This is the 2020-21 Federal Prospects Hockey League season. This is the league's 11th season.
The league was originally planning on beginning play on December 18th. The start date has been pushed back a few times and is now tentatively scheduled to start on February 3rd with only Elmira and Waterbury being cleared to play.[1] A schedule will be planned out as teams are cleared to compete by local authorities.
Membership Changes[]
On November 20, 2019 the league announced an expansion team for the 2020-21 season to be based out of the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, Illinois replacing the departed Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League.[2] The team would later be pushed back to 2021-22 as a result of hte COVID-19 pandemic.
The Battle Creek Rumble Bees would quietly fold during the off season. The first word on the folding would be the league announcing results of a dispersal draft.[3]
On July 16, 2020 the league announced the addition of a new franchise to be based out of Fraser Hockeyland in Fraser, Michigan.[4] On August 11th the team name was announced as the Motor City Rockers.[5]
In mid-October 2020, the league held a dispersal draft when the Delaware Thunder and Motor City Rockers announced they were going dormant for the 2020-21 season.[6]
On November 16th, the league announced that the Mentor Ice Breakers had ceased operations permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing revenue necessary to continue operations.[7]
On February 11th, the league announced that the league was now planning on a February 19th start with four teams beginning play at that time, Carolina Thunderbirds, Columbus River Dragons, Elmira Enforcers, and Port Huron Prowlers. More teams may be joining play as local circumstances allow.[8] Another report indicated that the Danville Dashers and Danbury Hat Tricks were unable to start due to local COVID-19 restrictions. The Watertown Wolves appear unlikely to play due to local restrictions and the unavailability of their arena after mid-April. Carolina is going to be playing all road games.[9]
On March 2nd, the Danbury Hat Tricks announced they would opt out of the 2020-21 playing season as the team had hoped for the easing of restrictions would be announced by the beginning of March and they had not in the state of Connecticut.[10]
On March 10th the Southern Professional Hockey League announced the addition of the Vermilion County Bobcats to their league for the 2021-22 season. The team will be based out of the David S. Palmer Arena in Danville, Illinois.[11] The arena had been home to the Danville Dashers of the Federal Prospects Hockey League since the 2011-12 season but the team was siting out the 2020-21 season. The city of Danville had recently voted to cancel the FPHL team's lease.[12]
On May 12th the league announced the addition of the Binghamton Black Bears as an expansion team for the 2021-22 season. The team replaces the former Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League as the city's team based out of the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena.
On July 31, 2021 the Elmira Enforcers announced that they would reluctantly be taking a leave of absence from the league due to issues involving the management of and the arena being open at all for the 2021-22 season.[13]
Teams[]
Active Teams[]
| Team | Home arena | Capacity | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | LJVM Coliseum Annex | 4,000 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| Columbus River Dragons | Columbus Civic Center | 10,000 | Columbus, Georgia |
| Elmira Enforcers | First Arena | 3,700 | Elmira, New York |
| Port Huron Prowlers | McMorran Place | 3,400 | Port Huron, Michigan |
Inactive Teams[]
| Team | Home arena | Capacity | City | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington Illinois Expansion team | Grossinger Motors Arena | 7,000 | Bloomington, Illinois | Delayed until 2021-22 season |
| Danbury Hat Tricks | Danbury Ice Arena | 3,005 | Danbury, Connecticut | Sitting out due to local restrictions |
| Danville Dashers | David S. Palmer Arena | 2,350 | Danville, Illinois | Opted out of playing for 2020-21; team then loses lease at arena |
| Delaware Thunder | Centre Ice Rink | Dover, Delaware | Team opted out of 2020-21 season | |
| Motor City Rockers | Fraser Hockeyland | Fraser, Michigan | Expansion team delayed to 2021-22 season | |
| Watertown Wolves | Watertown Municipal Arena | 2,000 | Watertown, New York | Sitting out due to local restrictions |
Standings[]
Due to only four teams playing the league used a single division format for 2020-21.
| Team | GP | W | L | OW | OL | GF | GA | Pts | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus River Dragons | 23 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 97 | 82 | 40 | .580 |
| Elmira Enforcers | 25 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 96 | 77 | 43 | .573 |
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 20 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 75 | 61 | 29 | .483 |
| Port Huron Prowlers | 24 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 77 | 122 | 26 | .361 |
Note: Three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime loss, none for a regulation loss.
Post Season[]
The league's post season will consist of a tournament that will not be for the Commissioner's Cup. Eligibility will be determined by point percentage (the league uses a three point system for each game). To qualify teams must hit a 16 games played threshold. The format is to be determined.[14] With only four teams the league decided upon a best-of-five series between the top two teams. The teams will play for the Ignite Cup.
Ignite Cup[]
- Columbus River Dragons defeated Elmira Enforcers 3 games to none
References[]
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/commissioner-announces-commencement-of-play/n-5660297
- ↑ https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/hockey/back-in-the-game-hockey-returning-to-bloomington-normal-with/article_f1dfd581-14e3-5a1a-98f2-c2cbf5df8716.html
- ↑ https://www.federalhockey.com/news/fphl-dispersal-draft-results
- ↑ http://fraserfphl.hockeyshift.com/news/fraser-michigan-official-as-fphl-s-10th-city
- ↑ http://fraserfphl.hockeyshift.com/news/fraser-fphl-team-set-to-launch
- ↑ https://www.federalhockey.com/news/breaking-news-fphl-announces-tentative-starting-da
- ↑ https://www.mentoricebreakers.com/news/mentor-ice-breakers-to-cease-operations
- ↑ https://www.federalhockey.com/news/fphl-announces-plan-to-restart-on-february-19-with
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5667112
- ↑ https://www.danburyhattricks.com/news/open-letter-danbury-hat-tricks-opt-out-of-2021-sea?fbclid=IwAR0A42X6kNXcw4yJ_fiFaZPQkBn8LUboBSiOJEgpQxqGJkv7Q_M7JwMKEGg
- ↑ https://www.thesphl.com/sphl-expanding-to-danville-il-for-2021-2022-season
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5674157
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/enforcers-address-2021-2022-season/n-5727433
- ↑ https://www.federalhockey.com/news/fphl-announces-plan-to-restart-on-february-19-with