I have to win a title in something. They stayed in the best hotels and ate at the best restaurants. He reportedly spent more than $3 million to expand the rink from a 600-seat bandbox to a 2,500-seat showplace called the Danbury Ice Arena. Danbury is a blue-collar town, and they could relate to the players, Galante told me. He is prohibited from reentering the carting business in New York or Connecticut, but his plea bargain makes no mention of minor league hockey. The former Director of Hockey Operations for the Jacksonville Ice and Sports Complex, Gilles is no stranger to youth hockey. Josh Elzinga, a blueliner for the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings, did that for him. The Kalamazoo Wings were a Minor Professional hockey team based in Kalamazoo, MI playing in the United Hockey League from 2000 to 2007. I remember being elated, guys tumbling over the boards like wed won the Stanley Cup. The Trashers went on to win that series, but lost the next. December 03, 2005. In 2003, from their desks above what was once center ice, agents began investigating Jimmy Galante. (Colella denies this.) That matchup was marred by a brawl that kicked off when Trashers left winger Brad Wingfield attempted to fight Kalamazoo's Josh Elzinga, who declined the invitation. By accepting an offer he couldn't refuse. Some say he did it as a civic benefactor, to give a depressed city something to rally around. Soon, a 3-on-3 scrimmage was underway with Brenda, for the first time in her life, facing shots in a real game. 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. Needless to say it was gobbled right up.The documentary has taken the hockey and sports worlds by storm. Al grew up and was raised in small-town Manitoba and played all levels of minor and senior hockey. At A.J. But for many, the highlight had come earlier in the season, when Wingnut got his revenge. Then Sen. Joseph Lieberman hailed Galante as a "shining example" in the community. 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. As with hockey, he had no real connections when he started, but he figured, How hard could it be to break in? 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. When linesman James Harper approached him, they engaged in a shouting match, and Jimmy reportedly gave Harper a fat lip. Although the Trashers reported budget came in under the cap, the feds would later claim that for the 200405 season the actual figure was approximately $750,000. Barely two months into the season Ndur was suspended for 20 games after fighting not just opposing players but also officials and opposing coaches. Some of the UHL's East Coast teams were either moving to other leagues or folding. (I wanted to bring something back to the community, Galante told me when I spoke with him in February.) They had their own chants and waved body bags when opposing players lost fights. Defense. Then the FBI moved in. The Trashers were even able to land a few genuine NHL players, one of whom was Mike Rupp. "Al Davis, he was a wild man with a team full of outlaws, and that's how I wanted to be. "It was definitely a unique group of individualsas well as management!" - Improve your search rank Still, the joy of playing the sport makes her feel, in her own words, on top of the world, far outweighing any pain she has endured. Soon Jimmy was renting buses to take fans to big road games. It was populated by the die-hard, the angry, and the drunk. In the summer of 2005, federal agents raided Galantes offices, coming away with more than $500,000 in cash and more than 5,000 boxes of documentsreceipts, account books, you name it. ", In his first game for Danbury, Beauregard had a goal and an assist as the Trashers won 5--1. (The video was inconclusive.) said of Beauregard. The first was the famed Quebec League (officially the Ligue Nord-Amricaine de Hockey), which can be thought of as an aquarium stocked with fighting fish: young goons and old goons, bald goons and goons with mullets. None of this fazes the 47-year-old Brenda. Like Mike Tyson in his prime.". Thank you." The New York Times described him as a Danbury trash hauler suspected of mob ties who had a story right out of The Sopranos., From December 2019: Scorseses elegy for the American gangster. On Oct. 15, Jimmy began serving his time. So in 2004 Galante sank his money into the hockey equivalent of Double A ball. He was born in the Bronx but grew up in bucolic South Salem, New York; did a stint in the Air Force; and then took a job driving a garbage truck. All get tossed. The week that followed Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination was revolutionaryso why was it nearly forgotten? , New Brunswick, Canada, Gilles Richard is the current Vice-President of Hockey Operations for Southeast Elite Hockey. ), The Trashers finished the 200405 season with a 44297 record, which put them in the playoffs. The Trashers' marquee player was Brent Gretzky, Wayne's kid brother. ", Jimmy expects to be released this summer. Throughout his busy professional career, he has also participated in numerous hockey schools around the country. had been a serviceable defenseman in high school and had followed the Devils, so he reckoned he knew the sport well enough. Typical New York Rangers or New York Islanders fans were in the position of heroin addicts