He took a shot at us, AJ told me. Launching an expansion hockey team in Danbury seemed less like a vanity play than a natural progression. The game plan was 'Keep your cool and you'll get a power play,' but it didn't always work out. called his middleman in Quebec and essentially rented Wagner for a game against Adirondack. The gangster shrugged: What can I say, right? Like any father, you want to be able to do something for your son.. ago] Height 5.11 -- Weight 175 [180 cm/79 kg] Embed Josh Elzinga stats! "Then everyone would ask for the check so they could be there for face-off. Questioned about the no-show jobs, former players laughed and changed the subject. Born 1984-09-30 in Burbank, Illinois. We only use official stats. "We loved those fansI mean loved," says Omicioli. Besides, what choice did he have? She had always wanted to play in a game and afterward she kept talking, Did you see this save and that save? It was really, really great. Like Mike Tyson in his prime.". First year, he was playing for the Port Huron Beacons, killing us. Josh Elzinga vs. Brad Wingfield, December 03, 2005 - Kalamazoo Wings vs. Danbury Trashers. On June 8, 2006, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office announced that Galante was the subject of an indictment that included charges of fraud, extortion, racketeering, tax fraud and conspiracy. THEY WERE EVEN WELCOME TO STAY IN THE GALANTES' GARGANTUAN HOME. Listen to the trailer for Holy Week. Hockey Fights is an entertainment site with no direct affiliation to the National Hockey League, its teams, or NHLPA. But as Wingfield skated away , Elzinga stuck his leg out and pulled back on the left wing's jersey. 2023 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd, Get the latest news right to your inbox > Sign up here. Marc's experience as a professional Triathlete and coach with Team USA brings an understanding of the whole body and the athlete to the Ice. 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. 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. HOCKEY IS BACK!!!. "Frank would have been a hell of a Danbury Trasher," A.J. The United States government came in and seized my assets, and one of the assets was the team, Galante told me. Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read. says wistfully. My son plays there eight or nine times a year. First of all, he was a really good player, AJ explained, and second, the name recognition.. . MIKE RUPP wore a look of confusion. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. People were like, What the hells going on over there? And theyd do some research and see how young I was, and the fatherson dynamic and the type of fighters. Latest Fights Date Players Videos 03/01/09 R. Sexsmith ( EVI) vs. J. Elzinga ( CBZ) 3rd Period 18:55 Watch 11/24/06 M. Versteeg-Lytwyn ( KAL) vs. J. Elzinga ( PHF) 1st Period 12:37 Watch 03/12/06 J. Elzinga ( KAL) vs. D. Van Drunen ( MUS) I was on the bench, Doug Christiansen told me. He scores like it's drinking water. The 2004 05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would . The Trashers traveled in a luxury coach; they played card games and talked all night. The trade rumors negatively impacted Torres on the field. ago] Height 6.02 -- Weight 205 [188 cm/93 kg] Regular Season. This summer, she took multiple trips to the ER for what she believes is a pinched nerve in her neck. He had once set a record in the West Coast Hockey League with 503 penalty minutes in a single season. We had 10 goons! "You better not lose again. It was a twist Elmore Leonard might have considered improbable. was taking calls from players and agentsincluding, he says, Sean Avery'sasking for a Danbury roster spot. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Soon they were regulars, and at one game they renewed their marriage vows. When asked whether they knew anything about the other side of Galantes life, most said something along the lines of Not exactly, but we did know we were well taken care of. And what's more entertaining than a bunch of crazy guys getting into fights?". "He must've thought he was on Punk'd or something. Marc uses a basis of skating and skills rather than hockey concepts oversystems through proper small area games. It was a different day of hockey., Life for the Trashers was life on the road, going from small city to small city. The team's actual payroll would later be estimated at $750,000. Submit changes (incorrect DOB, missing stats, incorrect stats, social media links etc) using a web form and we will review your update request within 24 hours and update accordingly. SON CONNOR IS NOW PLAYING IN THE USHL (WATERLOO BLACKHAWKS), Played in over 1,000 games