2021-22 SPHL Season Thread

[JMCx4]

From: The Pensacola News Journal > Sports > Hockey

Pensacola Hockey: Ice Flyers deal with new challenges as preseason begins

Bill Vilona
Special to the News Journal
Published 9:00 a.m. CT Oct. 8, 2021

The Ice Flyers navigated through various challenges a year ago to win another championship, amid a season unlike any other in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

That experience is helping deal with new issues facing the entire league when training camps begin this weekend.

Recruiting players, filling rosters is something that has confronted each team, as yet another side effect from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The NCAA granted all collegiate hockey players another year of eligibility and the higher-level ECHL and its 27 teams are resuming play after taking a year off.

That combination has shrunk the options for acquiring players.

“I have never seen anything like this in all my years involved with pro hockey,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff ... .

Read more at: https://www.pnj.com/story/sports/ho...-face-new-challenge-hockey-season/6035423001/

 

[JMCx4]

Hello, hockey fans ... The 2021-22 Southern Professional Hockey League regular season begins next weekend. Ten of the eleven teams will start play on Friday, Oct. 15th:

• Fayetteville Marksmen @ Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs;
• Macon Mayhem @ Knoxville Ice Bears;
• Birmingham Bulls @ Huntsville Havoc;
• Evansville Thunderbolts @ Quad City Storm (the front end of a weekend pair);
• Peoria Rivermen @ the new Vermilion County Bobcats (with The JMCs in attendance for the Fri-Sat double, strictly in a scouting capacity on behalf of @JDogindy - I'll be expecting my compensation check in the mail soon thereafter ).

The defending champion Pensacola Ice Flyers will kick off their '21-'22 season at home on Sat. the 16th to join the other 10 teams in the box scores. The rest of the SPHL season schedule can be found here.

Remember, folks: "When the puck drops, the summer stops."

 

[JMCx4]

'21-'22 season team previews from Field Pass Hockey ...

• 2021-22 Quad City Storm Season Preview
• 2021-22 Birmingham Bulls Season Preview
• 2021-22 Macon Mayhem Preview
• 2021-22 Evansville Thunderbolts Preview
• ...

 

[Atlantian]

Not a good look so far for a team I had low expectations for.
https://www.thesphl.com/sphl-announ...bTcq-qgujxrrWVuLYMq19ytdTPcImr9AcB-03l6WG6SmY

 

[JMCx4]

Not a good look so far for a team I had low expectations for.
https://www.thesphl.com/sphl-announces-postponement-of-bobcats-opening-weekend

There goes The JMCs' weekend.

 

[jabberoski]

Adding to the concern/issues for Vermilion County. On June 21, they announced the hiring of their PR/broadcaster - https://www.vcbobcats.com/casey-bry...hl-vice-president-broadcasting-communications.

Today, that same person was hired by Everett in the WHL - Casey Bryant hired as Broadcaster, Media Relations Manager – Everett Silvertips

 

[JMCx4]

Adding to the concern/issues for Vermilion County. On June 21, they announced the hiring of their PR/broadcaster - https://www.vcbobcats.com/casey-bry...hl-vice-president-broadcasting-communications.

Today, that same person was hired by Everett in the WHL - Casey Bryant hired as Broadcaster, Media Relations Manager – Everett Silvertips

Maybe the drinking age is lower in Washington State ...

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Not a good look so far for a team I had low expectations for.
https://www.thesphl.com/sphl-announ...bTcq-qgujxrrWVuLYMq19ytdTPcImr9AcB-03l6WG6SmY

 

[CrazyEddie20]

The sad thing is you have fans in Danville who have come out by the dozens over the years to support the FPHL and were going to come out by the dozens this weekend (and bolstered by JMCx4 and Mrs. JMCx4). They DESERVE a team. Their market DESERVES a team, because, you know, they have a rink and a long history of barely adequately supporting pro hockey.

What are these fans going to do if the team can't play?

 

[JMCx4]

... What are these fans going to do if the team can't play? ...

No hockey, no casino, what's next: They take away the only stoplight in town?

 

[JMCx4]

At least the team finally posted the "news" on their unattended Facebook page. To the expected public response.

 

[JMCx4]

The Bobcats are still selling tickets for later games, so that means everything is alright..............right?

 

[CrazyEddie20]

The Bobcats are still selling tickets for later games, so that means everything is alright..............right?

