SPHL

Fantasy sports are insanely popular among sports fans. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, about 59.3 million people play some sort of fantasy sporting game among major sports. And now, the number just increased by seven. For the first time, we at Team Sin Bin decided to have a bit of fun this season and start up our own fantasy hockey league exclusively involving SPHL players.

MACON, Ga. -- For the second time in team history, there’ll be a new head coach behind the bench for the Macon Mayhem. Leo Thomas, Macon’s assistant coach the past two seasons, was elevated to the top spot in the offseason after Kevin Kerr took the same post with Greenville in the ECHL.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Last season, new Knoxville Ice Bears head coach Jeff Carr completely revamped the roster from the one set by the previous coach, Mike Craigen. This season, Carr looks to reboot the roster again with only nine holdouts from last season on the opening night roster in hopes that his sophomore season will produce more success than his first one.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Last season, the Evansville Thunderbolts looked to be the dark-horse team in the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Bolts were 19-7-5 late in January and threatening to become a serious threat at the top of the league standings. 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Three years ago, the Huntsville Havoc finished off by far the worst season in franchise history. An 11-38-7 finish, winning 23 fewer games than league champion Peoria, doomed them to the SPHL basement. Many were calling for the ouster of head coach Glenn Detulleo, but Havoc ownership showed patience.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The reset mode didn’t fare very well for the Marksmen a year ago as things went from bad to worse early on and never really recovered in Fayetteville in a season that saw the team manage just 30 points.

ROANOKE, Va. -- There is new enthusiasm in the Star City this season, as the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs have former Peoria Rivermen captain Dan Bremner for his first full season in charge of the Dawg Pound.

MOLINE, Ill. -- The Quad City Storm are gearing up for the oncoming season, as only a few days separate today from opening night. It’s a new name, new league, and new team that will be hitting the ice at the TaxSlayer Center on October 20th, and most names on the roster are new to area fans.

The Peoria Rivermen will start their sixth season in the SPHL on Saturday. As always in minor hockey, there’s some new faces on the roster mixed with returning players.

PELHAM, Ala. - The Birmingham Bulls are preparing to start their second season in the SPHL. The expansion season of 2017-18 was one of...