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Josh Avedisian
1-7-09

This season did not start out as the Port Huron Icehawks hoped for. First their big name free agent signing Rob Valicevic, the former NHL player, leaves the team to pursue a career, then Jeff Bateman another big free agent signing leaves the team to also pursue a career, then of course the biggest of them all The KMG's bid to run McMorran Arena falls through. After that attendance continues to struggle, the team gets off to a horrid 0-4 start and fan favorite/fighter Rory Smith leaves the team to play lacrosse. What else could go wrong to start the Icehawks season.

How about if the league folded? Flint Generals Thursday games idea falls through big time. At times the Generals were only drawing 600 people to games and rumors started to swirl that the team wouldn't even make it through the season and if that happened the league would fold due to a void in the player's visas for going under 6 teams. Soon however Flint's owners would squash those rumors and said the team will not fold.

All of a sudden Don Parsons breaks the all time goal scoring record in minor league hockey and things seem to be looking a little bit better for the International Hockey League.

First its clear this season not one team will run away with first place which wasn't the case last season where at times the Fort Wayne Komets seemed unbeatable. Now the Komets are in 3rd place. The first place team Kalamazoo K-Wings are only 1 point ahead of 2nd place Port Huron. Things are tight for the battle for first place which will create excitement near the end of the season.

At the start of this season fights and excitement were hard to find in an IHL game. Things are now picking up as guys like Brad Macmillan and Justin Styffe are making this a tougher league then it was. Heck just last week the IHL had a goalie tackling a security guard, maybe old school hockey is back?

But what does this all mean if a 6 team league has 2 teams that don't look like they are going to survive much longer? Well good news was released yesterday that the Flint Generals will in fact be back for the 2009-2010 IHL season. That leaves Port Huron and maybe Bloomington as teams that could be teetering for next season.

I've personally heard that when the Kinney's came to Port Huron last season they made a 3 year commitment and don't plan on breaking it. Even though attendance has suffered again it has actually gone up slowly after Christmas and things seem to be looking up as KMG has said they are now interested in running McMorran Arena again and have been invited to sit down and talk with the new McMorran Authority. There's not much doubt that the Icehawks will be in Port Huron next season.

Also the IHL looks like it will be expanding from its original 6 next season. The Chicago Hounds, the former UHL team that folded after the 2006-2007 season, seem that they will be returning next season to the IHL. Their web site www.chicagohounds.com has a logo and says coming in the spring of 2009. Also there could also be teams from other cities as well.

So despite the poor economy around Michigan and despite the bad reputation the IHL has from some people around hockey. It looks more and more everyday that the IHL is going to survive and maybe longer then just a couple years. Let's hope the IHL and it's teams stay on this course and keep going up instead of going down for once.

KEVIN 01/07/2009
PORT HOURON GO WIN CUP IS YEARY

Becky L Roth 01/07/2009
Glad to hear that there will be more teams next year. Hopefully Chicago will make a go this next season.

GO HAWKS!!

Becky L Roth 01/07/2009
Glad to hear that there will be more teams next year. Hopefully Chicago will make a go this next season.

GO HAWKS!!

IceHawks 01/07/2009
More teams next year! GOOD STUFF!