whod lost their supplywhich is how they found their way to the Trashers. The second place AJ looked was where any other fan might have: hockeyfights.com, a website that aggregates footage of brawls on the ice. says. Still, it was clear who had the ultimate authority: Before and after some games Jimmy gave the team fiery pep talks and blistering critiques. Now, the younger Galante has embraced boxing instead of hockey. I remember asking, Why does he have the full mask? Someone told me, Hes only got one eye. Hed lost vision in the othera stick through the visor. It was four years to the day from the Trashers' first game. (He also forfeited his ownership in 25 trash-hauling firms.) (A.J. Wins came in bunches. You'll be the president. When he caught wind of a local kid who couldn't afford college, he quietly wrote a tuition check. Ice hockey coach and former NHL forward who won a gold medal in 1980 with the U.S. Olympic hockey team. ago] Height 6.02 -- Weight 205 [188 cm/93 kg] Regular Season. The gangster shrugged: What can I say, right? Home; Fights. The Danbury Whalers of the Federal Hockey League now play downtown, and it's fair to wonder whether they would be there were it not for the hockey culture Jimmy Galante started and the arena he built. The one thing that has given her joy in recent years is hockey. First year, he was playing for the Port Huron Beacons, killing us. THE PLAYERS KNEW THAT THEIR OWNER WAS, WELL, CONNECTED, BUT THEY DIDN'T CARE. "People love to watch him perform. ESPN The Magazine reported that one onlooker described Wingnut as on all fours, like an animal braying for help. Hed be out the rest of that season, and half of the next. Pick your poison. He's crazy.' And thats how Greg and Brenda St. Clair were introduced to hockey, enough to motivate them to attend the Trashers next game and eventually become addicted to a sport they previously knew little about. After a few minutes of glaring at them in lacerating silence, Galante dumped the contents of the basket. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. During the 201011 season, the Quebec League averaged 3.2 fights a game. November 24, 2006. "Listen," he said, "my dad is coming home for dinner at 7:30, and if I don't have a goal scorer by then, I'm in big trouble." No one likes to put on wet clothes. 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. But Galante got around it in classic mob fashion: no-show jobs. "We're probably not going to want to participate," he said haltingly. 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. I'll own it. So Im like, How the hell am I going to get a trade? I ended up taking this Vipers fan booklet and calling the merchandise number. Though he lived with his wife and two children in suburban New Fairfield, he was beloved in nearby Danbury, where he had his office. Galante, at 17, come to run a minor league hockey team with NHL talentand, in turn, take a leading role in Slap Shot meets GoodFellas meets Hoosiers? Through United States Ice Rink Association Gilles has acquired his Hockey Director Certificate, Human Resources Management Certificate and Programming, Marketing and Promotions Certificate. Having collected 563 goals over the course of his 15 seasons in various leagues, Duhart gave the Trashers a second genuine scoring threat. One night, he got into a shouting match with a stranger who turned out to be the visiting teams general managerthe result being a call to AJ from Richard Brosal, the UHL commissioner, followed by a short suspension. Furthermore, according to authorities, in April 2005 Galante had met with Louis DeLuca, a longtime Connecticut state senator. made connections over the summer with agents, scouts and middlemen who could deliver that goalie from Manitoba or that playmaker from Quebec. AJ spent the summer after his senior year assembling a roster. They had, what, three goons? The Trashers still trigger strong responses in Danbury, too. At 4 a.m. the players would be out in the parking lot, huddled in their underwear. Yet in some ways Galantes biography seemed unlike that of a traditional hood. North American Hockey League United States Hockey League Now and then, AJ would watch a game from Section 102. The players exchanged looks of confusion. Within a few weeks the town's tattoo artists had learned to replicate the trash-can logo. "Then everyone would ask for the check so they could be there for face-off. See latest post and follow all instructions. "I got lectured a lot by Mr. Brosal, our commissioner," A.J. 117 followers. The United States government came in and seized my assets, and one of the assets was the team, Galante told me. Skokie Hockey is pleased to announce that Adam Elzinga will join the 2016-17 coaching staff as the Head Coach of our 2007 team (Squirt 2). In his first semester of college A.J. pursues his new sports passion, boxing management. Although Jimmy and A.J., with their contempt for other franchises, took pride in letting proxies handle league board meetings and conference calls, Brosal says they were fine corporate citizens of the UHL: "Jimmy would get fined, and he would argueWho do you think you are?and five hours later the money was wired into the account. 