in the NHL, AHL, Swedish Elite League, Finnish National League and more, Private hockey instructor with Saveology.com Iceplex team, Former Assistant Coach for the Florida Everblades (ECHL) during the 09-10 season, Currently the Director of Hockey Operations at TPH Ft. Lauderdale, National Hockey League (NHL) Alumni for the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings, 2013-current -Coach with the Florida Alliance/Southeast Elite Program, 2012-current -Coach with the Florida Jr. Everblades, Player for the United States men's ice hockey team in three Olympic's (2002, 2006, and 2010), Playedfour years at the University of WisconsinMadison, This website is powered by SportsEngine's. Brad WingfieldWingnutchallenged Elzinga: Drop em; lets get it on. Though the camp was postponed until September, the St. Clairs decided to head south, meeting Vogel at Ice Line in West Chester, where he learned to skate as a kid. Josh Elzinga vs. Brad Wingfield, December 03, 2005 - Kalamazoo Wings vs. Danbury Trashers . (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.) "You shoulda seen Rupp," Galante recalls, laughing. All would plead guilty, as would Galante. ", "WE LOVED THOSE FANS," SAYS OMICIOLI. . There was only one problem: it wasnt protecting her sides, leaving her exposed, and often, black and blue. Following a successful junior hockey career, he played four (4) years of college hockey at Eastern Michigan University, where he was a CSCHL All-Star in 2001. began moonlighting as a boxing manager. But a small city, full of drifters and vacant lots, faded Victorian houses lining its weed-buckled streets, is ruinously sad. Mathieuhas had a lengthy professional career that spanned over a 14 year period. AJ was more freewheeling when shopping for muscle. November 24, 2006. Josh Elzinga vs. Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn, November 24, 2006 - Port Huron Flags vs. Kalamazoo Wings. Like Danbury, once the producer of many of the world's hats. Ohio Gov. As AJ explained it to me: It happened at dinner. Bethlehem's David Bievenue hands the puck as Capital District Jets' Alexander Ridley defends during Tuesday's Section II Division 1 boys' ice hockey championship game at Messa Rink in Schenectady. GET THE PICTURE? Galante, his hair buzzed to the scalp, a neatly trimmed goatee rimming his mouth, stands off to the side, his iPhone pressed to his ear. Jimmy and A.J. picks his words with great care when discussing what he calls "the legal issues" of the last few years. was on the phone with agents for some of the best hockey players in the world. , New Brunswick, Canada, Gilles Richard is the current Vice-President of Hockey Operations for Southeast Elite Hockey. The Danbury Trashers earned respect with their fists as often as their sticks. Severely injured by a terrible cheap shot from an opponent, Winger is able to rehab his broken leg and get his revenge exactly 367 days later.The film footage is sort of grainy (unless you watch the documentary for some unique angles), but until this film, the audio from the home broadcast of the Danbury Trashers has never been available. 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.) Danbury is a blue-collar town, and they could relate to the players, Galante told me. According to the indictment, Galante was making quarterly payments of $30,000 to Matty the Horse, the successor to Vincent the Chin Gigante and the boss of the Genovese crime family. Originally from Montreal,Charlieplayed over 900 games professionally around the globe over his 17-year career, including the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers. Wins came in bunches. about getting back into sports. A Cree from Saskatchewan who sometimes sported a multicolored Mohawk, he stood barely 5'10" but had a chin of granite and relished punching above his weight class. He allegedly kicked a referee. As he headed to baggage claim at the small suburban airport, something didn't look right. We were paid, and everything was first class. Coach Ernie's leadership, motivational skills, training skills, and exceptional training ethics bring exciting elements to Southeast Elite Hockey. Brian was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. acted decisively. Their goons fight our goons. Could there be a better symbol of the link between fans and team? Danbury fans whod followed the team to Glens Falls got word of the situation and gave the players the shirts off their own backs. It was a violent league made of players on the way up, players on the way down, and some players simply holding on, happy to live in the limbo of the minor leagues. showed off the aggressively down-market style the Trashers brought to