Night Sold, Moving to Rhode Island in ’24

One of the SHL’s original franchises is on the move. New York Night owner Marvin Kingman announced this week that he is selling his team to a group headed by import/export magnate Giovanni Carrozzi, who intends to move them to Rhode Island beginning next season.

The sale was not on the radar of league executives, and yet it does not come as a complete surprise. The Night have always faced an uphill battle for attention and fans in the New York City metropolitan area, which has three NHL teams.

“My heart will always belong to the Big Apple,” said Kingman. “And I tried for nine years to make a success of it here. But in the end, we just couldn’t make the numbers work.”

Compounding the issue, despite possessing a star-laden roster and frequently running one of the highest payrolls in the league, the Night have never made the playoffs. Prior to announcing the sale of the team, Kingman had already dismissed GM Jay McKay, who had been steering the organization for the last four seasons.

The team’s futility was long a source of frustration to Kingman, who had long expressed his expectations of a championship. “My great regret is that we were never able to bring the Vandy here to the greatest city in the world,” said the outgoing owner. “That was a real missed opportunity for us.”

Longtime Night C Brock Manning, who has been with the team since the SHL’s beginning, was chagrinned at the news. “I really enjoyed my time in New York,” said Manning. “I feel bad for our fans; it’s a shame there weren’t more of them. Actually, I suspect opposing players will miss the Night even more than I do. According to my friends on other teams, New York was everyone’s favorite stop on the road.”

The 53-year-old Carrozzi, a Providence native, is excited to bring top-level professional sports to his home state for the first time since the NBA’s Providence Steamrollers folded in 1949. “I’m thrilled to be able to put Rhode Island back on the pro sports map!” said Carrozzi. “We may be the smallest state, but our passion for sports, especially hockey, is huge!”

The new owner said that his first priority will be selecting a new GM to guide the franchise’s redevelopment. The team has several key free agents, and the GM will need to decide quickly whether to re-sign them and double down on the existing roster or pivot toward a rebuild focused on younger players.

“Obviously, my ultimate goal is for us to be a championship organization,” said Carrozzi. “Whether we have the horses to do that now, or if we need to take a step back before we can move forward… well, that’s for the new guy to figure that out.” The new owner said that the GM will also be responsible for deciding whether to retain coach Tony Hunt, who went 22-36-6 during his first season in charge.

Carrozzi said that the team will play at Narragansett Arena in Warwick, near the T.F. Green Airport about 15 minutes from downtown Providence. He said that he has not settled on a new name for the team yet, but has “several possibilities in mind.”

The sale and relocation are subject to league approval, but SHL Commissioner Frank Driscoll does not expect there to be an issue on either front. “We want our teams to be in places where they can thrive,” said Commissioner Driscoll. “Selecting a market we can have to ourselves instead of fighting for eyeballs with three other hockey teams seems like a smart play to me.”

Night, Bliss Dismiss Their GMs

In the SHL, the position of general manager is a fairly stable one. Over half of the league’s team still have the same GM as they did when they started. Coaches may come and go, but GMs are generally given ample time to see their visions through. That’s why it was such a surprise this week to see not one, but two teams dismiss their general managers.

Immediately after the end of the season, the New York Night announced the termination of Jay McKay, a move that was widely expected. McKay was widely considered to be on thin ice, and had been for some time. He had been with the Night for four seasons and had yet to deliver a playoff trip, much less a championship. Many around the league were surprised that McKay was not dismissed after last season, when the Night fired coach Flim Dahlgren. But McKay swung a pair of bold deals to acquire LW Rod “Money” Argent, C Napoleon Beasley, D Tony Citrone, and LW Waldo Miranda at the trade deadline, and he apparently convinced owner Marvin Kingman to give him another season to see things through.

