COLUMBUS, Ga – Columbus sports fans will have a new team to satisfy their thirst for professional hockey. The Columbus River Dragons will ice in the city for the 2019-20 season in the Federal Hockey League.
Ignite Pro Hockey was in Columbus on Tuesday to help make the announcement.
“Professional hockey returns to Columbus, Georgia,” said City Manager Isaiah Hugley. “This is truly a great day in our city.”
Ignite Pro Hockey is part of the Federal Hockey League, a nine team professional ice league.
It is a really exciting moment,” Bechard said “I’m proud to be involved”
Brand, the team’s general manager, said the team considered using the Cottonmouths name but the time didn’t feel right.
“The history is incredibly deep with the Cottonmouths,” he said. “We didn’t feel the time was right to revisit the Cottonmouths at this point. We do think that there might be something in the future that we can work out”
Brand also said the River Dragons would play a physical brand of hockey that “puts a lot of pucks in the net.”
The team’s primary colors are white, black, Sedona red and dark gray. Accent colors for the River Dragons are turquoise and a tan shade called “ Sonoran sand.”
The River Dragons name might sound familiar. It was the name of an NBA developmental league team that played in Columbus from 2001 to 2005.
Twelve players were drafted by the River Dragons at during the FPHL’s expansion draft. They are:
▪ Shea Carey, Forward
▪ Thomas Devesvre, Defenseman
▪ Karl Drahorad, Defenseman
▪ Chase Fallis, Center
▪ Dustin Henning, Defenseman
▪ Matt Kadolph, Forward
▪ Onfrej Misovic, Defenseman
▪ Nick Niedert, Goalie
▪ Edgars Ozolins, Defenseman
▪ Jiri Pargac, Forward
▪ Jared Rutledge, Goalie
▪ Tim Santopaolo, Forward
https://www.rdragons.com/
Photos by Bobbie Armstrong and Tonia Hill
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