Out With The Old And In With The New

The Central Hockey League has finally announced the new alignments for the 2009-2010 season, and I must say that it definitely is different. There will no longer be divisions as the league has decided to divide the league into two conferences with seven teams in the Northern Conference and eight teams in the Southern Conference. The Northern Conference teams include: the Colorado Eagles, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Mississippi Riverkings, Rapid City Rush, Missouri Mavericks, Tulsa Oilers, and Wichita Thunder. The Southern Conference consists of: the Odessa Jackalopes, Amarillo Gorillas, Texas Brahmas, Allen Americans, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Laredo Bucks, Corpus Christi IceRays, and Arizona Sundogs. I personally like this new alignment for the simple fact that this will make the schedules more flexible, and teams will get to play teams that they have rarely played before more often. I also think that it will make the league more competitive since the league will only have two number one teams (each conference) instead of four (each division). An interesting matter to note about the new alignment is that the Southern Conference contains all of the Texas teams plus Arizona, which kind of makes it now Texas versus everybody else. The playoff format will remain the same as it has been the last two seasons, with ten total teams making it to the playoffs (five from each conference). An interesting thing to note here is that since the Northern Conference only contains seven teams, all but two teams in the North will make it to the postseason, while three teams in the South will be left out of postseason play. You can read the full article about the new alignment at the league website which can be viewed at http://www.centralhockeyleague.com/pressroom/news/index.html?article_id=3534.

In other CHL news:

• The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees have re-signed Zak McClellan for the upcoming season. McClellan played in all of the regular season games for the Killer Bees last season and tallied 37 points in the 64 games (11-26). This is a decent signing for the Bees, but in my eyes, this guy is nothing spectacular.


• John DeCaro has decided to return to the Mudbugs after spending his season last year in the ECHL. This guy is a phenomenal goaltender, and the 'Bugs are very lucky to have him back.


• Finally, on to some news that I am not too thrilled to hear: the Texas Brahmas have re-signed goaltender Brett Jaeger for the 2009-2010 season. As much as I can't stand the Brahmas, I must say that Jaeger is an absolutely phenomenal talent, and I still believe that Jaeger was the difference in the series between the Jacks and Brahmas last season. Hopefully the Jacks can bring in a very good veteran goaltender to counteract Jaeger when we play them next season. I wouldn't mind seeing Sebastien Centomo or Andy Franck in a Jacks sweater next season, although I doubt that will happen. Hey, I can always wish, can't I?

Until next time Jack fans all I have to say is GO JACKS GO!!! and October can't come soon enough!