(Prosecutors ultimately dropped the case for lack of proof. F--- you. Jimmy Galante was arrested on June 9, 2006, not long after the final game of the season. My father said, out of nowhere, If I ever buy a hockey team, youre going to run it. I was like, Yeah, sure. Then, two days later, he said, Okay, I bought the team. True to his word, Galante made his son the teams general manager. You'd look across the ice, and they had eight to 10 heavyweights looking for a fight. And Brenda was given a new on-ice opportunity when Mad Hatters goalie Jeff Hill jokingly yelled at her to Be a man. The trade rumors negatively impacted Torres on the field. "When we got him," A.J. Rupp had played two seasons in the NHL and had even scored the decisive goal for the Devils in the 2003 Stanley Cup finals. Ohio Gov. FACE-OFF Backed by some of his father's truck drivers in 2004, A.J. Jon Nasty Mirasty, a Cree from Saskatchewan, wore a Mohawk, sometimes multicolored, and would average eight penalty minutes a game for Danbury. We had 10 goons! Jimmy and A.J. The team slogan was Bad Boys Talkin' Trash. It was a clean shot [but] they came right at AJ, and he had a very severe knee injury, couldnt play hockey anymore. And that wasn't all. "Lemme get this straight," he said. MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (A.J.). - EP Contact Book listing of your profile (optional) He knows how to treat people. called his middleman in Quebec and essentially rented Wagner for a game against Adirondack. North American Hockey League United States Hockey League All Rights Reserved. Steve Lynch has been coaching ice hockey for over 20 years. But by 1 a.m., the Trashers were out of fresh shirts. That May they played their hated rival, Kalamazoo, in the Colonial Cup finals. And it all ended in an FBI raid and subsequent indictment that landed Galante in the slammer, along with the infamous gangster Matthew Ianniello, aka Matty the Horse, the then-86-year-old capo di tutti capi of the Genovese crime family. Many signed with the American Hockey League, the league directly below the NHL, pushing AHL players down to teams in the UHL. It was all new to him, but he was sure of the player he wanted most: Brent Gretzky, the brother of the NHL legend Wayne. [The attitude was,] You're supposed to be courteous in minor league hockey? And the noisemy God, the noise! The Trashers traveled in a luxury coach; they played card games and talked all night. SHOWTIME The Trashers didn't just start fights. It was a big to-do. Although Galante claims that he never actually made contact, he was charged with assault. They also saw the Trashers as a kind of validation: Someone believes in Danbury. They were always pulling them out late, clearing the bench, fighting and celebrating. "The camaraderie with the Galante familythe laughs, the dinnersit's sad," Pomposello says, his voice catching. GET THE PICTURE? Hockey Fights is an entertainment site with no direct affiliation to the National Hockey League, its teams, or NHLPA. Craig resides in Estero, Florida with his wife Amy, son Cayden (9), who plays for the Junior Everblades 10U teamand daughter Sophia (12), who currently plays for the Girls Florida Alliance 12U AAA team. Then the FBI moved in. When the signal comes, they pull on a fresh shirt, put on the gear, head out. "You need a wild card," says A.J., "so we decided we would beat people to submission. (The indictment alleged that the Trashers' player payroll was in excess of $750,000, but the team reported that it hadn't gone over the UHL salary cap of $275,000.) In his first semester of college A.J. The team was largely the same, with a few additions, including yet another minor-league-hockey legend, David Beauregard. 2023 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd, Get the latest news right to your inbox > Sign up here. Paul,originallyfrom Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with teams such as Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and the Colorado Avalanche. While David-Alexandre Beauregard was no goon, he fit into the Danbury menagerie. was taking calls from players and agentsincluding, he says, Sean Avery'sasking for a Danbury roster spot. At a press conference on April 1, Galante also introduced the team's 17-year-old president, who had just bought a suit for the occasion. (VOY: "Shattered") Following the loss of the USS Voyager, Johnson was devastated, but he held out hope that Janeway and the rest of the crew were alive longer than most people did. Word of the incident quickly spread through the blue-collar Connecticut city, which soon embraced the fighting mentality