COLUMBUS, GA – In the history of the Columbus Cottonmouths hockey team, the biggest selling point has been winning and playoff success. During their five years in the CHL, the Snakes reached the finals three times and only failed to escape the first round once. That legacy took a hit when the Cottonmouths joined the ECHL as they failed three times to get into post-season play.
All seemed to be back to ânormalâ when the Snakes headed off to become one of the cornerstones 
of the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2004. That first season in the SPHL brought a Presidentâs Cup championship. Unfortunately, it hasnât been so sweet since then. Despite being one of only three teams to make the post-season every year, the Cottonmouths have not won a playoff series since beating Macon in 2005.
Following a first round loss to the Mississippi Surge that ended the 2009-10 campaign, Columbus embarked on an off-season that brought forward a number of questions that will have to be answered if the team is to regain its winning swagger.
The first topic of discussion among fans is who will become the leader of the team on the ice. The playoff loss was a double hit as the final game of the series was the final time that captain Craig Stahl would wear a Cottonmouths jersey. SPHL fans have never known a Columbus team without âChiefâ as its emotional and physical leader. Stahl, much like his coach Jerome Bechard, who was the âfaceâ of the team before becoming the Cottonmouthsâ bench boss and general manager, played with a heart and toughness that became his calling card.
Stahlâs jersey number 32 will be retired on opening night at the Columbus Civic Center, joining those of Bechard (16) and Frankie âThe Wallâ Ouellette (30) in the rafters. Stahl is expected to stay involved with the team in a role that has yet to be defined. Some fans are wondering if he will be behind the bench as an assistant coach, possibly being groomed to be the head coach when Bechard steps away at some point.
The most logical choice in the eyes of some is forward Orrin Hergott. Hergott, the lone remaining member of the âFab Fiveâ from the Presidentâs Cup winners in 2005, is one of the smallest players in the league at 5â7â but has shown a willingness to play the body as if he stands 6â7â. He struggled scoring-wise a year ago but his overall commitment to the franchise never dimmed, earning him the opportunity to fill Stahlâs skates.
Hergott wasnât the only Snake to feel the bite of scoring slumps a year ago. Since leading the league with 247 goals scored in 2005-06, the Cottonmouths as a team have declined in goals, going from 217 in 2006-07 to 168 in 2007-08 to 194 in 2008-09 and finally 171 last year. Tim Green, the teamâs leading goal scorer over the past six seasons (177) joined Stahl in retiring from the game, leaving yet another hole for Bechard to fill. Rookies Jesse Cole (28-23-51) and Levi Lind (19-33-52) emerged as reliable point getters but will be asked to do more in their sophomore campaigns.
Another question lies between the pipes in net. Since bursting onto the scene in 2007, Ian Vigier has done yeoman work for the Cottonmouths as well as in fill-in call-ups to the ECHLâs South Carolina Stingrays (which included a âGoaltender of the Weekâ honor), all the while biding his time waiting for Bechard to designate him as the number one goalie.
It appeared that would be the case in 2008-09 when Ryan Senft left Columbus to play in Richmond but Chad Rycroftâs sudden return from retirement that fall postponed the coronation. After sharing the nets for two more seasons, Rycroft has again decided to put the pads in the back of the closet, leaving Vigier as the clear heir apparent to the top billing. This time around, the question lies with who will become the âotherâ goalie on the roster and whether Vigier will play the lionâs share of games or split the starts as has been Bechardâs method almost as long as he has been a coach.
The biggest question may be when will the team turn the corner and return to it history of winning hockey. The inaugural Presidentâs Cup championship helped to grow the fan base significantly early on but as the winning touch has dropped off, so has some of the excitement and some of the attendance. Many factors can cause drop-offs but nothing raises ticket sales like seeing the team succeed. Bechard is the only coach in the league who has been there for every season of the SPHLâs existence. His job is to get the very best out of his players throughout the 56-game regular season, regardless of injuries, slumps and any other distractions that can create havoc with a teamâs focus. Can he put all of the parts together again like he did in 2004-05 or will the very patient ownership be put in a position to contemplate a change?
Only time will tell what answers surface to the questions posed. Itâs a long season and as we all know, anything is possible in the SPHL.
Contact the author at lee.marion@prohockeynews.com
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