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With the Clark Cup and Memorial Cup in full swing, I've been forced to stay relatively close to home and looking forward to the end of the season. Yea, right. In the second Dish of the day, we are going to go over a few burning questions that are on the radar.
NAHL ALLIGNMENT
We know there are going to be four divisions, so with a process of elimination, let's take a stab at this.
WEST
Fairbanks
Fresno
Kenai River
Wenatchee
SOUTH
Amarillo
Corpus Christi
New Mexico**
Odessa
Texas
Topeka
Wichita Falls
CENTRAL
Aberdeen
Austin
Bismarck
Brookings
Coulee Region
Janesville
Minot
NORTH
Jamestown
Johnstown
K-Zoo
Michigan
Pt Huron
Soo Eagles
Springfield
Considering we are approaching the start of summer, one would think that we would not have to talk about where a team is going to play...right?
NEW MEXICO MUSTANGS
I'll go out on a limb here and just assume that New Mexico Mustangs' owner Ken Dennis is sitting on the edge of insanity. The laughing stock of the North American Hockey League has been everywhere searching for a new stable for his Mustangs.
First he tried to get into Dodge City where he was told no. Next, he spent too much time and resources going up against Jim Bouchard and his group in Johnstown. He checked out Dayton, Chicago, and even Laredo.
Buildings and markets that make sense, are uncontested, and otherwise available have been off the Dennis radar. Where? Shreveport-Bossier City is one. So is Little Rock, Beaumont, Tupelo, and even Birmingham-Pelham, Alabama.
The thing that gets to me is this. Why would Dennis put a big pile of BS on the front page of the team's website about being back, and then run around the country like an idiot sticking his nose into places he has no business being?
I think I can sum Dennis up with a single statement. He works in Hollywood. Yep, that explains everything. Chucky Slick has a better grasp on reality than Dennis.
JOHNSTOWN
The logo and name of the team is expected to be announced on Tuesday. Later in the week, the team's first coach will also get the Johnstown treatment. Very nice.
WENATCHEE
Their coach search has come to a huge end with the expected signing of one of the biggest names in all of junior hockey. I'll let that one simmer a bit.
PORT HURON
Steve Shannon and the team owner should be on the same page. I know that one United States Hockey League coach has been trying to call the owner about a coaching candidate, but somehow that coach is not on Shannon's short list.
SOO (THUNDERBIRDS)
Our own Randy Russon is telling me that the Thunderbirds are looking for a hard-nosed, no nonsense coach to take over the defending league champions.
AAU HOCKEY
After the Minnesota Junior Hockey League snagged eight of the former Great Lakes Hockey League teams, AAU has come into the picture to help organize a new league for the Midwest. As of today, it looks like everything is in order to make an announcement this week.
DANNY VASQUEZ
Somebody needs to tell Mark Hammersmith's boy that is never a good thing to pick a fight with me. Vasquez called last week cussing me out for digging up the dirt on him. I started cracking up laughing and asked, Who the heck are you? To that point, I'd had elected to not pay any attention to him. Well, obviously THAT phone call got my attention and this is what I discovered about Danny... he is a dog.
As the head-scout for the Chicago Hitmen, Vasquez was a key element of one of the biggest main camp scams in the history of the NAHL. Vasquez was telling sub-par prospects that the invitation was to the NAHL team's main-camp and that each were strong candidates to make that team. 205 players later, at $450 each, many prospects felt they were misled by Vasquez.
Fast forward to the month of May and it is discovered that Vasquez, he was also the coach for the Motor City Chiefs, went behind Gerry Lullove's back to try and start his own league. Considering that Vasquez has a pile of unpaid ice bills, no money, and a reputation that would gag a maggot, Danny boy did not get too far. Let's just say that Vasquez will not be running anything but a bench in the new AAU league, and maybe not even that.
TROPICAL ELITE HOCKEY LEAGUE
Stirling Wright has decided to create yet another new junior hockey league down in Florida. The Tropical Elite Hockey League has a logo, a team (Kissimmee), and a try-out scheduled.
Mike Chighisola, formally of the Northern Professional Hockey League, has listed himself as a coach. Oh boy, this one is going to be fun.
What do you think?
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