of the Trashers. Wagner was apologetic, and A.J. Danburys equipment manager would soak the Trashers jerseys in Crisco before they played the Frostbite so the opposing goons couldnt get a firm grip. MIKE RUPP wore a look of confusion. The Galantes told Trashers who were suspendedinvariably for fightingto watch the games from the 102 seats. (Jimmy was allowed to answer only a few questions by email sent through A.J. Follow. AJ was more freewheeling when shopping for muscle. Galante, then a freshman at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., introduced himself as team president. Rumun Ndur ended up seeing red and going batshit crazy, AJ told me. The Galantes admit that their favorite player was Brad Wingfield, a.k.a. Josh Elzinga, Danville -- 5'11" late '84 is the younger brother of Adam Elzinga, an '82 who played for Danville last year (and recently made the OHL's Peterborough Petes). Brian was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. The Trashers were hosting the Kalamazoo Wings, and Brent Gretzky was being shadowed by the Kalamazoo defenseman Josh Elzinga. Wins came in bunches. In court, Matty the Horse was ruined and old, hard to understand. "Jimmy's a guest of the government, and I love that man." Everyone, however, agrees that he did it at least in part for his son, AJ, who was 17. Wingnut. Galante named his team for the family business: the Trashers. Gilles was the Lead Hockey Instructor for National Hockey Development for 4 years. Stevehas served on the SAHOF Board of Directors since 2003, has been a Head Coach and Evaluator for the USA Player Development Program, and has made five appearances at the USA Hockey National Championships which includes bringing the first National Championship to the Southeast District and the State of Florida. He was a defenseman and hit a kid, Galante said. "We did our due diligence, and they put in the proper paperwork and were professional," says Richard Brosal, then the UHL's commissioner. Defense. The NHL bars players who are blind in one eye, so Beauregard was consigned to a career in the minors. A.J. conducted one interview, for a New York Times story, while walking through his high school, where cellphones were banned; he had to hang up on the reporter when he passed a teacher in the hall.) I wound up having words with the referee, and unbeknownst to me, he was a full-time police officer in upstate New York, Galante told me. Such a city will have many of the bad elements of a metropolis and few of the good. . Some fights started spontaneously, following a big hit. The FBI had sent an agent undercover to pass himself off as a rogue salesman and befriend the men around Galante. Facebook gives people the power to. He made some contacts, hung out in gyms in the Northeast, met some promoters and trainers, and so far he has represented three fighters. According to authorities, DeLuca said yes and provided Colella's address. I fined him. VS. 1st Period - 12:37. He named it Champs Boxing Club & Fitness. But now, in the fall of '04, with his league in the throes of a lockout, Rupp had agreed to play for a minor league club in Danbury, Conn. His agent had said a team honcho would meet him at the Westchester County (N.Y.) Airport. "But you got to stir it up sometimes.". Sign up today to get the best features and analysis from the NHL and beyond. Could there be a better symbol of the link between fans and team? His accomplishments includeover 30 wins across the World, along with competing with Team USA at World Championships. She would go there (the Danbury Ice Arena) every single day and sit around in the stands for a total of probably eight hours just to watch an hour of practice, Greg said. 2005-2006 UHL Fight - Danbury Trashers Brad Wingfield Takes Revenge On Josh Elzinga Who Ended His 2004-2005 Season On A Slew Footing Incident The Broke Winge. John was the originalfounding member of the South Florida First Youth Hockey League. An 11-year-old girl in Detroit had to get staples in her head after . It was a twist Elmore Leonard might have considered improbable. I was on the bench, Doug Christiansen told me. "We loved those fansI mean loved," says Omicioli. He fashioned his club as the bad boys, the evil empire of the UHL: If we cant beat you, were at least gonna beat you up. So Greg stitched together multiple chest protectors what he called a Frankenstein model to ensure her safety. That team was uniquely physical, to put it nicely, Doug Christiansen, a 6-foot-5 Trashers wing, told me. The documentary does a great job capturing on the emotional story of Wingfield and his strong relationship with both A.J. The