This is the 2022-23 Federal Prospects Hockey League season. This is the league's 13th season.
Membership Changes[]
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.[1]On April 27, 2022 the league announced the return of a team to Elmira, New York for the 2022-23 season with a new team taking the name the Elmira Mammoth.[2]
The league would announce the addition of the Biloxi, Mississippi based Mississippi Sea Wolves for the 2022-23 season. The team will be based out of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.[3]
On April 29, 2022 the Motor City Rockers who were originally intended to begin play in 2020 issued a post on their website announcing that they are to begin play for the 2022-23 season. The team will be based out of the Big Boy Arena in Fraser, Michigan. The team is being lauched under a different ownership group from the one originally announced in 2020.[4]
An expansion team to be based out of the Raising Cane's River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is to be added to the league for the 2023-24 season without any formal announcement from the league.[5] A formal announcement was made on April 11, 2023.[6] On July 13th the announcement was made that the team will be called the Baton Rouge Zydeco.[7]
The league will be adding a team based out of the 5,300 seat Appalachian Exposition Center in Wytheville, Virginia for the 2023-24 season.[8]
In late March 2023 the operators of the Delaware State Fair Centre Ice Arena announced they would not be renewing the lease for the Delaware Thunder for next season. The team's fanbase was working on a petition to try to get the lease renewed.[9] On June 19th the team filed for dormancy for the 2023-24 season.[10]
On May 12, 2023 the management of the First Arena in Elmira, New York sent notification to the Elmira Mammoth that their lease was being terminated.[11] By May 26th, the team decided not to contest the decision.[12] A replacement team is going into the First Arena replacing the former Elmira Mammoth team another FPHL team announced on June 19th that it had hired a head coach, Tyler Gjurich, and an assistant coach M.J. Maerki.[13] On July 8, 2023 the team was announced as being named the Elmira River Sharks.[14]
Teams[]
Continental Division[]
| Team | Home arena | Capacity | City | Joined League |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | LJVM Coliseum Annex | 4,000 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 2017 |
| Columbus River Dragons | Columbus Civic Center | 10,000 | Columbus, Georgia | 2019 |
| Mississippi Sea Wolves | Mississippi Coast Coliseum | 9,150 | Biloxi, Mississippi | 2022 |
| Motor City Rockers | Fraser, Michigan | 3,300 | Big Boy Arena | 2022 |
| Port Huron Prowlers | McMorran Place | 3,400 | Port Huron, Michigan | 2015 |
Empire Division[]
| Team | Home arena | Capacity | City | Joined League |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton Black Bears | Visions Veterans Memorial Arena | 4,710 | Binghamton, New York | 2021 |
| Danbury Hat Tricks | Danbury Ice Arena | 3,000 | Danbury, Connecticut | 2019 |
| Delaware Thunder | Centre Ice Rink | 700 | Harrington, Delaware | 2019 |
| Elmira Mammoth | First Arena | 3,784 | Elmira, New York | 2022 |
| Watertown Wolves | Watertown Municipal Arena | 2,000 | Watertown, New York | 2010 |
Standings[]
Continental Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Thunderbirds | 56 | 40 | 12 | 4 | 278 | 176 | 117 |
| Columbus River Dragons | 56 | 40 | 11 | 5 | 255 | 150 | 116 |
| Motor City Rockers | 56 | 32 | 18 | 6 | 220 | 198 | 97 |
| Port Huron Prowlers | 56 | 28 | 24 | 4 | 232 | 231 | 86 |
| Mississippi Sea Wolves | 56 | 17 | 35 | 4 | 199 | 304 | 51 |
Empire Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danbury Hat Tricks | 56 | 44 | 7 | 5 | 251 | 156 | 129 |
| Binghamton Black Bears | 56 | 36 | 15 | 5 | 285 | 195 | 110 |
| Watertown Wolves | 56 | 20 | 32 | 4 | 160 | 217 | 57 |
| Elmira Mammoth | 56 | 14 | 35 | 7 | 162 | 270 | 48 |
| Delaware Thunder | 56 | 9 | 43 | 4 | 166 | 311 | 29 |
Note: Three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime loss, none for a regulation loss.
Commissioner's Cup[]
The top four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds area best-of-three. The final round is best-of-five.
Quarterfinals[]
- Carolina Thunderbirds defeated Port Huron Prowlers 2 games to none
- Columbus River Dragons defeated Motor City Rockers 2 games to none
- Danbury Hat Tricks defeated Elmira Mammoth 2 games to none
- Binghamton Black Bears defeated Watertown Wolves 2 games to none
Semifinals[]
- Carolina Thunderbirds defeated Columbus River Dragons 2 games to 1
- Danbury Hat Tricks defeated Binghamton Black Bears 2 games to 1
Final[]
- Danbury Hat Tricks defeated Carolina Thunderbirds 3 games to 2
References[]
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/enforcers-address-2021-2022-season/n-5727433
- ↑ https://www.pressconnects.com/story/sports/2022/04/27/elmira-returns-federal-prospects-hockey-league-elmira-mammoth/9542736002/
- ↑ https://www.mississippiseawolves.com/news/mississippi-sea-wolves-l-l-c-and-mississippi-coast
- ↑ https://www.mcrockershockey.com/news/new-ownership-group-picks-up-motor-city-rockers-ho
- ↑ https://www.brprohockey.com/news/baton-rouge-makes-first-staff-hire
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/baton-rouge-joins-fphl/n-5945234
- ↑ https://www.brprohockey.com/news/baton-rouge-zydeco-a-melody-of-louisiana-s-rich-cu
- ↑ https://www.wdbj7.com/2022/11/07/new-pro-hockey-team-headed-wythe-county-with-redevelopment-apex-center/
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5941534
- ↑ https://www.federalhockey.com/news/delaware-thunder-file-for-dormancy
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/steve-donner-responds-to-recent-headlines/n-5962079
- ↑ https://www.weny.com/story/48974312/mammoth-sports-and-entertainment-to-surrender-first-arena
- ↑ https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/elmira-announces-coaching-staff/n-5977524
- ↑ https://www.federalhockey.com/news/elmira-welcomes-the-river-sharks