The 2021-22 SPHL season was the 18th season of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). 2020-21 season with only five teams, the league returned with all ten clubs from the 2019-20 season and added an expansion team, the Vermilion County Bobcats. Also the brass had good attendance numbers(4,000-5000). Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Unless Soskin sold his stakes in the Thunderbirds I doubt it would be them. Doing so would be overly ambitious for them. Should pandemic concerns dwindle, the ECHL is set for a 27-team league in 2021-22. Mobile has a horrendous arena but they are trying to replace it or renovate it. If Seattle experiences similar results, the timetable could be a few years if the NHL wants to keep the ball rolling. Wait are you serious? Ooooh, boy. One junior hockey team reaps the benefit. ATL might be able to float an SPHL team, considering the attendance is way less than an NHL team. It was a sign-of-the-times situation. JMCx4; May 5, 2022; 7 8 9. "The (national) gas shortage hit our area hard, and was impacting Pensacola, too," Price said, laughing. "I was going to go with this crew no matter what," Trudel said. Do you have a link to this release? I live in mobile and go to most of the home games in Pensacola and I think theres a decent following in the surrounding areas I know a lot of people who would go to games there. filled its roster through the 2021 Expansion Draft, derailed Quebecs most recent expansion bid, NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) extension expiring in 2026, Revisiting Canucks Trades for Motte, Highmore & Lammikko, Bruins Need to Prioritize Forward Over Defense at Trade Deadline, Maple Leafs Roster Moves Mean Trade is Imminent, NHL Trade Bait List for the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Jesse Puljujarvi From Edmonton Oilers, Avalanche 2023 Trade Targets: Reinhart, Schmaltz & More, Sharks Karlsson Has Not Been Asked to Waive NMC, NHL Rumors: Oilers, Devils, Blackhawks, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Penguins Need to Make Their Own Luck in Playoffs Push, Hurricanes Must Watch Games in March 2023, Wild Check-In: Kaprizov, Hartman, Middleton & Defense, Sharks Mike Grier Leading Organization in the Right Direction, 5 Takeaways From Kraken Losses to the Bruins and Leafs, Sabres News & Rumors: Cozens, Hinostroza, Stillman & Houser, 4 Takeaways from Ducks Win Over Blackhawks, Golden Knights Offense Comes Out Flat in Barbashevs Debut, Canadiens News and Rumors: Edmundson, Deadline and More, 3 Takeaways From Kyle Dubas Post-Trade Presser, Lightning Add Grit to Lineup with Addition of Tanner Jeannot. During the last wave of NHL expansion, that fee was a mere $80 million in comparison. Coast To Coast is FloHockeys monthly, cohesive news on North American hockey and live-streaming partnerships. But while were on the topic of expansion, I think there are a few cities the league could really plant roots in. Updated as of May 3, 2022.[9]. Price and the Cup joined the finals in time for Game 2 in Macon, Ga. Rivermen defenseman Nick Neville was named to the all-SPHL second team after he finished fourth in scoring among all league blueliners while playing for Pensacola in 2020-21. In 2009, the SPHL saw a large expansion with three new franchises, in Biloxi, Mississippi,[2][3][4] Lafayette, Louisiana[5] and Pensacola, Florida. With rumors of a stagnant salary cap, big names in need of new contracts across the league, expansion requirements, and free agency, Seattle is joining the league at a fun and opportune time. Its been a rather predictable start to tournament season but still plenty of time to shake things up. [1], After playing a shortened 202021 season with only five teams, the league returned with all ten clubs from the 201920 season and added an expansion team, the Vermilion County Bobcats. Thats also what derailed Quebecs most recent expansion bid. A formal press conference to introduce the team will be held in the upcoming weeks. They've been linked to half a dozen markets over the last few years. March 1, 2023 at 12:35 pm Updated March 1, 2023 at 12:35 pm . Voted winner: Draw (50%) - Voted rating: 0 Vote / Details . Alec Hagaman won an SPHL title with Pensacola. SPHL expansion teams However, for the 6th season, the Louisiana IceGators, Mississippi Surge, and Pensacola Ice Flyers are the three extension clubs. [14] During the season, the league approved of the Vermilion County Bobcats as a 202122 expansion team based in Danville, Illinois.[15]. [28], Last edited on 14 February 2023, at 18:05, List of developmental and minor sports leagues, "Doug Price Appointed Commissioner of the Southern Professional Hockey League", "Local investors may bring another hockey team to the coast", "IceGators to skate again; join the discussion", "Commentary: New team, new name, new opportunity", "Hockey Returning To Augusta, GA In 2010", "Mississippi RiverKings Join SPHL For 20112012 Season", "Mississippi RiverKings announce change to Southern Professional Hockey League", "Two Illinois teams join SPHL; Augusta out next season", "Shannon Szabados becomes first female goalie to win in Southern Professional Hockey League", "Mississippi Riverkings suspend operations for 2018-19 season, will seek new ownership", "SPHL announces changes for 2020-2021 season", "SPHL Expanding to Danville, IL for 2021-2022 Season", "Pelham council approves ice arena lease for professional hockey team", "Former Birmingham Bulls owner sets sights on Pelham for professional hockey team", "Augusta RiverHawks won't play next season", "SPHL Approves RiverHawks' Move To Macon, GA For 20152016 Season", "Cottonmouths to suspend operations for next season", "SPHL adding Quad City