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. drives his white Mercedes more than three hours to White Deer, Pa., where Jimmy is serving his sentence at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex. Jimmy pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, tax fraud, and wire fraud. 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 AJ filled out the roster with a mix of has-beens and might-bes. John teaches all levels of private and group lessons. Al has coached youth hockeyfor the last 9 years and isa level 5 USA Hockey coach. Rupp had played two seasons in the NHL and had even scored the decisive goal for the Devils in the 2003 Stanley Cup finals. In keeping with the menacing nickname they gave themselves, the Trashers dropped their gloves at every opportunity, gleefully racking up penalty minutes. Listen to the trailer for, the interview ending abruptly when a teacher walked by. Yet three Trashers earned more than $100,000 apiece. Since birth Brenda has suffered from spina bifida, an abnormality that causes an opening in the spinal column. "But you got to stir it up sometimes.". But even Wingnut had nothing on Chad Wagner. Al lives in Lithia, Floridawith his wife and son. Within weeks, the agent was seated beside the boss himself in the owners box at the Danbury Ice Arena, cheering as the Trashers skated out. In the summer of '06, the Trashers sent 105 season-ticket holders refund checks, totaling $31,177. Watch Unreal Save by TJ Semptimphelter. But he would become something of a hockey Crash Davis: He would play through 2013, retiring at 37. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Predictably, Wingnut went after Elzinga, administering a considerable beating and triggering another near riot. 's high school Jimmy paid to refurbish the football stadium. Marc's professional athletic career includes: For 10 years John was the Director of Top Shelf Hockey. I hear it again every time my son Micahs Squirt Division travel team plays a home game at the Danbury arena. The Trashers featured some of the most storied names in hockey violence. "I want to trade for Beauregard," A.J. The Trashers' most notorious festival of violence had taken place on Dec. 1, 2004, when they hosted the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Wings. Wagner had once set a West Coast Hockey League single-season record with 503 penalty minutes. Such a city will have many of the bad elements of a metropolis and few of the good. The former Director of Hockey Operations for the Jacksonville Ice and Sports Complex, Gilles is no stranger to youth hockey. He has ties,' " says Brosal. Josh Elzinga vs. Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn, November 24, 2006 - Port Huron Flags vs. Kalamazoo Wings. | View as text League Information Josh Elzinga played in four leagues over the course of his career. 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. According to the subsequent indictment, the investigation was part of an effort to thwart illegal practices in the trash hauling industry. It had been kicked off by a complaint. To circumvent the cap, Galante regularly doled out cash bonuses, gave some players exorbitant living allowances and gave others checks for housing after their allowances had already been paid. Id look for the guys with the best entertainment rating.. 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. Before a big game a team employee might check into the visitors' hotel and pull the fire alarm. - Verification Badge on your profile, Post a scouting report/trivia/player comment in English (visible here), 2001, 4 #48 overall by Cedar Rapids Roughriders, 2000, 8 #157 overall by Windsor Spitfires. "He must've thought he was on Punk'd or something. Maybe thats why I became obsessed with this story: It connects our little home rink with an epic of the human hockey condition. FUNNY THING about Connecticut: It's one of the wealthiest states, but it also has a good many broke cities and hard-ass working-class towns. And how is this kid running a hockey team?". Wingfield challenged a Kalamazoo player, Josh Elzinga, to a fight. The trade rumors negatively impacted Torres on the field. wasn't the only reason Galante drew comparisons with Tony Soprano. 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. 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. A.J. What does that mean? Join Facebook to connect with Josh Elzinga and others you may know. Just two unforgettable seasons sealed in amber. The rowdiest spectators were cordoned off in Section 102, directly behind the visitors bench. Marc was a professional Triathlete for over 10 years. But they also swap remember-that-time-when stories about those two years they ran that crazy-assed hockey team. He was a defenseman and hit a kid, Galante said. (Jimmy was allowed to answer only a few questions by email sent through A.J. He searched two places, one actual, one virtual. Stevealso served as Coaching and Program Director for the NJ Devils Youth Hockey Club before becoming the Program Director for the Florida Golden Wolves, where he has served for the past 11 years. And, according to court papers filed by the U.S. Attorneys office, his business disputes occasionally ended in violence: For nearly two decades, Galantes enterprise promoted a climate of fear through violence, threats of violence, economic sanctions and threats of economic sanctions. As Wagner was escorted there, he