Saturday, June 30, 2018

Former Vernon Lakers-Vernon Vipers Alumni Mick Named USA CHL Advisor:

Former Vernon Lakers-Vernon Vipers forward, Assistant Coach & Head Coach-GM Troy Mick has been recently named an USA Central Hockey League advisor. Mick along with several others held a press conference Thursday, announcing Wichita Falls will be getting a team after a one year hiatus. 

The USA CHL will start out as a six-team league with all the teams owned by the same group. Franchises in Rio Grande Valley and Laredo have already been publicized with three more set to be announced in the coming weeks.  

Mick recently parted ways with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks June 8th 2018. Mick had spent the past six seasons with the Silverbacks.

Mick played two seasons with the Vernon Lakers (1984-1986) before leaving the Lakers for the Merritt Warriors. Mick was also an Assistant Coach and in charge of marketing with the Vernon Lakers for two seasons (1993-1995) & spent one season as an Assistant Coach with the Vernon Vipers (1995-1996) before being named the Vipers Head Coach-GM the following season. Mick was Head Coach-GM of the Vipers for four years (1996-2000) before leaving for the Western Hockey League Portland Winterhawks. Mick returned to the Vipers as GM for two seasons (2005-07) before leaving in 2007 to sell real estate in Mexico. Mick was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in round 7 #130 overall at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.

Troy Mick's Player-Coach Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=94293

This was posted on the newschannel6 website:

The Central Hockey League brings hockey back to Texoma

Thursday, June 28th 2018

By Brian Shrull, Sports Director




WICHITA FALLS, TX (KAUZ) - "The Wichita Falls hockey team returns to MPEC for the 2018-2019 season," Brian Hoffman, General Manager of the MPEC, said.

It has been a few years but hockey is back in Texoma.

It is official, the new team will post up in Kay Yeager Coliseum with the season starting this October.

The press conference today answered some questions, but others you will have the chance to answer yourself. 

"This is all about the kids," Troy Mick of the Central Hockey League said.  "This is 18 to 20 year-old young men trying to get an education while playing the
game that they love."

Wichita Falls becomes the third team in the U.S. Central Hockey League joining Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and the Laredo Bucks.

The CHL is a junior hockey league where the players are not paid but also do not pay to play. 

The idea, this league can help a player get a better chance at playing in the NCAA's or join a community and still play the sport they love.

Now here's where you, the fan, comes in; there is no team name yet. 

"We want to integrate this community like no other," Mick said. "You guys have to understand that junior hockey is your team and we are going to be doing a name the team contest through facebook.

"We want our own identity but we want the fans to be behind this team and this moniker this brand is all about Wichita Falls."

Mick said he knows the passion for sports that Texoma has and that is why Wichita Falls was chosen. 

In terms of ownership, the CHL is using a unique model.

"The league owns all the teams so you aren't worrying about individual ownerships for each community," Mick said.

"Each team will have their budget through the league. 

"This isn't a short-term fix nobody wants to come in for one year and then gone the other."

The league and the M-PEC have a three year deal right now with an additional two that can be added on as part of the contract.

The C-H-L will have six teams in its league with a 48 game schedule. 

The three other teams should be announced in the next two weeks. 

The league will be headquartered in Texas to cut down on travel cost. 

Season tickets will go on sale within the next week and you can find that and other information on the recently launched WichitaFallsHockey.com. 

This was in the Timesrecordnews.com

USACHL announces hockey's return to Wichita Falls with new nickname

Zach Duncan, Wichita Falls Times Record News 

Published June 28, 2018 

Hockey is back in Wichita Falls after a one-year hiatus, becoming official Thursday when league officials from the USA Central Hockey League announced its return.

“I know how good this community supports not only hockey but sports in general,” USACHL advisor Troy Mick said at a press conference inside the MPEC. “This is a sports town and we’re looking forward to bringing exciting junior hockey to this community.”

The Wichita Falls franchise will be playing a 48-game schedule beginning in late October and will not be named the Wildcats, who played in the North American Hockey League from 2004-17. A three-year lease has been signed and a name-the-team contest will be held on Facebook soon.


“We want our own identity, but we want the fans to be behind the team so they’re going to have an opportunity to name the team,” Mick said. “It’s really a sense of pride when you can bring the community to know that this moniker, this brand is all about Wichita Falls.”

A season-ticket campaign and announcement of coaching/management hires should also take place soon according to Mick and USACHL managing partner Bill Davidson, who were on hand for the announcement.

The USA CHL will start out as a six-team league with all the teams owned by the same group. Franchises in Rio Grande Valley and Laredo have already been publicized with three more set to be announced in the coming weeks.  


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