HOCKEY, HOCKEY ... AND MORE HOCKEY

Before we get to the big leagues, let’s take a moment or two 

on the league that refers to itself as “Single A Minor 

Professional Hockey.”

On December 13, in Monroe, Georgia, the hometown 

Moccasins beat the Biloxi, Ga., Breakers 12-1 in a Federal 

Prospects Hockey League affair that lasted more than three 

hours … before a crowd of 3,589 that saw 39 penalties 

called for 185 minutes – which is extreme by any measure.

There were five fights, 10 misconduct penalties and most of 

the 21 minors were of the more aggressive kind, like 

slashing, high sticking and roughing. The Moccasins 

finished with 26 infractions for 106 yards. They scored five 

power play goals and one short-handed.

AUSTIN ALBNECT, a 29 year old, 6-0, 190 pounder from 

New Jersey, was first star … with seven points (2 goals, 5 

assists).

THIS IS the low-budget circuit, with 14 teams from Port 

Huron, Mich., to Baton Rouge, La., that seemed a best fit – 

if temporary -- for Richmond and its scheduled return to the 

Canadian game of shinny last seen officially here in 2009 

when the Renegades II went out of business.

You don’t require a big arena to play in the FPHL. Currently 

they range in size from 9,000-plus in Biloxi, Miss., to 2,500 

(approx.) in Danbury, Conn., and a tiny 1,500 in Watertown, 

N.Y., where the Wolves have won the most championships 

(3) since the league played its first game in 2010.

I know, I know … Richmond thinks its too good for that 

and, therefore, is holding out for either the AA ECHL or 

AAA AHL, preferably the latter once a scheduled 17-

18,000-seat facility is built in Henrico County – that is, 

assuming it is … after all the delays that postponed an 

original opening in 2026. Now they’re talking no earlier 

than 2028 which makes some sense considering they haven’t 

announced a builder much less broken ground.

JUST WHAT the game needs – a players’ strike, which the 

ECHL union reportedly is considering because its contract 

with the owners ran out without a new one in sight. The 

AHL players’ association has a handshake agreement not to 

walk off the job this season … which would really 

complicate things for the NHL’s scheduled participation in 

the 2026 Winter Olympics.

BOY, JOHN TORTORELLA doesn’t mess around, 

whether he’s behind the bench of an NHL team or working 

as studio analyst for ESPN:

“I watch Buffalo play, and nothing much has changed. They 

fire the general manager, and now everyone wants to get rid 

of the coach, too … and it pisses me off. The players have to 

take responsibility, too,” the coach between coaching gigs 

said Thursday night between the first and second periods 

when the Sabres were tied at one with the Flyers who had 

taken 28 shots to the home team’s six.

Torts is among a handful of coaches seen as a possibility to 

replace LINDY RUFF under new GM JARMO 

KEKKAIAINEN. Naturally, studio host STEVE LEVY

 didn’t bother to ask Tortorella if he was interested. “He’s 

still here, sitting next to me” was the best Levy could do.

Later on, he promised “not to talk about the Sabres any 

more,” noting Tortorella had been assigned the game several 

months ago.

So that was it. Torts was squirming, careful what to say 

especially about Ruff whom he could be (probably is) about 

to replace.

THE COMPLAINT about NHL game officials keep getting 

louder. Watching Buffalo’s 5-3 win over Philadelphia you 

could understand why. One makeup call after another while 

more obvious stuff kept getting ignored.

“I don’t know what happened there,” Tortorella said, 

referring to the Sabres looking like a different team from the 

second period on.. But …

“But I don’t buy it was something Lindy said. It was a 

different team. The way the [first] period was played … they 

were so soft. You saw Lindy’s interview. He even said they 

had to be more physical.

“I’m sure he said something but all these pundits who talk 

about all these adjustments that were made … sometimes the 

players are so tired they’re fixing skates and are so banged 

up half the time they’re not even listening to you.

“I don’t know what happened there, but they were a different 

team.”

And, in case there was any doubt, “Lindy’s a very good 

coach,”Tortorella said.

WHAT REALLY frosts some players and coaches is the 

league’s seeming unwillingness to come down hard on 

serious offenders. Suspensions have gone from 91 five years 

ago to 39 in 2024-25.

Most of the time, it seems, referees are reluctant to call stuff 

for fear they’ll be over-ruled. 

Of course, the league’s response has been predictable … that 

the players aren’t doing things worthy of being dealt with 

harshly as often as they have in the past. 

Right. Tell that to Tampa Bay’s BRANDON HAGEL who 

took a vicious elbow to the head from Florida defenseman

 AARON EKBLAD. Hagel suffered a concussion but 

Ekblad was not penalized during the 2025 Stanley Cup 

playoff game.

SAY THIS for the Federal Prospects, they might be on the 

game’s lowest rung, but they are at least trying to be 

transparent. Every week the Dept. of Player Safety issues a 

list of fines and suspensions … with explanations the NHL 

should do but won’t.

Consider the two suspensions that came out of the Sept. 13 

donnybrook in Monroe:

Biloxi’s JOSH ROSENZWEIG got one game. 

“For some unknown reason, Mr. Rosenzweig decided to 

jump an unsuspecting and unwilling opponent during a TV 

timeout,” the DPS wrote in part. “He also struggled with the 

linesmen for several minutes before leaving the ice surface … “

The Moccasins’ ANDREW BELLANT got three games. 

“With just over 2 minutes left in a game that his team was 

winning 12-1, Mr. Bellant took offense to being issued a l0-

minute misconduct, along with others during a scrum. Mr. 

Bellant added several levels to his general misconduct by 

threatening the official with bodily harm by using his stick 

then doubling down by using a slur that has been banned 

from the FPHL,” the DPS wrote (in part).

FRIDAY NIGHT (Dec. 20) in Allentown, Pa., at 2:11 of the 

second period, Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect LANE 

PETERSON scored the game’s first goal and thereby 

unleashed an estimated 13,000-plus teddy bears that came 

raining down on Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ ice.

“Teddy Bear Toss” has become one of – if not THE – most 

popular promotions, especially in the AHL, even if it means 

a delay of at least 15 minutes while literally hundreds of 

volunteers bag the soft, cuddly toys and clear the ice.

The visiting Hartford Wolf Pack went to their dressing room. 

The Phantoms stayed to help, in some cases be interviewed. 

“It was my first Teddy goal,” Peterson said.

Last year Lehigh Valley fans tossed a local record of 11,853. 

In fact, the number has gone up every year since the 

Phantoms collected 1,180 the first time in 2018.