A case involving a minor-league hockey team also nailed Matty the Horse. Toward the trade deadline, we were going through a slump. picks his words with great care when discussing what he calls "the legal issues" of the last few years. Her neck was really bothering her that night and she said, I dont think Ill be going to get on the ice, Vogel recalled. "Jimmy's a guest of the government, and I love that man." Maybe thats why I became obsessed with this story: It connects our little home rink with an epic of the human hockey condition. One year ago we knocked on the door, he said. Established 1996 -- Celebrating Our 25th Year . A small town has its lawns and picket fences and wholesome values, a big town its go-getters and civic fathers. 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) Steve Lynch has been coaching ice hockey for over 20 years. The roster was constantly in flux, but it usually had more enforcers than players in need of protection. SON TY WAS DRAFTED AND SIGNED BY THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS IN 2021. A senior at New Fairfield High, AJ had been an alternate captain of his schools hockey team, which played at the Danbury Ice Arena with Jimmy often in attendance. Jon (Nasty) Mirasty averaged more than eight minutes of penalties over 25 games. As AJ explained it to me: It happened at dinner. In this way, they happened across, in addition to all sorts of other malfeasance, evidence of those no-show jobs, which ultimately resulted in additional charges against Galante. All get tossed. Just two unforgettable seasons sealed in amber. I have to win a title in something. You did right by him and were loyal, and he would do anything for you. Vogel and the St. Clairs developed a friendship on Facebook thanks to their mutual interest in hockey. It was one of those things where wed say, Hit this guy. But no one could catch him. Everyone, however, agrees that he did it at least in part for his son, AJ, who was 17. The U.S. Attorneys office learned enough to get wiretaps and, eventually, search warrants. 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. 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. For instance, Galante and a few trusted associates burned a competitors truck in 1992after first binding the driverto send a message to stay out of the Connecticut market, and in 2006, damaged the tires of a competitors truck after that carter refused to back down on a $50/month account. There was a tremendous infusion of talent, Christiansen said. "We had two defensemen hurt; otherwise we woulda won," A.J. "People would make comments: 'Aren't you afraid of him? And the noisemy God, the noise! 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. Galante spent $3 million to refurbish the Danbury Ice Arena. In 2003, from their desks above what was once center ice, agents began investigating Jimmy Galante. Danbury is a blue-collar town, and they could relate to the players, Galante told me. They loved playing for Jimmy, because he took care of them. Recalls Galante, "It was obvious he was thinking, What did I get myself into? For 5 years John was with N.I.S.T.C as the Hockey Director and for 3 years he was with theGlobal Hockey School. "The camaraderie with the Galante familythe laughs, the dinnersit's sad," Pomposello says, his voice catching. ", The Galantes put the rowdiest boosters behind the opposing bench. We play a team like the Frostbite, a team with maybe two goons. John teaches all levels of private and group lessons. VS. 1st Period - 7:13 . 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. The players exchanged looks of confusion. He made some contacts, hung out in gyms in the Northeast, met some promoters and trainers, and so far he has represented three fighters. In his 56 games with the Trashers, Wingfield piled up 496 penalty minutes. Through United States Ice Rink Association Gilles has acquired his Hockey Director Certificate, Human Resources Management Certificate and Programming, Marketing and Promotions Certificate. DeLuca pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of threatening. Right before the league's trade deadline in March 2006, Jimmy and A.J. Players' wives were put on the payroll of Galante-owned companies though they performed no discernible duties. 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." By the second round, they had nothing left. It was a big to-do. Although Galante claims that he never actually made contact, he was charged with assault. Josh Elzinga has an equally impressive professional playing career and has served as Adam's Assistant Coach for the past 4 seasons. 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.. F--- you. So we knew Jimmy had resources.. After a life-threatening hockey injury suffered at 18 years of age with a prognosis that he may never be able to play the game again, his passion for hockey and his desire to succeed expectations fueled his rehabilitation and lead him to become an all-rounded athlete who has . Workers were still welding in seats 90 minutes before the first game, but opening night was a success: A sellout crowd of about 2,500 showed up, and Danbury beat Adirondack 3--1. On such nights, I suppose Im just like Galante was, rooting for my son in the crazed way understood by all hockey parents. We only use official stats. The United Hockey League's $300,000 franchising fee for a new team? starts innumerable sentences, "My dad always says.", Usually so engaging and candid, A.J. Yet in some ways Galantes biography seemed unlike that of a traditional hood. 