Unfortunately for him, New York fizzled after a hot start, and never seriously competed for a postseason spot even in a broadly weak division. As a final twist of the knife, ex-Night coach Nick Foster guided the Washington Galaxy – a far less talented team than the Night, at least on paper – to an unexpected playoff berth.

The Night announced McKay’s dismissal via press release, thanking the GM for “his four seasons of diligent service” but noting that “ultimately, hockey is a results-based business, and [McKay] did not produce the expected results. As a result, we determined that it was time for a new vision at the top.”

Whoever succeeds McKay will need to make several key decisions on whether to re-sign several key players, including Beasley, D Dominic Sanchez, RW Ivan “Trainwreck” Trujwirnek, RW Harris Wondolowski, and Gs Sonny Kashiuk and “Jersey Mike” Ross. The new GM will also need to replenish a prospect pipeline that McKay spent several seasons building before trading away many of the Night’s top prospects at last year’s deadline.

While McKay’s firing was expected, a more shocking dismissal occurred the next day, when the Hershey Bliss parted ways with Scott Lawrence, the only GM the franchise has ever had. The Bliss knew that they would need a new coach next season, as Ron Wright had announced his plans to retire. Now they will be starting over in the front office as well.

Lawrence leaves behind a fairly impressive track record, as the Bliss made the playoffs four times during his tenure and even won a Vandy in 2017. However, the team has long had a reputation for underperforming, given its considerable talent. That 2017 title marks the only time that Hershey has ever won a postseason series.

“I’m really grateful to Scott for his service to the organization for all these years,” said Bliss owner Dean Sheridan. “He’s a skilled talent evaluator, and he always represented the organization with class and dignity. But with Ron retiring, I think it’s time for an organizational reset, a chance to start a new chapter, one that hopefully involves a lot of postseason success and additional championships.”

What this “new chapter” might look like next season remains to be seen. Unlike the Night, most of the Bliss’ top players are signed at least through next season. RW Elliott Pepper and LW Russell Nahorniak are the team’s most prominent pending free agents; Nahorniak is almost certain to retire, and Pepper may do so as well. Despite this season’s fifth-place finish, the team’s core is too talented to point to a teardown and rebuild. On the flip side, the team’s salary cap space is likely to be limited, making major free-agent additions unlikely. Might the team try to flip a piece such as C Spencer Kirkpatrick to bolster its defensive depth?

Lawrence’s firing also calls the team’s coaching succession into question. The widespread assumption around the league was that Morris Thompson, a longtime Wright assistant and former Saskatchewan Shockers head coach, would take over as bench boss upon his mentor’s retirement. But the new GM, particularly if this is truly supposed to be a “new chapter” for the team, might want to make his own coaching pick.

Neither McKay nor Lawrence seems likely to be a top contender for the other’s vacated position. But they may both be considered if other teams, such as the Portland Bluebacks or Kansas City Smoke, decide to make a front-office change. Lawrence in particular seems likely to be a top target for any GM jobs that open up.

“I wouldn’t expect Scott to be without work for long unless he wants to be,” said Sheridan. “Some organization will surely be smart enough to snap him up.”

West Rules, Playoff Races Scrambled in Interdivision Play

The SHL concluded its second and final round of interdivision play for the 2023 season on Tuesday. In the first interdivision round, which took place back in February, held in the East’s arenas, the teams of the West dominated. In the latest round, which took place out West, it was a different story. The West’s teams still came out on top, albeit by a narrower margin than last time. More importantly, the divisional dominance was less universal this time around. Some teams fared much better than others – and the results produced significant swings in the playoff races.

The top two teams in both divisions came through with flying colors. Among the Western contenders, the Anchorage Igloos fared best, going 6-2-0 in this round and 12-3-1 in interdivision play overall.

“As usual, we’re coming to the stretch run playing our best hockey,” said Igloos coach Sam Castor after his team routed the Hamilton Pistols 5-2 on Sunday. “Just the way I like to see it.”