For some reason, this team has a "Director of Security." In the SPHL. In rural Illinois. And they have no ticket sales staff and no athletic trainer - at least none listed on the website.

But the players (and the owner, who seems to be some kind of rich daddy's girl crossed with some kind of egomaniac) have security.

 

[JMCx4]

For some reason, this team has a "Director of Security." In the SPHL. In rural Illinois. And they have no ticket sales staff and no athletic trainer - at least none listed on the website.

But the players (and the owner, who seems to be some kind of rich daddy's girl crossed with some kind of egomaniac) have security.

Danville has a small but passionate hockey fan base. Sometimes emotions run high.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

Danville has a small but passionate hockey fan base. Sometimes emotions run high.

Hope they weren't depending on those two home games to keep the team afloat until the next home games...

 

[JMCx4]

Hope they weren't depending on those two home games to keep the team afloat until the next home games...

I didn't see Ellen Tully out front of the Palmer Arena selling bags of kettle corn when me 'n' Mrs. JMC drove through downtown Danville this morning. So I'm taking that as a good sign.

ETA: Though with the crickets still chirping re. refunds for this weekend's game tickets, perhaps I am a bit too optimistic.

 

[JMCx4]

With all of the back stories & blame-gaming that must be going on with this Bobcats saga, where are the Bus League Hockey Boyz and @Minor League Rando when we need them?

 

[CrazyEddie20]

With all of the back stories & blame-gaming that must be going on with this Bobcats saga, where are the Bus League Hockey Boyz and @Minor League Rando when we need them?

Trying to think up their next whopper.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

I didn't see Ellen Tully out front of the Palmer Arena selling bags of kettle corn when me 'n' Mrs. JMC drove through downtown Danville this morning. So I'm taking that as a good sign.

ETA: Though with the crickets still chirping re. refunds for this weekend's game tickets, perhaps I am a bit too optimistic.

I listened to her on the "Down South" podcast, and she claims she was "involved" with, among other NHL teams, the Florida Panthers... yet she has exactly one job listed on LinkedIn, as owner of the VC Bobcats. No one seems to know how she got the money to own an SPHL team, which, lets face it, is still a lot of money for a woman who works as (checks notes) a photographer?

In my opinion, this has "fraud" written all over it.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

No one seems to know how she got the money to own an SPHL team, which, lets face it, is still a lot of money for a woman who works as (checks notes) a photographer?

Just spent some time digging into Mrs. Tully's background. Her maiden name is Mervis, her brother Josh coached the Danville Wings to an NAHL championship in 1999. Her late father owned Mervis Industries (Mervis Industries - Mervis Industries) and it would appear left little Ellen a big trust fund. (See Owner of original Danville casino site sued by shareholder, noting "Ellen Mervis Tully alleges in her state lawsuit that Vermilion Development Inc. is illegally withholding records about the potential sale of the property. Tully’s suit argues that since her trust has a one-third ownership stake in Vermilion Development, she has a right to view its records."

Sounds like she's just a freelance photographer with a lot of trust fund money to burn...

 

[SemireliableSource]

I mean, that's the dream to be honest. I just wanna hit the Powerball and blow money on owning an SPHL, ECHL, or USHL team.

 

[JMCx4]

I mean, that's the dream to be honest. I just wanna hit the Powerball and blow money on owning an SPHL, ECHL, or USHL team.

Buy your tickets only for the BIG jackpots, and buy one in each league!

 

[JMCx4]

I listened to her on the "Down South" podcast, and she claims she was "involved" with, among other NHL teams, the Florida Panthers... yet she has exactly one job listed on LinkedIn, as owner of the VC Bobcats. No one seems to know how she got the money to own an SPHL team, which, lets face it, is still a lot of money for a woman who works as (checks notes) a photographer? ...

Do you put the names of your past "involvees" on YOUR resume?

 

[JMCx4]

The JMCs' weekend in Danville summed up ... only ours were @ 4:00 a.m., and 5:00 a.m., AND 6:30 a.m. ...

 

[CrazyEddie20]

I mean, that's the dream to be honest. I just wanna hit the Powerball and blow money on owning an SPHL, ECHL, or USHL team.

I think that was the story behind the Chicago Hounds. Or the Chicago Express. One of the two was owned (and then folded!) by a lottery winner.