the UHL. Josh Elzinga, a blueliner for the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings, did that for him. The closest team to Danbury, the Frostbite played in Glens Falls, New York, just three hours away by luxury coach. The winning goal came in the third overtime. The Minnesota Wild have acquired forward Gustav Nyquist from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft. The Trashers still trigger strong responses in Danbury, too. Rumun Ndur ended up seeing red and going batshit crazy, AJ told me. He was a defenseman and hit a kid, Galante said. What does that mean? They weren't just happy to go to games. Sign up today to get the best features and analysis from the NHL and beyond. The Galantes told Trashers who were suspendedinvariably for fightingto watch the games from the 102 seats. I first heard it from a father on the sidelines of a Little League game soon after I moved in. There was something else in the books too. Having been a professional player, coach, and instructor for over 15 years, Gilles has been able to help continue to grow youth hockey programs across the state of Florida. puts it, "it got real, real fast." Galantes payments were characterized as a mob tax to ensure his companies primacy in the trash trade. In the first period Wagner instigated a fight, and an all-out brawl broke out. So Greg stitched together multiple chest protectors what he called a Frankenstein model to ensure her safety. Asked how the payback made him feel, Wingnut said great, but I would have liked to have seen him leaving the ice on a stretcher or in a body bag.. By Chris Kazarian The legend of the United Leagues Danbury Trashers was cemented midway through the teams first season in a game against the Kalamazoo Wings. "It was loud," says A.J., "and security was very, let's just say, flexible." The rowdiest spectators were cordoned off in Section 102, directly behind the visitors bench. Steve Lynch has been coaching ice hockey for over 20 years. We just figured, Were going to make a team everyone loves to hate, AJ said. In the summer of '06, the Trashers sent 105 season-ticket holders refund checks, totaling $31,177. He had skipped an afternoon class to pick up Rupp. 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. A.J. The second place AJ looked was where any other fan might have: hockeyfights.com, a website that aggregates footage of brawls on the ice. He was suspended from the UHL for life., And then there was the broken-leg game. People who tell the story start with the date, as if recalling an event of historical importance: December 1, 2004. 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. A promotional video could have doubled as a Dexter ad, with blood spatters on the ice. Sep 30, 1984 Position D Age 38 Height 5'11" / 180 cm Place of Birth Burbank, IL, USA Weight 183 lbs / 83 kg Nation USA Shoots L Youth Team - Status Retired Brother: Adam Elzinga Team Staff profile of Joshua Elzinga also available Use/Embed statistics Default Per Game Average Coaches Played For Player Statistics Regular Season + Postseason Through hockey, Brenda has served as an inspiration for others, from children learning the sport to those like 25-year-old Eric Vogel, a fellow goalie drafted by the expansion Southwestern Pennsylvania Magic of the Federal League in June. Gilles was the Lead Hockey Instructor for National Hockey Development for 4 years. During the 201011 season, the Quebec League averaged 3.2 fights a game. THE SOUND TRACK of the Starrett City Boxing Club in Brooklyn is on full blast: the thrumming of the speed bag, the grunts of a fighter absorbing shots, the whistle every three minutes to denote the end of a round. It was four years to the day from the Trashers' first game. But he would become something of a hockey Crash Davis: He would play through 2013, retiring at 37. 2013-current Head Coach of the 2005 AAA Florida Alliance/Southeast Elite Program, 11 years in professional hockey in the AHL, ECHL, and Europe, More information about Marc can be found at, Over 13 years as a Professional Triathlete with 35 overall victories, Oldest Pro to ever compete in Pro World Championship 2006, Junior Hockey- Ohio Juniors Collegiate Hockey Ohio University, Private lessons and Camps Specializing in European Power skating. Followed the team to Danbury, once the producer of many of the world 's hats fans and team,. For the Port Huron Beacons, killing us the Minnesota Wild have acquired forward Gustav from. Falls, New York, just three hours away by luxury coach ; they played games... Exchange for a Danbury roster spot `` Then everyone would ask for the Kalamazoo Mich.... 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