FHL welcomes the (wait for it...) Stateline Whalers

[ForsbergForever]

http://www.thefederalhockeyleague.p...w/thefederalhockeyleague/news-739/news_305202

I guess naming a team for a border is one way to go... In any case best of luck to Brewster, NY.

Click to read more...

 

[Duke Guy]

Is the Barry Soskin that is mentioned the same guy that once owned a NAHL team?

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

Is the Barry Soskin that is mentioned the same guy that once owned a NAHL team?

Yes, now owns 3 in the FED.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

If there's anything the world needed, it's another FHL team.

 

[alko]

Yes, now owns 3 in the FED.

That is a passion for ice hockey.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I love this league. So entertaining to observe...and I've never seen a game!!

 

[Falconone]

Yes, now owns 3 in the FED.

I think it's actually four.

Dayton
Port Huron
Brewster
Danville

Probably going for a league name change soon. Something like the Soskin Minor Professional Hockey League.....

The " Minor" I added to differentiate from the SPHL.

There are now 7 teams in the league. He owns four, the league owns two and there's an ownership group (Watertown) for the last one.

So if Steel City can in fact resurrect themselves it'll be an eight team league with four in the west and four in the east.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

The NHL had 6 teams for 25 years. The Federal League already has 7.

 

[Gerin]

The NHL had 6 teams for 25 years. The Federal League already has 7.

haha best post I have read on the forums

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

I think it's actually four.

Dayton
Port Huron
Brewster
Danville

Probably going for a league name change soon. Something like the Soskin Minor Professional Hockey League.....

The " Minor" I added to differentiate from the SPHL.

There are now 7 teams in the league. He owns four, the league owns two and there's an ownership group (Watertown) for the last one.

So if Steel City can in fact resurrect themselves it'll be an eight team league with four in the west and four in the east.

Soskin is no longer affiliated with Dayton, although he has allegedly owes the state of Ohio money. The "league" (whatever that means at this point) has taken over Dayton and is looking for new owners.

It certainly is laughable, a real clustermuck.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

I love this league. So entertaining to observe...and I've never seen a game!!

Free comedy from my phone.

 

[Falconone]

Maybe more to come

Keep watching, maybe some news coming about new ownership in the FED

 

[DTalbot]

And they thought the ownership of the proposed North Atlantic Professional Hockey League wasn't qualified (due to financial stability concerns) to have their team join the league (with a team in North Adams, MA) for one year while that league tried to get off the ground?!?

They award a team to Berlin NH...but wait some guy wants to put his team in North Adams MA...let's pull the team we already announced and put it there so this other guy will go away..(go forward about a year). Danbury gets kicked out of their rink... let's create a new team ten miles away...oh shoot we are having issues with a lease for North Adams...let's have the owner fold his team and join up with someone else and put a new team where that other team got kicked out of and have two teams within ten miles of one another. (at least teams won't have to change hotels for their 2 games in 2 nights against 2 different teams. Danbury/Brewster must be the NYC of the FHL-). Hey wait nearby Ridgefield CT has an ice rink...give them a team it will be the new MSG, Barclays Center, Prudential Center pairing).

Did I forget to mention the league as a whole is on the hook for about $800,000 due to a lawsuit involving a player that was blinded during a game by a team that is no longer in the league.

The rumor is that the league may form a new LLC corporation to protect itself from paying the 800K and carry on like nothing happened.
Don't know why this league is covered on this website it should be covered by a soap opera chat website. This stuff better than fiction.

 

[Falconone]

Rumor

Well it could be providing more entertainment for all who are so entertaientertained. There's a RUMOR that a local businessman (or two) have gotten approved by the league to have a franchise in Danbury and that they have also taken a financial interest in the previously owned league franchise in Berkshire. There's also a rumor concerning the Stateline Whalers ownership that, if true, could make all who are following the machinations of this league "entertaining" really fun

 

[Francis10]

It's already a done deal in Danbury. Bruce Bennett the Nissan car dealer announced it on his Facebook site and they already named the team and have a website.

Www.danburytitans.com

 

[Falconone]

Well F10 I was waiting for some kind of official announcement but you are correct LOL

 

[DTalbot]

Official announcements in this league? I think they still use the Pony Express for delivering their mail. The Berkshire newspaper announces a new franchise in Danbury and the Battalion being gone with the owner becoming involved with the Danbury franchise before the league announces anything.

I heard the Metropolis Skating Rink in Canton MA may be looking for a tenant (oh wait the roof collapsed back in February). Tell the management of the FHL the rent should be dirt cheap and it will get them into the lucrative Boston media market. I'm lining up for my tickets now!

This league is PT Barnum's fantasy!

A bit of advice for league management:

 

[Falconone]

DT, there's a bit more but like I said, I was waiting for and official announcement. More from Bennett and his partners. Also wasn't sure about the status of the Battalion. You got a link to the Berkshire newspaper article?