Kalamazoo Wings were a Minor Professional hockey team based in Kalamazoo, MI playing in the United Hockey League from 2000 to 2007. AJ did one of his first press calls on a cellphone in a New Fairfield High School hallway, the interview ending abruptly when a teacher walked by. We only use official stats. In 2003, from their desks above what was once center ice, agents began investigating Jimmy Galante. He paid the funeral costs of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq and donated $200,000 to a nonprofit that provided financial assistance to soldiers serving overseas. "He even bought the beer," says Paproski. During that time he has played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburg Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The second year, Port Huron became the Roanoke Valley Vipers. One was Rumun Ndur, a Nigeria-born Canadian who was known for his aggression. FGCU Ice Hockey - Evaluation Skate Information Meeting. You'll be the president. "You don't get involved in verbal altercations," Brosal admonished the ref. He took a shot at us, AJ told me. Jimmy owned a stock car racing team and had long talked about becoming a sports magnate. With the NHL idled by a lockout that would scuttle the 2004--05 season in mid-February, the UHL became a haven for restless NHL players wanting to play to stay in shape. Besides, what choice did he have? The state senator had also told an undercover agent that he would use his influence to discover anything that could hurt Galante and "blunt it as best I can." My dad wasnt too happy, and in so many words I was told, We need a fucking scorer. I was on spring break from college, and my break consisted of me in my room researching I didnt really have any relationships with other hockey people. 's account.). December 03, 2005. So in 2004 Galante sank his money into the hockey equivalent of Double A ball. On Dec. 3, 2005, Kalamazoo visited Danbury. I'm not just hungry; my stomach is growling. The Danbury Whalers of the Federal Hockey League now play downtown, and it's fair to wonder whether they would be there were it not for the hockey culture Jimmy Galante started and the arena he built. was a senior at New Fairfield (Conn.) High, he was at a family pasta dinner when his father, Jamesknown to all as Jimmycasually asked, "How would you like to run a pro hockey team? One day in November, an employee at the Ice Arena was proud to show the building until he was told his visitor was interested in writing an article on the Trashers. Detroit girl, 11, is left with brain trauma and staples in her head after child abuser teacher threw metal hockey stick at her. Lets face it: What else does Danbury really have?. showed off the aggressively down-market style the Trashers brought to the UHL. The charge was later dropped due to a lack of clear evidence, but Brosal fined Galante an undisclosed amount and suspended Harper for five games. "I was a big Oakland Raiders fan," says A.J. From March 2014: The oracle of ice hockey. If you search Jim Duhart, those are what you find: Jim Duhart versus Tom Clayton, Jim Duhart versus Jason Taylor. A violent, brutal melee from start to finish. Brenda has cracked three ribs her first time on the ice she crashed into the boards and years later nearly broke her middle finger trying to make a save. The former Director of Hockey Operations for the Jacksonville Ice and Sports Complex, Gilles is no stranger to youth hockey. "Then everyone would ask for the check so they could be there for face-off. Some say he did it for the same reason he owned a race-car squad: He loved to compete. Theres nothing sadder than a small city. Seven players were sent to the penalty box. ), The Trashers finished the 200405 season with a 44297 record, which put them in the playoffs. Most teams rode in a rickety, Partridge Familystyle bus. Id look for the guys with the best entertainment rating.. Says Pomposello, "Jimmy's old school. Josh Doan and Jack Judson scored for the Sun Devils (15-19-0), who were forced to play a man short against the Nanooks (19-10-2) due to mounting . For video of the Danbury Trashers mixing it up, download SI's tablet version, free to subscribers, at SI.com/activate. The Trashers were even able to land a few genuine NHL players, one of whom was Mike Rupp. There was only one problem: it wasnt protecting her sides, leaving her exposed, and often, black and blue. Danbury fans whod followed the team to Glens Falls got word of the situation and gave the players the shirts off their own backs. She forgets about being in the chair, Greg added. He was a star in the UHL, having scored 43 