Meanwhile, the first-place Michigan Gray Wolves went 5-3-0 to hold onto the division’s top spot. The Wolves’ homestand included a trio of wins against the Washington Galaxy by the combined score of 14-4. “We’re playing good, steady hockey,” said coach Gilbert McCoyne. “Nothing flashy, but that’s the kind of game that plays in the playoffs.”

On the Eastern side of the standings, the two Canadian clubs used the interdivision round to build a bit more breathing room from the rest of the pack. Hamilton went 6-2-0, keeping the pressure on the first-place Quebec Tigres, who posted a 5-3-0 record. The Pistols (11-5-0) and Tigres (9-7-0) were the only Eastern teams to finish with a winning record against the West this season.

“I think we and Quebec have shown pretty clearly that we’re the class of this division,” said Pistols LW Steven Alexander. “Pretty sure the division final is gonna be lit.”

Meanwhile, back in the Eastern pack, the Boston Badgers went 5-3-0 to establish a solid grip on third place. The Badgers surged past the suddenly reeling Washington Galaxy, who lost their last six games against the West to finish 1-6-1 in this round. The only thing saving the Galaxy from falling all the way out of the playoff picture is that the teams chasing them, the Hershey Bliss (2-5-1) and New York Night (1-6-1), had struggles of their own.

“We knew all along that this wasn’t going to be a cakewalk for us,” said Washington coach Nick Foster. “These last few weeks are going to be interesting. It’s a chance for our guys to prove themselves and show what we’re really made of.”

In the West, the Kansas City Smoke went 3-5-0, continuing to lose ground to the division leaders. And the Milwaukee Growlers failed to heed LW Zachary Merula’s warning against complacency, dropping the last two games of the round to finish 2-5-1. If the Growlers wind up missing the playoffs, they’ll certainly look back with regret at their division-worst 5-10-1 record in interdivision play. Milwaukee’s tailspin provided an opportunity for the Portland Bluebacks, who went 5-2-1 against the East to surge past Milwaukee into fourth place.

“You better believe we’re for real!” shouted Bluebacks RW Vince Mango in a jubilant locker room on Sunday after he scored the winning goal in overtime to down Hershey 4-3. “Our self-confidence is through the roof right now! We believe in ourselves and each other, and we’re taking this thing all the way to the wire!”

Across the season as a whole, the West went 59-46-7 in interdivision play, equivalent to a .558 winning percentage. But the East’s contenders are eager for the chance to reclaim divisional bragging right during the Finals.

“We are certain that we can match up against anything the West has to offer,” said Tigres RW Stephane Mirac. “Nobody will remember who won these midseason contests if we wind up with the Vandy in our trophy case at the end.”

Night Teammates Spar in Bench Brouhaha

The New York Night are seeing their season take a distressingly familiar turn. Entering into a season in with GM Jay McKay on the hot seat and owner Marvin Kingman publicly proclaiming his expectation of a championship, the Night got off to a hot start that put them in first place. After the first few weeks, however, New York fell back into the crowded middle of the Eastern pack. In the last couple weeks, they’ve fallen further behind; barring a turnaround, they’ll miss the playoffs for the ninth straight season.

Given the sky-high expectations and the disappointing results, it’s unsurprising that emotions are running high on the club. Tensions boiled over during Thursday’s game against the Saskatchewan Shockers, as a tough loss ended with a couple of Night players – RW Ivan “Trainwreck” Trujwirnek and LW Chase Winchester – throwing hands with each other on the bench.

The incident occurred with about five minutes left in the game, with New York trailing 4-2. Even though the game took place at Saskatchewan’ s Potash Arena, the Night had expected the rebuilding Shockers to be a fairly easy victory, and were thus displeased with the score. Still, the visitors had time to get back in the game, and they had the puck in the offensive zone, with Winchester controlling it near the blueline.

