Adirondack and Danbury fold

[Dilbert]

LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO--- The United Hockey League (UHL) announced Monday that the Adirondack Frostbite and Danbury Trashers have suspended operations. The teams will not compete during the 2006-07 season.

"Both organizations made a business decision to not participate in the league for the upcoming season," stated Richard Brosal, UHL President/CEO. "The Frostbite were not able to secure a lease with the Glens Falls Civic Center. Without their closest geographical rival in the league, the Trashers made a financial decision to suspend their operations."

A draft will be conducted later this week to disperse the players from the 2005-06 final rosters of both clubs.

[Gary]

all I can say is how sorry to Jeff that he is losing his hockey team. A team that he has followed for the past 2 years. At least we do know that the UHL is becoming a midwest league again. Jeff want to become a Generals fan?

[Gary]

next year with 10 teams this is how division alignment will go imo. An East-West Format 5 teams each this is if Chicago is a go this year.

East

Elmira Jackals

Flint Generals

Kalamazoo Wings

Muskegon Fury

Port Huron Flags

West

Bloomington Prairie Thunder

Chicago Hounds

Fort Wayne Komets

Quad City Mallards

Rockford Icehogs

[Dilbert]

next year with 10 teams this is how division alignment will go imo. An East-West Format 5 teams each this is if Chicago is a go this year.

East

Elmira Jackals

Flint Generals

Kalamazoo Wings

Muskegon Fury

Port Huron Flags

West

Bloomington Prairie Thunder

Chicago Hounds

Fort Wayne Komets

Quad City Mallards

Rockford Icehogs

I think that will work out. I think Chicago will be a go. Its Bloomington Im worried about. I havent heard a thing out of them

[HatCityEnforcer]

all I can say is how sorry to Jeff that he is losing his hockey team. A team that he has followed for the past 2 years. At least we do know that the UHL is becoming a midwest league again. Jeff want to become a Generals fan?

Yeah, it's rough, Gary. Needless to say I'm getting $570 back that I wasn't expecting about 4 hours ago (aka my refund for my 06-07 seasons)....

As for me rooting for the Generals....I'll be doing the "hockey ronin" thing...as in Fan For Hire....lots of roadies for games in my future next season....and it also depends who the Gens poach off the Adirondack and Danbury rosters.

As for the UHL itself, its a friggin joke....as long as Brosal runs it, they will be a running joke...it's basically the XFL on ice without Vince McMahon's credibility behind it. I saw that bald headed creep talk to a few friends of mine from Adirondack, look them in the face, and LIE that "everything was set for next year...you guys will be back."

Danbury and Adirondack might have hockey again sometime...but it sure won't be in the joke UHL.

[HatCityEnforcer]

next year with 10 teams this is how division alignment will go imo.  An East-West Format 5 teams each this is if Chicago is a go this year.

East

Elmira Jackals

Flint Generals

Kalamazoo Wings

Muskegon Fury

Port Huron Flags

West

Bloomington Prairie Thunder

Chicago Hounds

Fort Wayne Komets

Quad City Mallards

Rockford Icehogs

I think that will work out. I think Chicago will be a go. Its Bloomington Im worried about. I havent heard a thing out of them

There's doubts about Chicago as well....something about their arena being behind schedule and all of that....

[Sodboy13]

Okay, so Danbury, Adirondack, Roanoke, Richmond, Motor City, and Missouri all have gone kaput.

Taking their place: Hoffman Estates... I mean Chicago, and Bloomington - maybe. Four months before the season, and there's still question as to whether either of these two alleged franchises will be dropping a puck.

Break out the bugles, kids. It's Taps time for the U-Haul. I don't like seeing the Trashers go, not only because of HatCity Enforcer's love of them, but because they have one of the cooler and more clever logos of recent vintage. And long-time hockey towns like Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, and Port Huron deserve so much better than this fly-by-night league.

[Gary]

Okay, so Danbury, Adirondack, Roanoke, Richmond, Motor City, and Missouri all have gone kaput.

Taking their place: Hoffman Estates... I mean Chicago, and Bloomington - maybe. Four months before the season, and there's still question as to whether either of these two alleged franchises will be dropping a puck.

Break out the bugles, kids. It's Taps time for the U-Haul. I don't like seeing the Trashers go, not only because of HatCity Enforcer's love of them, but because they have one of the cooler and more clever logos of recent vintage. And long-time hockey towns like Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, and Port Huron deserve so much better than this fly-by-night league.

i'll disagree with you, I think the UHL will survive. They did all the wrong things with expanding though. They decided to move East and South when they should of stayed with the Midwest, the region that got them big. They pulled an IHL and it was the worse move they could make. I think if they stay in the Midwest they will be a great league again. Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Fort Wayne, Quad Cities, Flint(WILL STAY), and Rockford will all be the teams that keep the UHL together for years.

[HatCityEnforcer]

Okay, so Danbury, Adirondack, Roanoke, Richmond, Motor City, and Missouri all have gone kaput.

