New England Public Radio

Springfield, Worcester Have Found Themselves With Similar Hockey Problems

Springfield officials say they are looking for a hockey team to replace the Falcons of the American Hockey League, who appear headed for Arizona next year. Worcester found itself in a similar situation last year, but has managed to get back on its skates.

Worcester lost its AHL team, the Sharks, to San Jose last year. Worcester’s Chief Development Officer Michael Traynor says the city wasn’t actively pursuing a new hockey team, but was approached by an investor and reached a deal. The Worcester Railers of the ECHL, a notch below the AHL, will begin play in 2017.

In the meantime, Traynor says the city-owned DCU Center booked some events this winter to fill the void.

“The multiple dates of hockey games, you’re bringing a lot of people through the turnstiles, in the seats and selling concessions, so that’s something we don’t want to lose out on,” Traynor says.

Traynor says he believes the ECHL might expand again, and that Springfield would be a good fit for the league.

 

Deerfield River Remains Lone Boston 2024 W. Mass. Venue

The Deerfield River remains the only potential Olympic venue in Western Massachusetts… should the 2024 summer games come to Boston. That news came today as the group trying to bring the Olympics to Boston announced their revised bid to host the event. Boston 2024’s David Manfredi says the Deerfield River is an ideal site for canoeing and kayaking events.

“The beauty of the Deerfield is it has all of that elevation change that other olympics have had to build,” Manfredi says. “Through our lens of cost, our lens of durability, the opportunity (exists) to create a kayak and canoe center that would be permanent here.”

Venues for cycling and other preliminary events were not announced, but this spring, officials from western Massachusetts made a pitch for bringing some of those sports west. Team Handball games are also slated to be held at the D-C-U Center in Worcester.