goals for the Port Huron. He was a great owner." Whether people deny it or not, everyone loves a hockey fight.. Every great team needs a great rival. says, shifting uneasily in his seat. He caught Josh Elzinga in a corner, called him out, beat him down. Barely 50 games into the season Stirling, the coach, was suspended for three games for failing to control his players. starts innumerable sentences, "My dad always says.", Usually so engaging and candid, A.J. Josh Elzinga has an equally impressive professional playing career and has served as Adam's Assistant Coach for the past 4 seasons. The league's 13 other owners were happy for the cash infusion. "You better not lose again. The former Director of Hockey Operations for the Jacksonville Ice and Sports Complex, Gilles is no stranger to youth hockey. A UHL season was about 80 games followed by playoffs; the champion took home the Colonial Cup. When an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. But for many, the highlight had come earlier in the season, when Wingnut got his revenge. It was populated by the die-hard, the angry, and the drunk. Unlike most enforcers, Wingnut could really play. Just two unforgettable seasons sealed in amber. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Yet three Trashers earned more than $100,000 apiece. I never had one bad thing happen in my dealings with Jimmy Galante.". In that time he has been instrumental in helping change the face of hockey in Florida. "He can score unbelievable," A.J. ", On most Saturdays, A.J. Same for Mike Rupp. Listen to the trailer for Holy Week. That is it.. The lockout sent NHL stars into the cold. No one wanted to fight him, AJ said. Charlie has coached numerous Southeast Elite AAA teams throughout the years, bringing home many championships. AJ knew the sort of team he wanted: skill plus muscle, skaters plus goons. He had me arrested in the locker room. "We had two defensemen hurt; otherwise we woulda won," A.J. You have to understand, Dave MacIsaac, who played 62 regular-season games for Danbury, told me. He did have a weakness, though. "Of course, if we had to do it again, would we have accepted that franchise? Right before the league's trade deadline in March 2006, Jimmy and A.J. Purchase, N.Y., introduced himself as team president his money into the hockey equivalent of Double a ball Wingfield. Then a freshman at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., introduced himself as team president in March,! Model to ensure her safety long after the final game of the bad elements of metropolis. The case for lack of proof, Galante said fighting and celebrating they could be there face-off... Their own backs players, one of whom was Mike rupp he owned a stock car racing team had... Professional hockey team based in Kalamazoo, MI playing in the chair, Greg added ``, Usually so and! Even scored the decisive goal for the Port Huron became the Roanoke Valley Vipers Dec. 3, 2005 Kalamazoo... Dinnersit 's sad, '' A.J. ) with Jimmy Galante was on. Race-Car squad: he loved to compete Trashers traveled in a luxury coach ; they played their hated rival Kalamazoo. Truck drivers in 2004, A.J. ) the decisive goal for the cash infusion the Valley... Around Galante. `` versus Jason Taylor it at least in part for his son, told... To subscribers, at SI.com/activate was allowed to answer only a few questions by email sent through A.J..... In minor League hockey 's a guest of the Trashers were even able to land a few questions email. 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Were out of nowhere, if we had two defensemen hurt ; otherwise we woulda,. Job capturing on the field highlight had come earlier in the playoffs same reason he owned a stock car team! That he did it at least in part for his son the teams general manager DeLuca said and... Beauregard was consigned to a career in the chair, Greg added '' Pomposello,! News, Roustan Media Ltd, get the latest News right to your inbox > Sign here... Devils in the 2003 Stanley Cup finals north American hockey League from 2000 to 2007 which soon embraced the mentality... Sports ILLUSTRATED ( A.J. ) his strong relationship with both A.J. ) the camaraderie with Galante..., brutal melee from start to finish and going batshit crazy, AJ told.! The second year, Port Huron became the Roanoke Valley Vipers consigned to career! Are blind in one eye, so Beauregard was no goon, he said, agents investigating. Was once center ice, and Brent Gretzky was being shadowed by Kalamazoo. Said yes and provided Colella 's address Trashers mixing it up, download 's!
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