Shades of Oggie Oglethorpe! Two cities in upstate New York, Danbury, Connecticut and Ottawa, Ontario have joined forces to create a new Federal Hockey League. The league promises to start operations in the 2010-11 season.
The Federal League, made famous by the movie Slapshot! Supposedly existed in hard scrabble towns like Johnstown and Syracuse, real rust-belt towns that still support minor league hockey teams. Promising a 60 game schedule of A level hockey, the league plans to add at least two additional cities before next season, it says.
4 Comments
HawksFan71 said:
Two problems will this idea. First, there is no way that the league can live up to the hype caused by its name. Specifically, those expecting to see violence on the level of Slap Shot will inevitable be disappointed. Second, it would seem that the viability of an "independent" league (i.e. one that is outside the NHL-AHL-junior hockey structure) has come and gone. That having been said, best of luck to the new FHL - you're gonna need it.
Patrick Boylan said:
I've been talking to people in the minor leagues and will update this as soon as I can. The apparent league idea is to give a nod to Slapshot. And, to be fair, the UHL (now the IHL) was a grittier league than even the ECHL. The UHL failed in Chicago, but might have a place in small markets, such as Oneida, NY.
The Quebec League, the LNAH, is in a market that demands great hockey and found a place for the grittier style. Come on, you'd love a team that featured $1 beer, $1 hot dogs and a promise of a fight every game, wouldn't you? (Not that the new Federal League is promising that. At least not every night. BTW, I'm here in K-Zoo for tonight's game and it is $1 Beer and Hot dogs!
icecreamcakemaker5 said:
Perhaps Oneida, NY would be a great place for the FHL's Northern NY team but since ALEXANDRIA BAY,NY will be home to the 1000 Island Priveteers we may never know.
Jane Rickard said:
Alex Bay will be the home to a FHL team? What a great choice, they will be able to draw from the Canadian market as well as the US.
I spent more than a few weekends scuba diving at Alex Bay years ago and remember it well! Is the bar with peanut shells on the floor still open? I can remember singing myself voiceless on several occasions there....
Maybe a trip to visit my relatives that live above the redline is in order!
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