Staff
Nothing is written in stone—or carved in ice—at this point.
But there is a strong possibility the SIJHL may be reduced to five teams for the 2014-15 season as the Wisconsin Wilderness reportedly may be folding.
A post on the team’s website from May 9 stated the doors of the Spooner Ice House, Wisconsin’s home rink, have been closed since April 27 by facility and team owners Lars and Katie Geary due to operational costs.
“With little to no investment money, and major setbacks in repairs to the Zamboni and rink, making the necessary energy upgrades to the building is nearly impossible,” read the post.
“Without those upgrades, the building will continue to draw more power then it needs, therefore making the cost of its utilities more than the building is capable of supporting,” it added.
The Wilderness finished last in the SIJHL regular season with a 5-53 record in the first year of its newest incarnation.
The former Wilderness franchise won two-straight SIJHL crowns before pulling up stakes and claiming a third-straight title as the Minnesota Wilderness in the 2012-13 season.
The Spooner Ice House hosted the mid-season “SIJHL Showcase”, which sees
numerous college, junior, and professional scouts attend the three-day event to get a good look at possible future prospects.
Sportswriter Bill Thornley of the Spooner Advocate newspaper said yesterday a new buyer for the facility reportedly has been found.
But Thornley was unable to confirm the name of the purchaser or whether that person was willing to purchase the hockey team, as well.
In related news, the SIJHL’s annual general meeting is being held in Fort Frances tomorrow and Saturday.