Trujwirnek slipped away from his defender and found himself open near the net. He tapped his stick on the ice to get Winchester’s attention, but the veteran winger ignored him. After Trujwirnek made several calls and stick taps that went unanswered, Winchester wound up launching a rather soft shot directly into the chest of Shockers goalie Zeke Zagurski. Trujwirnek threw his arms in the air and glared at Winchester, who looked at his teammate and shrugged.

Shortly thereafter, Saskatchewan got the puck out of their zone and dumped it into New York’s end, allowing both teams to change lines. As the Night players skated toward the bench, Trujwirnek was still barking and gesticulating at Winchester, who didn’t look back.

Once on the bench, Trujwirnek remained extremely upset. He smashed his stick against the bench, then continued angrily pointing and, according to teammates, insisting that he would have scored if Winchester has passed him the puck. “I had a [bleeping] goal wide open, and you didn’t [bleeping] look!” he shouted again and again, according to teammates. Finally, Winchester threw his arms forward and replied, according to teammates, “Let it go. We’re going to lose anyway.”

This set Trujwirnek off. He jumped down the bench, grabbed the front of Winchester’s jersey, and threw a wild punch that grazed the teammate’s helmet. Other Night players quickly jumped in to separate the two, and coach Tony Hunt clamped his hands on Trujwirnek’s shoulders and talked directly in his ear. At the next stoppage in play, D Rusty Anderson guided Trujwirnek down the ice and to the tunnel. (Unlike most SHL arenas, the locker rooms at Potash Arena is not directly accessible from the benches. Instead, players need to exit the ice in one of the corners and walk down a corridor.) Trujwirnek did not return to the bench for the rest of the game. Winchester stayed on the bench but did not re-enter the game.

During postgame interviews, Trujwirnek remained angry. “I can’t believe what [Winchester] said,” the winger told reporters. “We had a for-sure goal if he gives me the puck, but he don’t. I get mad, and he said, ‘Oh, we’re gonna lose,’ like it don’t even matter. To me, it matters. We are trying to win! Or I am, but maybe only me.”

Winchester said he hadn’t seen or heard Trujwirnek during the play in question. “I tried to apologize, but he wasn’t having it,” said the veteran. “He thinks I cost him a goal, which… I mean, I’m sorry, but I can’t rewind time. And it’s not like that play decided the game, so I don’t understand what he’s so hot about.”

Asked about Trujwirnek’s implication that he wasn’t trying to win, Winchester replied, “That’s just absurd. You think I wouldn’t like to make the playoffs for a change? But I’ve also been around long enough to know that you can’t get too steamed up about the outcome of a single game. Honestly, so has he. It’s not like he’s some 20-year-old kid. We’re all professionals here, and any suggestion to the contrary is inappropriate.”

Hunt downplayed the incident. “We’re getting to the stretch run here, and when things aren’t going great, guys are going to get steamed up,” said the coach. “I love Trainwreck’s intensity, and his burning passion to win. He usually focuses that passion on the ice, where it belongs, but today he couldn’t. Obviously, I don’t want to see any of our guys taking swings at each other, but from everything I’ve seen, this is a one-time thing. Ivan’s a professional, and so is Chase, and I’m confident they’ll move past this.”

Per team sources, they is no history of antagonism between Trujwirnek and Winchester, and it’s likely that – as Hunt said – this was a “one-time thing.” But it’s not clear whether it will affect either man’s long-term future with the club. Both players are on expiring contracts. The 36-year-old Winchester is expected to retire after the season. The 27-year-old Trujwirnek reportedly cut off extension talks at the break, and seems likely to test the market, particularly if he feels he can’t win a championship with the Night.

But that’s a problem for the summer. Right now, Hunt and his club have to deal with their sinking playoff odds, and try to get this season back on the rails while they still can. “The best cure for any locker-room grumbling is to win,” said Hunt. True enough, but if the Night don’t start winning soon, Thursday’s bench blowup might pale in comparison to the explosions to come.