sep 24, 2014
5,596
1
JDogindy said:
I just realized something. This starving artist league now has 8 teams. The better laid out SPHL has 10 teams this season.
Click to expand...

I would not say 8 teams makes a league starving besides things can change very fast the Southern league could have 6 teams next year.
 
GindyDraws

GindyDraws

I will not disable my Adblock, HF
Mar 13, 2014
2,887
2,176
Indianapolis
jason2020 said:
I would not say 8 teams makes a league starving besides things can change very fast the Southern league could have 6 teams next year.
Click to expand...

And the FHL could have 16 next year, as well.

The nature of minor league hockey fluctuates. Sorry I come off as a FHL hater, but I still find the model of the league's overall system to be very faulty while I consider the SPHL to be more organized.

I said this on another thread, but the FHL has had far more turnover in their entire run than the SPHL has, and the FHL is younger.
 
TcNorth

TcNorth

Registered User
Jan 25, 2015
2,544
431
Comparing the Single A SPHL to the FHL is not comparing apples to apples. St. Claire Shores may have 1,ooo seats. The FHL needs to add more teams/arena's like Port Huron, Dayton (at least their arena), and Danbury before being spoken on a par with the SPHL IMO.
 

Captain Crash

Registered User
Apr 9, 2015
463
227
TcFlint said:
Comparing the Single A SPHL to the FHL is not comparing apples to apples. St. Claire Shores may have 1,ooo seats. The FHL needs to add more teams/arena's like Port Huron, Dayton (at least their arena), and Danbury before being spoken on a par with the SPHL IMO.
Click to expand...

Very, very true. If we adopt more terminology from the minor league baseball system, at best the FHL is Low A compared to the SPHL at High A. And the gap is wide.
 

Captain Crash

Registered User
Apr 9, 2015
463
227
And just like that the league announces that Dayton is "dormant" for 16-17 with a hopeful return the following season. That said, those were the last words of a whole slew of FHL teams to never return.

To the best fans in hockey,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the players, corporate sponsors, booster club, season ticket holders and fans for making my arrival in Dayton a memorable one.

We turned a bad season into a great season with the help of Brett Wall, Teresa
Woodhouse, Sandy Shiverdecker, Dylan Kuhn, Tim King and Leah Cowgill. From everyone in the front office to the off*ice officials and Hara Arena staff everything was first class.

Dayton hockey has been an ongoing project of mine since the spring of 2015, I planned on being in Dayton last summer to create a winning atmosphere between Hara Arena, the team, fans, local communities and businesses. Unfortunately for reasons out of my control the membership was awarded to an ownership group from East Coast United States. This started what turned out to be a bad experience for the players, fans, corporate sponsors and our home Hara Arena.

As soon as the franchise became available I jumped at the opportunity to purchase the team. I purchased the team from the league for the love of the game. I couldn't have been happier that it was in Dayton where I feel they had the best fans and arena in the league where the opportunity to get involved was a dream come true.

My role as the Owner and Head Coach was to turn the organization, players and atmosphere around as fast as possible. I had no idea how bad things were until I arrived in Dayton and began to field phone calls on an hourly and daily basis from unhappy corporate sponsors, season ticket holders and purveyors.

I never diverted from my goal of turning this organization around and running a first class team from top to bottom. I want to personally thank everyone that supported the team and myself through the ups and downs of the transition period and the dream of making the playoffs, which the boys did.

I came to Dayton to run a professional hockey team for not only this year but for years to come. Unfortunately due to circumstances out of my control Hara Arena is unable to sign leases not only to myself but to other tenants.

At this time I regret to announce that Dayton Professional Hockey will be going dormant for the 2016-2017 season due to arena availability and lack of lead up time.

Like I told my players we never say never, I will be eagerly pursuing to find a location to house our professional hockey team in the Dayton area if Hara Arena is not available for the 2017 * 2018 season.

Yours in Hockey,

Coach Joe Pace Sr.

For any questions please contact Joe Pace Sr. at [email protected] or 708-205-000.
Click to expand...

http://federalhockey.com/view/thefederalhockeyleague/news-739/news_456058
 
TcNorth

TcNorth

Registered User
Jan 25, 2015
2,544
431
The Dayton owner also owns Port Huron and Danvilie, arguably two of the leagues most stable teams while Dayton is not. The owner robbed the Dayton franchise to stock his Port Huron team.
 

Captain Crash

Registered User
Apr 9, 2015
463
227
Dayton being freed up from the FHL really opens the door to some leagues to snatch up the market. I doubt that the ECHL will take another stab, but the SPHL was rumored to have interest there as they slowly push their footprint north. And if the fans there would accept a junior league, it falls nicely into the footprint of both the USHL and NAHL.
 
GindyDraws

GindyDraws

I will not disable my Adblock, HF
Mar 13, 2014
2,887
2,176
Indianapolis
Captain Crash said:
Dayton being freed up from the FHL really opens the door to some leagues to snatch up the market. I doubt that the ECHL will take another stab, but the SPHL was rumored to have interest there as they slowly push their footprint north. And if the fans there would accept a junior league, it falls nicely into the footprint of both the USHL and NAHL.
Click to expand...

The USHL has a midwest setting, which would work perfectly for Dayton, but the NAHL has a good portion of teams in the Northeast and Midwest, as well. And, with the SPHL having teams in Peoria & Evansville, they might take interest in Dayton now that it's open.
 

AHLFAN

Registered User
Mar 10, 2008
50
5
Shrewsbury, PA
Fhl back to 5 teams

With Dayton Suspending operations for the 16-17 season now this:

Brewster Bulldogs Pro Hockey Suspends Operations 2016-17 Season
July 14, 2016 10:15 PM EDT

Brewster, NY -

To the Bulldog Community,

It is with deep regret that I will be halting the Brewster Bulldog operation at the Brewster Ice Arena for the 2016-17 season.

Unfortunately, it was too much for myself to operate two professional sports teams at this level. The owners and employees of the Brewster Arena have been wonderful. I could not have asked for a better group to work with.

The effort put forth by David Lun and his team was outstanding. It was truly a group of dedicated hard working players. So with all that being said, here are my thoughts for the future. I have had multiple conversations with Steve Santini, owner of the Brewster Ice Arena, as well as a gentleman that has shown interest in partnering with Steve and I to bring the team back for the 2017-18 season.

I have been looking for someone that would partner and manage the Brewster Bulldogs organization. I would remain as a partner. I am sorry to leave Brewster ...hopefully we will return.

Thank you for your support in our inaugural season.

The Bulldogs players truly felt the support of the fans and community throughout the season.

Sincerely,
Bruce Bennett

CATEGORIES: BREWSTER BULLDOGS HEADLINE NEWS NEWS
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royals119

royals119

Registered User
Jun 12, 2006
1,457
1,139
West Lawn, PA
I saw a Facebook post that said the owners of Hara Arena are facing a huge overdue tax bill and won't sign a lease with anyone. The arena might even be sold to a developer to be torn down and replaced with shopping or housing.

If anyone is interested in trying again in Dayton it will likely have to be at another rink, and they all have issues. There is likely a market for hockey there, just no good rink.
 
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