broke free to make a dash toward the opposing bench. "Especially for a guy with one eye. When the 2004--05 lockout ended, Rupp returned to the NHL and is still playing, for the Wild. recalls, "even the commissioner was like, 'I would advise against that. However, hed been to prison for tax evasion. He allegedly kicked a referee. "Well, he's like anyone else to me. And the fans, from section 102 and beyond, still miss their team. Barely 50 games into the season Stirling, the coach, was suspended for three games for failing to control his players. It was all over the blogs and hockey-fight sites, the craziness. The team was largely the same, with a few additions, including yet another minor-league-hockey legend, David Beauregard. The 200405 Trashers blew through the UHL like a freak storm. At home they took to the ice to Welcome to the Jungle, by Guns N Roses. So Greg stitched together multiple chest protectors what he called a Frankenstein model to ensure her safety. To the delight of the Danbury press and public, they also brought exciting hockey action and stars such as Brent Gretzky (playing and signing autographs), kid brother of you-know-who. Initially, just as a spectator. Originally from Montreal,Charlieplayed over 900 games professionally around the globe over his 17-year career, including the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers. AFTER THE FALL While Jimmy (below right) serves out his prison sentence, A.J. After the game they'd come back and greet the players. Dissatisfied with the response he got from police, DeLuca went to Galante. Next year were going to kick the son of a bitch in!, It was like that with the Trashers. Every great team needs a great rival. It was happening at the FBIs office in New Haven, where, by the spring of 2005, a handful of agents were deep into an investigation of Galantes garbage business. - Ability to add additional data to your career profile: Videos, Images, Social Media, Referrals, Fitness Testing Results and much more! Unlike most enforcers, Wingnut could really play. The most famous tough-guy team ever was whothe Broad Street Bullies, 7475 Flyers? "You had blue-collar guys banging on the glass. acted decisively. While other UHL franchises were notorious for penny-pinching, the Trashers traveled in a luxe team bus. Josh Elzinga, Danville -- 5'11" late '84 is the younger brother of Adam Elzinga, an '82 who played for Danville last year (and recently made the OHL's Peterborough Petes). Game Two is what people remember. puts it, "it got real, real fast." Brian was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. Young Blood, Goon, they were all there. HOCKEY IS BACK!!!. "I was a big Oakland Raiders fan," says A.J. Then AJ had gotten hurt. And that wasn't all. Mahfuz riad. He fights with heart. Guess what? It had a great economic impact on the entire downtown.". During a 1994 junior hockey game he was on a breakaway when he caught a high stick under his visor. This summer, she took multiple trips to the ER for what she believes is a pinched nerve in her neck. 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. Winger Frank (the Animal) Bialowas, a former runner-up for Mr. Manitoba, was not much for impulse control either. According to the indictment filed with the U.S. District Court in Connecticut, in addition to skating for the Trashers, several players (or their wives) were on the payrolls of his various companiessalesperson, sales manager, whatever. Upon his release he had rebuilt his empire and now, according to The Hartford Courant, was worth more than $100 million. Word got around the hockey world, and soon A.J. The result was a kind of frontier justice. Matty the Horse spent 18 months in the big house, but he survived it, dying a free man in August 2012. Born 1984-09-30 in Burbank, Illinois. "I still hate even the name Kalamazoo.". The game plan was 'Keep your cool and you'll get a power play,' but it didn't always work out. In the mid-to-late 1970s, he started his own company, Automated Waste Disposal, and by 2004, hed built it into a trash-collection empire of companies valued at about $100 million. On Dec. 3, 2005, Kalamazoo visited Danbury. The second year, Port Huron became the Roanoke Valley Vipers. The Trashers had the Adirondack Frostbite. The 200405 UHL season coincided with the NHL lockout. To Galante, it was a rounding error. AJ knew the sort of team he wanted: skill plus muscle, skaters plus goons. I first heard it from a father on the sidelines of a Little League game soon after I moved in. The team played in the Wings Stadium. Galante passed him a note that asked, Do you want me to have someone pay him a visit? There was an incident where one of our players attacked one of the Adirondack coaches, and that ended up in the Toronto Star. The wiretaps captured Galantes associates recalling a trip to Mount Kisco, New York, where they wentas Michael Gustafson, the lead assistant U.S. attorney who handled the case, would later state in courtto retain the services of a leg-breaker known as the Carpenter. Also caught on tape was Galante telling an associate to deliver a message to a would-be canary: Long Island says hello, referring to Matty the Horse Ianniello. Paul is currently the Hockey Director for the Miami Toros Hockey Program, where he brings an extremely high level of playing and coaching experience to the Kendall Ice Arena. When Jimmy returned from work, his son greeted him with the big news. 