Taking their place: Hoffman Estates... I mean Chicago, and Bloomington - maybe.  Four months before the season, and there's still question as to whether either of these two alleged franchises will be dropping a puck.

Break out the bugles, kids.  It's Taps time for the U-Haul.  I don't like seeing the Trashers go, not only because of HatCity Enforcer's love of them, but because they have one of the cooler and more clever logos of recent vintage.  And long-time hockey towns like Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, and Port Huron deserve so much better than this fly-by-night league.

i'll disagree with you, I think the UHL will survive. They did all the wrong things with expanding though. They decided to move East and South when they should of stayed with the Midwest, the region that got them big. They pulled an IHL and it was the worse move they could make. I think if they stay in the Midwest they will be a great league again. Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Fort Wayne, Quad Cities, Flint(WILL STAY), and Rockford will all be the teams that keep the UHL together for years.

I'll respectfully disagree Gary....

--Elmira's closest rivals are gonna be Port Huron and Flint...and that's a good 10+ hours from there. If there's ever a team that's gonna have a complaint about travel costs, it's them. To be honest, I don't see the Jackals surviving past next season.

--Port Huron's financial status is shaky at best. Yeah, they improved on the craptastic attendance the Beacons had in their final season, but when a team puts out a press release saying "We need $200K by such and such a date otherwise we're going to have to consider NOT coming back" can't make for a comfy feeling.

--Flint's issues are well documented. It's up to Doc Shuikary to spend some cash (without any prodding from the Commish) to improve the team. Folks up there are pretty much saying that this is a make or break year...another year like the past one and the Gens are toast.

That's 3 teams on the brink...the U will be revisiting this scenario next season, only on a smaller scale.

Also, there's severe doubts about the viability of Chicago from some circles....plus, you have the cancer that is Dr. Margenau running the show there (and after seeing his handiwork in New Haven and Richmond first-hand, I'm shocked he's even still allowed to run a team)....

Then you have this OTHER factor playing in....the possibility that either Quad City or Rockford could be enticed to join the AHL as the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks or the Edmonton Oilers (or both cities land a team in the A, which could happen...Cincy's dormant team is still there and there's a good shot the Norfolk team could get bought outright by the Hawks, who'd LOVE to put it in Illinois)...

To be honest, if it drops below 7 teams, I can't see the U surviving....you'll see the stronger teams bail for the CHL or ECHL.

[CJR]

Sooner or later the Lansing rumors will pop back up. I've never seen this city as any kind of hockey town and have no idea about possible ownership groups but it always strikes me as odd that there's nothing out at the Capital Centre. It would fit into the contracted league footprint very well.

ETA: I see why there's nothing at Capital Centre, there's no damn seating out there. 1000 on the Olympic rink and less than 500 on the other.

[HatCityEnforcer]

Sooner or later the Lansing rumors will pop back up. I've never seen this city as any kind of hockey town and have no idea about possible ownership groups but it always strikes me as odd that there's nothing out at the Capital Centre. It would fit into the contracted league footprint very well.

ETA: I see why there's nothing at Capital Centre, there's no damn seating out there. 1000 on the Olympic rink and less than 500 on the other.

I don't see it happening, Yzer....

Not with MSU hockey being as big of a draw as it is.

[CMUBrent]

Sooner or later the Lansing rumors will pop back up.  I've never seen this city as any kind of hockey town and have no idea about possible ownership groups but it always strikes me as odd that there's nothing out at the Capital Centre.  It would fit into the contracted league footprint very well.

ETA:  I see why there's nothing at Capital Centre, there's no damn seating out there.  1000 on the Olympic rink and less than 500 on the other.

I don't see it happening, Yzer....

Not with MSU hockey being as big of a draw as it is.

Lansing had an IHL team back in the mid-70s that lasted until January, I believe they were called the Lansing Lancers. The last time I remember hearing about pro hockey in Lansing was when the San Francisco Spiders (IHL) were talking about relocating to either Lansing or Victoria, BC.

The UHL could always bring back Utica or St. Thomas for another run.

[HatCityEnforcer]

Sooner or later the Lansing rumors will pop back up.  I've never seen this city as any kind of hockey town and have no idea about possible ownership groups but it always strikes me as odd that there's nothing out at the Capital Centre.  It would fit into the contracted league footprint very well.

ETA:  I see why there's nothing at Capital Centre, there's no damn seating out there.  1000 on the Olympic rink and less than 500 on the other.

I don't see it happening, Yzer....

Not with MSU hockey being as big of a draw as it is.

Lansing had an IHL team back in the mid-70s that lasted until January, I believe they were called the Lansing Lancers. The last time I remember hearing about pro hockey in Lansing was when the San Francisco Spiders (IHL) were talking about relocating to either Lansing or Victoria, BC.

The UHL could always bring back Utica or St. Thomas for another run.

No way on Utica...not after the way the Prowlers went out. I don't think they could fumigate the arena there enough to get the stench of that disaster out of it.

Besides, if Elmira goes away after next season (and that's even if they survive through the full season coming up....they've got a great shot to pull a Columbus Stars), it'd make zero sense.

