2017–18 FHL season

The 2017–18 Federal Hockey League season is the eighth season of the Federal Hockey League. The regular season ran from October 20, 2017, to April 7, 2018, originally scheduled for 52 games for each of the six teams. The Watertown Wolves won the playoff championship, their second championship in the league.

2017–18 FHL season
LeagueFederal Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 20, 2017 – April 7, 2018
Season championsPort Huron Prowlers
Commissioner Cup playoffs
ChampionsWatertown Wolves
(2nd title)
  Runners-upPort Huron Prowlers

League changes

The first expansion team of the 2017–18 season was announced in August 2016 as the Carolina Thunderbirds in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[1]

In February 2017, the FHL announced it was partnering with a developmental league called the International Developmental Hockey League (IDHL) for the 2017–18 season.[2][3] It was originally intended to be focused on players between the ages of 20 to 23 who had aged out of junior leagues. At one point, the league website listed teams called the Baldwinsville Bandits, Elmira Express, Newark Diamonds, Palmyra Battalion, Syracuse Crush, and Watertown Whalers.[4] The league held a tryout camp on June 15, 2017, for prospective players. However, on June 26, the IDHL then announced it would not play and instead purchased the Watertown Wolves when the team's local ownership group, said to be exhausted from the emotional investment in running a professional sports franchise, backed out.[5][6][7]

After making it to the championship in the 2016–17 season, the Berlin River Drivers ceased operations due to the increased overhead costs of running the team and not selling enough season tickets for the following season.[8] The Danbury Titans would also fold for citing overhead costs and specifically workers' compensation insurance in Connecticut.[9]

When the schedule was released for the season, the Fighting Saints were listed with home games in Gravenhurst, Ontario, Témiscaming, Quebec, South River, Ontario, and Kingsville, Ontario.[10] They were eventually announced to have relocated to Kingsville as the North Shore Knights.[11] The North Shore Knights ended up rescheduling or forfeiting many home games after February 11, 2018.

The Cornwall Nationals folded during the season due to lack of funds despite sitting in second place at the time.[12] The Nationals had played 34 games with an 18–13–3 record by their cease of operation on February 20, 2018. The five Nationals' games that were to take place against the Watertown Wolves were replaced by a travel-only team called the Northern Federals, similar to the Delaware Federals of the 2011–12 season. The Federals played the Wolves four times, all loses, including one classified as an exhibition game.[13] All other games were immediately considered forfeits and were cancelled.

Standings

Final standings.[14]

TeamGPWLOTWOTLGFGAPtsPct
Port Huron Prowlers5341732246131131.824
Watertown Wolves52291265229163104.667
Carolina Thunderbirds5625245219719287.518
Cornwall Nationals4618250313113257.413
Danville Dashers5619293518219368.405
North Shore Knights446380010324818.136
Northern Federals303008310.000
  Advance to playoffs

Playoffs
Semifinals
(Best of 3) 		Finals
      
1 Port Huron Prowlers 2
4 Danville Dashers 0
1 Port Huron Prowlers 1
2 Watertown Wolves 3
2 Watertown Wolves 2
3 Carolina Thunderbirds 0

References
  1. "FHL Formally Approves Expansion to Winston-Salem, NC". OurSports Central. August 19, 2016.
  2. "THE IDHL IS BORN". OurSports Central. February 6, 2017.
  3. "FHL ANNOUNCES AFFILIATION WITH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL HOCKEY LEAGUE". FHL. February 17, 2017. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  4. "WEEKLY SPORTS LEAGUE & FRANCHISE REPORT". OurSports Central. June 5, 2017.
  5. "Watertown Wolves make changes in ownership, coaching ranks". Watertown Daily Times. June 27, 2017.
  6. "WATERTOWN WOLVES ANNOUNCE CHANGES". Watertown Wolves. June 26, 2017.
  7. "Last of local owners depart Watertown Wolves". Watertown Daily Times. September 29, 2017.
  8. "RIVER DRIVERS SUSPEND OPERATIONS". FHL. May 18, 2017. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  9. "Bruce Bennett reseases statement: Danbury Titans cease operations". Hamlet Hub. August 2, 2017.
  10. "St. Clair Shores Fighting Saints schedule". Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  11. "FIGHTING SAINTS RELOCATE TO KINGSVILLE, ON; BECOME NORTH SHORE KNIGHTS". FHL. July 19, 2017. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  12. "Cornwall Nationals fold". Cornwall Seaway News. 20 February 2018.
  13. "Federals' Scores". FHL. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  14. "League Standings". FHL. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
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