The Free Press's Carlos Monarrez reports that there's a new hockey team in town:
Detroit's new minor league hockey team will be called the St. Clair Shores Fighting Saints and will play its first game at the city's Civic Arena on Stephens Road in early November.
The team's name, logo and colors were released at a news conference [Wednesday] afternoon.
The Fighting Saints become the latest member of the Federal Hockey League, which has teams in the Northeast and Midwest, including the Port Huron Prowlers, who captured the Commissioner's Cup championship in April.
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Former Michigan hockey standout Dave Debol, a St. Clair Shores native, has been named head coach and director of hockey operations of the Fighting Saints. The franchise will be run by Global Hockey Management and headed by Ontario businessman and former Czech player Michael Kolarik.
"We are here to stay, but we need to build a fan base," said [general manager Brandon] Contratto, 25, who played hockey at Michigan-Dearborn and then in the Czech Republic. "I think we'll be good, but there are plenty of challenges ahead of us."
Contratto said the 2016-2017 FHL schedule will be complete in a couple of weeks. But he's already hearing from players who want to join the Fighting Saints.
"I've had agents and players call me," said Contratto, who lives in West Bloomfield and coached as far away as New Zealand. "A lot of local metro players from high school and interest from players in the Czech Republic, Hungary and France. I've got some prospects in mind in New Zealand and Australia, too."
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