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. But in other corners the Galantesand the desperadoes on ice they brought to townare still recalled fondly. Josh Elzinga vs. Brad Wingfield, December 03, 2005 - Kalamazoo Wings vs. Danbury Trashers . "I was a big Oakland Raiders fan," says A.J. Mid-season, thats when we really caught fire, AJ told me. As with hockey, he had no real connections when he started, but he figured, How hard could it be to break in? "He's the only thing this team has going for it.". The documentary does a great job capturing on the emotional story of Wingfield and his strong relationship with both A.J. "I got lectured a lot by Mr. Brosal, our commissioner," A.J. For all that's happened, the kid still idolizes his father. It was a clean shot [but] they came right at AJ, and he had a very severe knee injury, couldnt play hockey anymore. They were both in waste management, and both possessed an undeniable charm that compensated for their rough edges. drives his white Mercedes more than three hours to White Deer, Pa., where Jimmy is serving his sentence at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex. ", A.J. This updated clip brings back the perspective of how Trashers fans were feeling during this moment of redemption. That May they played their hated rival, Kalamazoo, in the Colonial Cup finals. But they also swap remember-that-time-when stories about those two years they ran that crazy-assed hockey team. The 2004 05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would . But it wasn't just the players who were punished. 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. That is it.. 2023 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd, Get the latest news right to your inbox > Sign up here. Danbury, Connecticut, is the ultimate small city. The most famous tough-guy team ever was whothe Broad Street Bullies, 7475 Flyers? In the Trashers-Frostbite game, however, he inflicted no real damage even though he spent three periods looking for a fight, ran up 43 penalty minutes and even made a run at the Adirondack goalie. It had to do with the acoustics. "After games you'd have these blue-collar guys next to wealthy real estate developers. Wins came in bunches. The first happens on the field, court, or ice. 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. Depending on whom you ask, Jimmy Galante was either one of its mobsters or a legit businessman whose waste-removal company had become associated with the Mafia. The lockout sent NHL stars into the cold. But for the Trashers, there was a third game, although neither Jimmy nor AJ knew about it. 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. Young Blood, Goon, they were all there. Some fights started spontaneously, following a big hit. Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features, Drafted 2001, 4 #48 overall by Cedar Rapids Roughriders in the USHL Entry Draft, Drafted 2000, 8 #157 overall by Windsor Spitfires in the OHL Priority Selection. In that time he has been instrumental in helping change the face of hockey in Florida. Says Andy Paproski, a lifelong resident of Danbury (pop. . The Kalamazoo Wings were a Minor Professional hockey team based in Kalamazoo, MI playing in the United Hockey League from 2000 to 2007. 117 Followers, 355 Following, 69 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Josh Elzinga (@jelzinga86) 117 Followers, 355 Following, 69 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Josh Elzinga (@jelzinga86) jelzinga86. The result was a kind of frontier justice. Word got around the hockey world, and soon A.J. Jimmy was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault. Born 1984-09-30 in Burbank, Illinois. And fans werent the only ones who found the Trashers; players did too. We were paid, and everything was first class. 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. From November 2019: My family story of love, the Mob, and government surveillance. The winning goal came in the third overtime. In 1980, after the Houston Oilers barely missed a trip to the Super Bowl, Coach Bum Phillips gave their fans a famous pep talk. "A.J. The 200405 UHL season coincided with the NHL lockout. I remember being so pissed, I had to do something. Galante named his team for the family business: the Trashers. (The video was inconclusive.) I fined him. There was an incident where one of our players attacked one of the Adirondack coaches, and that ended up in the Toronto Star. FGCU Ice Hockey - Evaluation Skate Information Meeting. Furthermore, according to authorities, in April 2005 Galante had met with Louis DeLuca, a longtime Connecticut state senator. ", Roseanne Galante, reasonably, asked her husband and son if they had any idea what they were doing. At a home game in Danbury, he beat up three Adirondack forwards, AJ said. Josh Gratton vs Adam Elzinga - Sep 5, 2001 - YouTube NHL hockey fights, brawls, scrums, roughs, hits, cheap shots, and other incidents. "I still hate even the name Kalamazoo.". The former Director of Hockey Operations for the Jacksonville Ice and Sports Complex, Gilles is no stranger to youth hockey. Jimmy Galante tried to get onto the ice through the penalty box. 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. He's crazy.' The doors to the visiting team's penalty box were also welded together, so opponents had to fling themselves over the boards to enter the box. Marc also has over 20 years in Nutritional Counseling as Clinical Nutritionist. A legion of small business owners still talk about how, on Trashers game nights, downtown blazed to life. Before and after games downtown Danbury was hopping. Hed been named with several others, including Trashers Coach J. Todd Stirling, who pleaded guilty to taking part in the salary-cap fraud. More information about Marc can be found atwww.OptimumAthlete.com. Season coincided with the NHL lockout ; otherwise we woulda won, says! Traditional hood why I became obsessed with this story: it happened at.. Business: the Trashers, Wingfield piled up 496 penalty minutes that May played... Thats why I became obsessed with this story: it happened at dinner so and! Talent, Christiansen said pissed, I had to do something 2005 Galante had with. 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