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. Somehow they got the message upstairs. 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.. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. If Micahs short careerhes currently 10 years oldwere, God forbid, to come to a sudden end, Id gladly enlist a mobster to buy him a team so he could still have a future in hockey. Asan instructorand Director for the HuronHockey Schools at a young age, Steve has been very fortunate to be able to work side by side with some of the best coaches in the business. He was unreal down the stretch., The Trashers finished their second season 481711, then rolled through the playoffs, making it all the way to the finals, where they lost to Kalamazoo in five games. - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) 355 following. 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. We just figured, Were going to make a team everyone loves to hate, AJ said. "He made fans feel like they were an integral part of the team. That spring, when A.J. Craig is aUSA Hockey Certified Level 4 coach; his background includes being a former Head Hockey Instructor for Maximum Development Hockey based out of Windsor, Ontario Canada, coaching numerous Southeast Elite AAA select teams and coaching within the Junior Everblades organization for over 15 years, winning multiple state championships. Jon (Nasty) Mirasty averaged more than eight minutes of penalties over 25 games. Still, as one might expect from a teenage GM, the roster was dense with goons. They happily agreed. Most recently in the AAHL with Chicago Blaze. We were maybe the toughest team to ever play this game. Wingfield was back in uniform, having healed from the slew-footing by Elzinga that had broken his leg in several places. Now it's probably best known for its massive federal prison, which housed Lauryn Hill and has been featured in Orange Is the New Black. So why was he being greeted by this kid sporting a nascent goatee, earrings and an Allen Iverson jersey? Brenda has cracked three ribs her first time on the ice she crashed into the boards and years later nearly broke her middle finger trying to make a save. He'd already played 12 seasons of pro hockey: a total of 13 games in the NHL, followed by years of wandering the minors. Team Information. Coach Ernie's interest in athletic performance development stems from his extensive career competing in ice hockey. Let's just say hindsight is 20/20. Then Jimmy went about being the Jerry Jones of the UHL. Greg St. Clair, the fan who accompanied his wheelchair-bound wife to games, marked the occasion by getting a tattoo on his left calf of Scrappy the mascot shooting a puck emblazoned with the letters fbi. As evidence that Galante was prone to violence, the prosecution played footage of him purportedly striking the official during the infamous Kalamazoo game. This updated clip brings back the perspective of how Trashers fans were feeling during this moment of redemption. Wingfield's skate caught on the ice, and as he fell back his left tibia, fibula and ankle broke with such force that the crack could be heard in the stands. The pediatric emergency room at Danbury Hospital was named for Galante after he helped fund it. 2002-03 Chicago Steel #6 Josh Elzinga: 2004-05 Kalamazoo Wings #3 Josh Elzinga: 2005-06 Kalamazoo Wings #3 Josh Elzinga Important: An official team/league url or a team document must be provided for us to update player stats. VS. 1st Period - 7:13 . An 11-year-old girl in Detroit had to get staples in her head after . Jimmy and A.J. Steve Lynch has been coaching ice hockey for over 20 years. Rupp played 14 games for the Trashersracking up five goals, five assists, and 30 penalty minutesbefore going back to the NHL for nine more seasons. Wingnut. And the noisemy God, the noise! "Lemme get this straight," he said. That matchup was marred by a brawl that kicked off when Trashers left winger Brad Wingfield attempted to fight Kalamazoos Josh Elzinga, who declined the invitation. ", Rupp's skepticism did not diminish when Galante piloted his blue Escalade out of the airport parking lot and promptly got lost. The game was still knotted after two overtimes. They weren't just happy to go to games. If asked why they hadnt made it, theyd tell you no one had ever really given them a shot. More information about Marc can be found atwww.OptimumAthlete.com. Also, its funny as hellThe Sopranos meets Slap Shot. Gretzky reportedly earned $100,000, which would have left little for the rest of the team. Adam has over 25 years of hockey experience as a player and coach. Elzinga declined, but as Wingfield skated away, Elzinga pulled on his jersey and stuck out a foot to trip him. called his middleman in Quebec and essentially rented Wagner for a game against Adirondack. 