F1

 

[DTalbot]

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/sport...erman-battalion-owner-deserves-go-penalty-box

 

[Falconone]

DT,

I heard that Bennett might be involved with this situation. Battalion franchise is going to Brewster NY as the Stateline Whalers. But my rumor doesn't have the same backup that your source.... LOL.

You got any info?

F1

 

[DTalbot]

Haven't heard anything else.. but I was looking at some old Colonial/United Hockey league towns and saw a few possibilities:

New Haven, CT (the old arena is gone; but Yale's Ingalls Rink holds about 3500).
Chatham and St. Thomas Ontario not sure what size the rinks are.

Another on I just thought of was some New England area colleges: Worcester, MA (Hart Center on campus of Holy Cross holds 1,600. After losing the Sharks it may have potential or Meehan Auditorium on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Tsongas Arena in Lowell MA. Whittemore Center at UNH (Durham) holds about 6,500 and I know there are several in New York State RPI, St. Lawrence, Cornell.

If you get any of those would Hyannis MA be feasible? The arena is big enough to host the Hockey East Women's tournament. The main rink at the HYCC holds 1,500. Burlington, Vermont has 4,000 seat rink @ University of Vermont.

Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, holds 7,700 (thought I had heard someone mention this as a possible ECHL destination, but can't remember where).

There are some decent sized rinks in the northeast which are possibilities, if the league could get some more good ownership involved (no poke at the present owners intended) the league could get organized and become something more comparable to to the SPHL talent level than the LNAH (or have them merge with the LNAH and get rid of a few teams and go with some better rinks and towns)

 

[JackalsKnuckles]

Haven't heard anything else.. but I was looking at some old Colonial/United Hockey league towns and saw a few possibilities:

New Haven, CT (the old arena is gone; but Yale's Ingalls Rink holds about 3500).
Chatham and St. Thomas Ontario not sure what size the rinks are.

Another on I just thought of was some New England area colleges: Worcester, MA (Hart Center on campus of Holy Cross holds 1,600. After losing the Sharks it may have potential or Meehan Auditorium on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Tsongas Arena in Lowell MA. Whittemore Center at UNH (Durham) holds about 6,500 and I know there are several in New York State RPI, St. Lawrence, Cornell.

If you get any of those would Hyannis MA be feasible? The arena is big enough to host the Hockey East Women's tournament. The main rink at the HYCC holds 1,500. Burlington, Vermont has 4,000 seat rink @ University of Vermont.

Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, holds 7,700 (thought I had heard someone mention this as a possible ECHL destination, but can't remember where).

There are some decent sized rinks in the northeast which are possibilities, if the league could get some more good ownership involved (no poke at the present owners intended) the league could get organized and become something more comparable to to the SPHL talent level than the LNAH (or have them merge with the LNAH and get rid of a few teams and go with some better rinks and towns)

I doubt that rinks on college campuses want anything to do with the FHL.

Hyannis was already tried with the Cape Cod Blue Fins, who didn't last in this league.

St. Thomas has a decent rink, and the old barn in Chatham is also fun, but they have GOJHL franchises which are rather well supported. I would think that if owners in those cities were looking to have pro teams they would rather look into Senior hockey instead, like the Allan Cup Hockey League or the WOAA. Low level pro hockey just does not seem to be an attraction in Canada.

Also the skill level on the top 2 lines in the LNAH is quite good, with many former AHL guys, and the goaltending up there is good as well. Sure it is known for the fighting, but there is some talent, although largely from veteran players. The SPHL is a fun league, but has a lot less major junior grads than the LNAH.

 

[Falconone]

Was wondering about why the cape cod blue fins didn't succeed. Any idea ? Anyone?

 

[DTalbot]

Too small a year round population in the area. The area is a tourist/vacationer haven in the summer along with transient employees but once you hit October the population drops significantly. The arenas and the whole complex is nice, opening in 2009. I live on the edge of the Cape Cod radio broadcast range (in Whitman, MA) and heard very little if anything about the team on the Cape Cod radio stations. From my home to the arena is an hour in good weather. The Plymouth area has had a huge growth in population over the past 30 years. If the team was pushed to the media in the area they should have been able to succeed. Could distance to the nearest team have been a problem as it was 3 1/2 to 4 hours to Danbury. I work in a hardware store and most people in my area won't go more than 4 miles to go to another one of my stores that has what they need to take care of their problem.

 

[Falconone]

DT,

I actually thought that a team on the cape would be a good winter entertainment option. There was a team in Hyannis in the 70's or 80's that I thought was well received. A coach of one of my sons played on it back then. He was one of the top scorers in Providence college history and had a cup of coffee in the NHL with the Oilers. Plenty of housing available for billetting too.