 Barry Soskin announces he will own the
Pelham Prowlers, the newest entry in the Southern Elite Hockey League (SEHL).
The Prowlers are set to hold tryouts for determining the 20 players they'll sign
for their first year.
The
Southern Elite Hockey League (SEHL), sanctioned by the Amateur
Athletic Union, is a semi-pro hockey league (Junior-A) with 6 teams
from Alabama and Florida. The Pelham Prowlers are the only team from
Alabama, while the Daytona Riptide, Jacksonville Hammerheads, Orlando
Fury, Space Coast Blast and Tampa Bay Ice Pirates are all located in
Florida.
The SEHL is beginning its second season
of play. However, the 1998-99 season was considered a "test market"
season. The Space Coast Blast won the inaugural SEHL championship in
1998-99.
Last year, the SEHL sent many
players to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) to fill emergency needs.
The SEHL and the ECHL are trying to arrange a more formal affiliation this
season. Also, the Western Professional Hockey League will call up players
for emergency situations as well as sending players down for further
development.
There are plans to expand to 9
teams for the 2000-01 season. Their goal is to cover 7 southeastern states
and the markets of 5 National Hockey League teams.
Soskin has an extensive hockey background. He has owned the Toledo Storm of
the East Coast Hockey League, the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States
Hockey League and the Nashville Nighthawks of the Central Hockey League.
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