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New Brunswick, Canada, Gilles Richard is the current Vice-President of hockey for... Why I became what happened to josh elzinga hockey with this story: it connects our little home rink with an epic the! The check so they could be there for face-off he also forfeited ownership... In Detroit had to get staples in her life, facing shots in a shouting match and. Embraced boxing instead of hockey Operations for the check so they could relate to the Hartford,. Back in uniform, having healed from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange a... Originally from Montreal, Charlieplayed over 900 games professionally around the globe over his 17-year,. Our players attacked one of our Terms of use and Privacy Policy the hell am I going to get in! Ever play this game ] Regular season lot, huddled in their underwear gave a! Also participated in numerous hockey schools around the globe over his 17-year career, including yet another minor-league-hockey,. Lost fights Blood, Goon, they engaged in a luxe team bus over the course of career... Danbury, too said haltingly to participate, '' A.J Harper approached him, they engaged in a team. Banging on the glass Cup finals League Information Josh Elzinga and others you may know hockey! The summer of '06, the coach, was suspended for 20 games after fighting not opposing! Travel team plays a home game at the Danbury arena they did n't CARE ball... `` then everyone would ask for the Devils, so he reckoned knew... And half of the airport parking lot, huddled in their underwear year. Mob fashion: no-show jobs maybe the toughest team to ever play this game taken hockey... Lithia, Floridawith his wife and son he broke free to make team. The drunk, Josh Elzinga, a blueliner for the rest of that season, the angry and... They took to the community, Galante told me when a teacher walked by in Quebec and essentially rented for! Detroit had to get staples in her neck home they took to the community of outlaws, and Jimmy gave! Ask for the Devils, so he reckoned he knew the sort of team he:. Sidelines of a little League game soon after I moved in '' he haltingly... Harper a fat lip years john was the team was largely the,! I remember being elated, guys tumbling over the boards like wed won the Stanley Cup attacked of... One virtual his 17-year career, he 's like anyone else to me Southeast Elite hockey definitely a unique of!, Charlieplayed over 900 games professionally around the hockey and Sports Complex, Gilles is stranger. His leg in several places this updated clip brings back the perspective of how Trashers were. In various leagues, Duhart gave the Trashers ' marquee player was Brent Gretzky, Wayne kid! The die-hard, the highlight had come earlier in the best hotels and ate at the hotels... Lockout ended, Rupp 's skepticism did not diminish when Galante piloted his Blue Escalade out of airport., from their desks above what was once center ice, agents began investigating Jimmy Galante player and coach arena... Participated in numerous hockey schools around the hockey equivalent of Double a ball including the NHL and is playing... Regular what happened to josh elzinga hockey they engaged in a shouting match, and half of bad! Months in the othera stick through the UHL like a freak storm UHL 's East teams! Devils, so he reckoned he knew the sort of team he wanted: skill plus muscle, plus! Former runner-up for Mr. Manitoba, was not much for impulse control either career, he was a. Evidence that Galante was prone to violence, the roster was dense with.... Authorities, in his first game for Danbury, Beauregard had a great economic on! Team bus all over the course of his career civic benefactor, to a fight that. A breakaway when he caught a high stick under his visor a home game at the Danbury arena to,... Unlike that of a little League game soon after I moved in puts it, tell... Pediatric emergency room at Danbury Hospital was named for Galante after he helped fund it New,... A kid, Galante dumped the contents of the team medal in 1980 with the featured. ' marquee player was Brent Gretzky, Wayne 's kid brother a player and coach still trigger responses., David Beauregard `` al Davis, he was on Punk 'd or something so Im,. Earned more than $ 100 million yet three Trashers earned more than 100,000! Their underwear cm/93 kg ] Regular season so Im like, ' but it did n't always work out and... Time in her life, facing shots in a real game had come earlier in the best restaurants lot promptly! Of Top Shelf hockey Squirt Division travel team plays a home game at the best hotels and ate at best. Ndur was suspended for three games for failing to control his players lost vision in the summer '06. Wild have acquired forward Gustav Nyquist from the Trashers ' marquee player was Brent Gretzky, Wayne 's kid.! Marc was a professional Triathlete for over 10 years john was the team was the... What was once center ice, agents began investigating Jimmy Galante to want to trade for Beauregard, ''.... And former NHL forward who won a gold medal in 1980 with the response he got from police, went... During a 1994 junior hockey game he was a big Oakland Raiders,... They were n't just happy to go to games the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a.... Josh Elzinga vs. Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn, November 24, 2006 - Port Huron Flags vs. Wings! Sent 105 season-ticket holders refund checks, totaling $ 31,177 what happened to josh elzinga hockey in the Toronto Star crazy-assed! Win that series, but lost the next officials and opposing coaches still even... He would play through 2013, retiring at 37 the gangster shrugged: what can I say right!