Then again, with the logic the Bald One and the Puppetmasters on the BoG have shown in recent years, nothing would shock me....

[CMUBrent]

Sooner or later the Lansing rumors will pop back up.  I've never seen this city as any kind of hockey town and have no idea about possible ownership groups but it always strikes me as odd that there's nothing out at the Capital Centre.  It would fit into the contracted league footprint very well.

ETA:  I see why there's nothing at Capital Centre, there's no damn seating out there.  1000 on the Olympic rink and less than 500 on the other.

I don't see it happening, Yzer....

Not with MSU hockey being as big of a draw as it is.

Lansing had an IHL team back in the mid-70s that lasted until January, I believe they were called the Lansing Lancers. The last time I remember hearing about pro hockey in Lansing was when the San Francisco Spiders (IHL) were talking about relocating to either Lansing or Victoria, BC.

The UHL could always bring back Utica or St. Thomas for another run.

No way on Utica...not after the way the Prowlers went out. I don't think they could fumigate the arena there enough to get the stench of that disaster out of it.

Besides, if Elmira goes away after next season (and that's even if they survive through the full season coming up....they've got a great shot to pull a Columbus Stars), it'd make zero sense.

Then again, with the logic the Bald One and the Puppetmasters on the BoG have shown in recent years, nothing would shock me....

Anything's possible with Comissioner Costanza still at the helm. Hell, this is the same commissioner who thought it was wise to put a franchise in Dayton, Ohio. Which sounds all right, except for one minor problem....

Dayton, Ohio had an established ECHL franchise firmly in place.

Needless to say, the Dayton Ice Bandits were a major trainwreck and (somehow) lasted one year before disappearing.

As for the Jackals, they have two things working against them:

1. Their closest rivals are the Flags and Generals now.

2. The Jackals are still owned by the Afrs.

Might as well start the Death Clock ticking on the Jackals.

[HedleyLamarr]

next year with 10 teams this is how division alignment will go imo.  An East-West Format 5 teams each this is if Chicago is a go this year.

East

Elmira Jackals

Flint Generals

Kalamazoo Wings

Muskegon Fury

Port Huron Flags

West

Bloomington Prairie Thunder

Chicago Hounds

Fort Wayne Komets

Quad City Mallards

Rockford Icehogs

I think that will work out. I think Chicago will be a go. Its Bloomington Im worried about. I havent heard a thing out of them

There's doubts about Chicago as well....something about their arena being behind schedule and all of that....

Can Chicago really support three teams? I think the NHL's Blackhawks, AHL's Wolves, and this UHL team is a bit overkill, at least to me.....

[CJR]

I don't see it happening, Yzer....

Not with MSU hockey being as big of a draw as it is.

I'm not saying I see it happening, either, just a rumor that pops up every now and then but never seems to have any basis in fact (no ownership group and no arena). I'm surprised by how small Capital Centre is, though, you'd think Lansing would have a bigger venue (outside of MSU's facilities), at least bigger than Jackson has.

[Dilbert]

I say the U should expand to Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Erie. I know that Indy and Erie have jr league teams but they deserve a pro team.

[HatCityEnforcer]

I say the U should expand to Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Erie. I know that Indy and Erie have jr league teams but they deserve a pro team.

None of those will happen...

-Indy's content with the USHL..and there's an agreement from when the CHL Ice left blocking another pro minor league team from coming in.

-Erie's content with the OHL..it'd be silly for them to ditch the success of the Otters for the uncertainty that is the UHL.

-Louisville & Lexington don't fit the new "geographical footprint" of the U (read: Michigan/Indiana/Illinois)...besides after the comments by the commish about hockey in the South (something to the effect of it being a fad and not well attended), I highly doubt they go south of Ohio River ever again...

[CMUBrent]

I say the U should expand to Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Erie. I know that Indy and Erie have jr league teams but they deserve a pro team.

None of those will happen...

-Indy's content with the USHL..and there's an agreement from when the CHL Ice left blocking another pro minor league team from coming in.

-Erie's content with the OHL..it'd be silly for them to ditch the success of the Otters for the uncertainty that is the UHL.

-Louisville & Lexington don't fit the new "geographical footprint" of the U (read: Michigan/Indiana/Illinois)...besides after the comments by the commish about hockey in the South (something to the effect of it being a fad and not well attended), I highly doubt they go south of Ohio River ever again...

Funny, the UHL tried to drop a team into a city with an established OHL team as well. The league allowed the St. Thomas Wildcats to move to London for 1994-95, even though the Knights were firmly established in town. Naturally, this plan bombed, as no one supported the Wildcats, and the franchise went dark for a year.

IMO, the UHL needs to stay a Midwestern league and stay away from cities that already have a franchise.

I'm not so sure about this Hoffman Estates/Chicago expansion either. It just sounds like there are too many other hockey options in the area. This could turn into another Columbus Stars.

[Dilbert]

Just remember Chicago already has the Blackhawks, Wolves and Steel, and Hounds make four.