New ECHL team in Indy! (Indy Fuel)

[michel 1]

Today in Indianapolis the new ECHL team, the Indy Fuel, held a press conference, unveiling their name and logo. No NHL affiliate was named, but the pics sure look like the colors were inspired by the Calgary Flames. Can't imagine that is a likely match, as I don't think you can get from Indy to Calgary without making several inconvenient layovers on the way!

The team will play in the currently-being-renovated Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The arena was first built in 1939 and was basically gutted to bring it up to date. A really nice youth arena adjacent to the Coliseum was recently opened and is a great place for the kids to play.

The USHL Indiana Ice has been great, but there is nothing like professional hockey! Hopefully the city can support both teams. It will be interesting to see if the Ice make a marketing push.

Here are some photos of their new logo on a puck (I snagged two...) and a large banner.

[thejackal 46]

Whenever I see a minor pro team open up, I think to myself how cool it'd be for the team to hold open tryouts, and then get media (in-house, local or national) to document the whole thing. might create some interesting storylines, and maybe even launch a pro career or two.

best of luck to the new franchise. not easy making ends meet as a new team, esp at lower levels.

[akravetz 29]

Here in Peoria, for the class A level SPHL team that came in here, a lot of guys tried out from our beer league. They were from the top tier but a few guys from the bottom tier tried out which was kinda comical. Peoria has always had either a Triple A or a double A so a single A is a new thing. There were a few guys from a local junior team who made a showing as well as from local colleges and from the beer league. But for the most part, the team is mostly college players

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Orlando in the ECHL had an open tryout and extended 3 to the main camp. I think overall, they ended up dressing 3 players from the local beer leagues at different times of the season.

[Stewie 721]

a lot of the ECHL affiliations dont make regional sense, IE the Kwings and Vancouver, Orlando is Toronto and Minn, Stockton and the Islanders. the Flames already have an ECHL affiliate in Alaska, however, and not sure if teams can double up, or how easily those affiliations move around. my guess is that the colors are strictly coincidental, a lot of ECHL teams dont match colors with their affiliates, especially since many of them have multiples.

[SirJW 207]

The Reign use Beer League Goalies as back ups from time to time and also get back ups for the visiting teams as well from the local area.

[Stewie 721]

The Reign use Beer League Goalies as back ups from time to time and also get back ups for the visiting teams as well from the local area.

no one tops the Las Vegas emergency goalie. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/las-vegas-backup-goalie-neil-diamond-impersonator-yes-141733864--nhl.html

[pittu 15]

As Stewie said, the Alaska Aces are a Calgary affiliate. They used to be a STL Blues affiliate, not sure why it changed though...

Prior to the Aces being an affiliate, I know they would occasionally pick up local players that were former echl level players just to fill in for injuries and what not...picking up beer league goalies at the ECHL level seems pretty sketchy for a professional organization, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do I guess...