Team Sin Bin

A longtime season ticket holder at one time of the now defunct OHL Plymouth Whalers. Die-Hard fan of the Toledo Walleye now. A film critic on the side. A college basically living out of movie theaters and the Huntington Center.

I was born in South Dakota but raised in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. I was never much of a hockey player as basketball was my winter sport of choice. I became a huge hockey fan when I attended the University of Minnesota in the late 1960’s early 1970’s. I was a season ticket holder during the Herb Brooks years when he won NCAA championships in 1974,1976, & 1979 before he coached the Miracle on Ice Team in 1980. I was also a big Minnesota North Stars fan when they arrived in Minnesota for the 1967-1968 season.

Other than the time I spend following the Allen Americans, I enjoy hunting and fishing whether it is walleye fishing in Canada and Minnesota, Pheasant hunting in North Dakota, Bass fishing on the creeks of the Flint Hills in Kansas, fishing private ponds, dove hunting or turkey hunting in Texas.

Upstate New Yorker. Lifelong Adirondack hockey fan (Red Wings-AHL, IceHawks-UHL, Frostbite-UHL, Phantoms-AHL, Flames-AHL, Thunder-ECHL). You can find me in Section M at the Cool Insuring Arena during most Adirondack Thunder home games.

My three passions: Writing, photography, and hockey.

I am a student attending Valencia College and enrolled in their Sound and Music Technology program. While I am a Florida Panthers fan, I also am a season ticket holder for my home town team, the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL. I also will sometimes travel to other arenas such as the Germain Arena in Southwest Florida and the Charleston Coliseum in South Carolina. I even went to the WesBanco Arena to watch the Wheeling Nailers in the 2016 Kelly Cup Finals and to meet the Wheeling Nailers announcer DJ Abisalih.

My interest in hockey began 27 years ago when my uncle took me to the CapitalCentre (later USAir Arena) to see the Capitals take on the New York Rangers. Since that night I have been a loyal Caps fan “Rocking the Red” when it comes to NHL hockey. In 1996, my family moved to Wheeling, WV. I attended 2 late season Wheeling Nailers games with a high school group in March of 1997 and have been hooked on this ECHL team ever since.

I currently live in Wheeling, WV with my wife and son. When not around the rink I’m either working my full time job or playing with my son. I can be heard most Wednesday afternoons from 5-6pm on Steve Novotney Live on AM1600 WKKX Wheeling and on TuneIn radio app.

Josh Heistman was born in the wilderness north of Syracuse, NY, where his love for the game of hockey was nurtured by an uncle who adored Brett Hull. He’s been a suffering St. Louis Blues fan ever since. Relocating to the Manchester, NH area as a young child, he helped to rally for the creation of a hockey program in his school district, and his ragtag group of friends once defeated his high school’s squad in floor hockey intramurals.

He began seriously following the then-AHL Manchester Monarchs in 2002, and in 2003 began working as the producer for their radio broadcasts, a job he held until 2005. He has been a rabid fan ever since and has converted many of his friends to hockey fandom. This also includes his wife, with whom he won a scavenger hunt organized by the Monarchs in 2011 in order to win her an engagement ring.

He now lives in Brewer, Maine with his wife (possibly an even bigger Monarchs fan) and his pit bull.

Residing in Indianapolis, Indiana, I have played in hockey in Indianapolis for my entire life as well as followed several teams coming in and out of Indy. I have followed Indy hockey for as long as I can remember, starting with the CHL/IHL Indianapolis Ice, to the USHL’s Indiana Ice and now the Indy Fuel. When I am not watching or writing about hockey, I spend my time attending Ball State University and playing Division III ACHA hockey for the Cardinals. You can follow my personal Twitter account @mgrainda71.

Raised to bleed Garnet and Gold, Mike’s first passion will always be Florida State football. Though he does enjoy watching just about any sporting event if given the opportunity.

His interest in hockey grew when the team he occasionally followed (Quebec Nordiques) moved to Denver and raised the Cup in their first season. His love of hockey continued when his FSU-based fan size was rebranded in 2010 to become “Free Sports Press” and expand their sports coverage which included the Rapid City Rush (in their 2nd year of existence).

Witnessing them raise the Presidents’ Cup that season was an experience he’ll never forget and his wife have both enjoyed covering the Rush ever since.

You can follow along as I tweet all things Rush on Twitter @SinBinRush.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada Paige’s passion for hockey was ignited during the Calgary’s 2004 Stanley Cup playoff run.

Growing up a Flames fan, she followed their affiliation to Kansas City, as she attends the University of Saint Mary in nearby Leavenworth.

She studied Digital Mass Communications at Iowa Central Community College before transferring to USM in Fall of 2017 where she continues Communications studies.

Paige also represents the Spires on the Softball field where she is a pitcher in her Senior year.  Between her time on the diamond and homework, she can be found at the rink doing comprehensive coverage of Kansas City Mavericks Hockey.

My journey in hockey began in 1972 when my parents took me to a Pittsburgh Penguins game in the Igloo (Civic Arena) when I was four years old. The journey continued and indeed became a critical mass twenty years later when I attended the opening night of the Tulsa Oilers at the Tulsa Convention Center. I have not missed an opening night since then, which is a record spanning nearly a quarter century. When not covering the Oilers I cover other sports as a contributing writer and sports editor at Tulsa Today, a news website.

Growing up in Macon, Georgia did not prepare me to become a lifetime hockey fan. I went to a Macon Whoopee game in 1973 but had no idea what I was watching. Fast forward to 1992, and I saw the Atlanta Knights play (Steve Maltais got a hat trick that night). It was fast and fun – but it still did not resonate.

In 2008 though, I starting attending Atlanta Thrasher games, I was hooked, finally, I understood what offsides meant and the whole game crystalized right in front of me. Before the Thrashers unceremoniously were taken away, I became a season ticket holder and a rabid fan. Hockey truly is the best spectator and team sport. Since they left, I have been to ten additional NHL arenas ( I will eventually see them all) and have adapted the Atlanta Gladiators as my new team.

I write because there are compelling stories to tell, the games, the personalities, and the ice all create intrigue and drama that is unmatched in any other athletic competition. Let’s enjoy this ride together.

Ted Warren is a credentialed Media Member with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL. This season marks Warren’s first in the ECHL and fourth covering the Admirals. Prior to joining The Sin Bin, Ted spent three seasons with Thehockeywriters.com covering the Admirals . The 27-year-old will be bringing you features on players, coaches and everything Norfolk Admirals.

A native of Beamsville, Ontario, Tia Preece enters her third season as the Communications/Media Director for the Florida Junior Blades of the USPHL. Tia has served in media relations with the Florida Everblades (ECHL) and was named Media Team Of The Year for the 2016-17 season by the USPHL. Her work has been featured on Yahoo Sports, the Naples Daily News, BeyondTheBenches.com and Fox Sports.

Tia has graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Florida Gulf Coast University and is currently working towards the completion of her Master’s Degree in Mass Communications at South Dakota State University.

Grew up in Columbus, Ohio and was a fan of the Columbus Chill. My first hockey game was a Johnstown Jets game as a toddler, so I blame my love for the physical side of the game from that experience as a young boy.

I moved to Charleston in 1995 and have been a Stingrays fan ever since. I am a season ticket holder and sit on the Board of Directors for the booster association.

When the Army does not have me occupied doing my full time job, I am a self-confessed stats geek and will spend way too much time playing with numbers from several hockey sites.

You can follow me on my personal Twitter account @StingraysFan