for 2018-2019 season", "Surge Hockey Operations to Suspend Indefinitely", "The Vermillion County Bobcats of the SPHL announced today that they have ceased operations, effective immediately", "MAYHEM SECURE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP WITH WIN OVER FLYERS", Southern Professional Hockey League website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Southern_Professional_Hockey_League&oldid=1139352740. I could be wrong). Several cities on this list fit that description, as well as a place for some of the immense NCAA and ACHA talent in the Midwest to continue their post-secondary hockey careers. Manage Settings Continue with Recommended Cookies. Pensacola Rivermen:Alec Hagaman won an SPHL title with Pensacola. With him at the helm they're bound to the FPHL or whatever becomes of it. With the NHL's 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken, set for its expansion draft this summer to join the NHL in 2021-22, Palm Springs was announced as the 31st AHL program. Some of our guys are not decided yet. Running on empty: SPHL commissioner Doug Price, who is based in Charlotte, N.C., did not attend Game 1 of the championship series in which Macon played at Pensacola. (More on that in a column later this week.) None of the existing 10 teams can lose more than one player from among their unprotected players. 3 Pd 11:50. No curvature of stick limitations as in the NHL, AHL, and ECHL. PHOTOS: Macon Mayhem vs. Peoria Rivermen - 02/18/2023. The city was formerly home to one of the World Hockey Associations most successful teams in the Houston Aeros. Prior to the Golden Knights and Kraken franchise, the NHL last expanded in 2000 with the addition of the Columbus Blue Jackets and if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',823,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3-0');Minnesota Wild. Jackson is a flat out no. One market of interest is Houston, Texas. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. JavaScript is disabled. Pros: As with almost all of the teams on this list, theres an NHL presence and potential for partnership; its also close enough to the existing teams to make travel decent enough to be worth it, plus again, built-in fanbase. Amazinmets73. I believe Atlanta would promote an SPHL team well I just dont know where they would play. "We sent Baer to Birmingham and the four other guys to Pensacola. Even while some dream of European expansion, the most logical city for NHL expansion is, of course, Quebec City. I dont see this team in the north so there can be a north and south division. FSU is one of those schools where baseball actually turns a profit usually. Savannah would have less interest than Atlanta. I just want to know your opinion on these future possible sphl expansions New Orleans Tallahassee Mobile Iowa city Memphis Downtown Atlanta Louisville Lexington Savannah Jackson . Website designed and maintained by LDD Web Design, PHN Staff Report with official press release. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Chicago provides a nice midpoint between the Twin Cities and its next closest neighbor, Buffalo, and is (I believe) a big enough city to handle a pro womens team. North Carolina is also right next door. Pros: Taps into PAs talent pool, close to neighboring Ohio and Maryland as well and theres HUGE potential for former PHFers like Kelley Steadman and Brianne McLaughlin to get involved. 3 Pd 11:32. Bill Foley and the other owners of the Golden Knights paid an outstanding $500 million dollar expansion fee for their new team. Folks, after a wild ride that saw one team fold and an expansion team set an attendance record that will probably never be broken, the 2017-18 Federal Hockey League season came to and end last. The last of the four major North American sports to expand before the Golden Knights were the National Football League whose Houston Texans became official in 2002 and the National Basketball Association whose New Orleans Pelicans began that same year. Press J to jump to the feed. Hagaman, Ernst and McCormick combined to score 58 goals in 46 games for Peoria in 2019-20, accounting for 40% of the Rivermen goalscoring. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. "I don't know if all of them will come back to play. Photos / 3 days ago. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. "So those college players we'd normally be signing right now, a lot of them are going to become fifth-year seniors in the NCAA and stay there," Trudel said. The attendance at tiger sharks games were at about 3,000 a game and the closest team to Tallahassee is Jacksonville which is 2 and a half hours away mobile is way closer to Pensacola at 50 minutes. Still, the strength and interest in professional hockey have been evident across all three professional North American leagues and are causing a wave of growth. Also, when it comes to this pandemic, which sadly doesnt look to have an end in sight currently, despite the actions of people who wish to pretend otherwise. A fifth Rivermen player from 2019-20 center Alec Baer also had his rights returned to Peoria after spending last season with Birmingham. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. PHOTOS: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Knoxville Ice Bears - 02/18/2023. March 11, 2021 - 09:40 amAndrew Mossbrooks. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Want a gateway to the South? A team may dress eighteen regular players to a game. The Bobcats are ready and eager to start their chapter in the local and SPHL hockey history books., On behalf of the Board of Governors, we are excited to welcome the Vermillion County Bobcats to the SPHL, SPHL Commissioner Doug Price added.