When hockey seasons were canceled or postponed all around the world just over two months ago, it was always the expectation that they would eventually return to normal. The NHL is headed toward a return of some sort this summer, while the AHL is working through models for how they can run a 2020-21 season. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case for the University of Alabama-Huntsville hockey program, which according to Todd Milewski of USCHO is no more. UAH president Darren Dawson and athletics director Cade Smith released a statement on the situation:
After a comprehensive review of UAH’s athletic offerings and the associated long-term budget implications, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the men’s hockey, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis programs.
The UAH program is perhaps best known for producing Cam Talbot, the Calgary Flames goaltender who has played in over 300 NHL games. Talbot spent three seasons there before working his way up through the New York Rangers farm system to eventually become a starting goaltender.
- Just yesterday there was excitement in the Ottawa area when a local rink opened its doors and allowed a limited number of people on the ice, a sign that things were starting to return to normal in the hockey world. Unfortunately that hope was dashed just 24 hours later when the Minto Arena was ordered to close again temporarily. Ken Warren of the Ottawa Sun reports that the rink had been completely booked, but closed the doors after authorities told them to wait until “a more fulsome discussion about the application of the provincial orders could occur.”
- Dmytro Timashov finally looked like he was going to get a better opportunity in the NHL before the coronavirus put a halt to the 2019-20 season. The young forward had been claimed off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings and played in five games with the team, but may not be sticking around to play another. A report out of Russia has Timashov close to a deal with Dinamo Riga of the KHL, though obviously nothing is official at this point. The Red Wings season technically isn’t finished until the league announces the return-to-play format (something that could happen this weekend), while Timashov isn’t actually a free agent until July 1 when his entry-level contract expires. In 44 total games this season between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Red Wings, Timashov recorded nine points.
Terrible news about UAH’s athletic programs. Thankful that Talbot got a chance to go there, was a hell of a player with the Rangers.
UAH news not surprising, given the increasing economic turmoil. This is the kind of thing I would expect to see more in Div-III, not necessarily Div-I. Then, there’s the matter of the AHL’s image to players from this continent or the Eurasian continent that they’d rather be on the European Tour, instead of the less-glamorous (to them) AHL. Scott Howson’s definitely got a lot on his plate for the foreseeable future…
no school should need to be that cheap. maybe decrease tuitions and then you can consider that
What? You clearly have no idea what is going on with higher education right now. Universities are closing and others are furloughing or laying people off. For many if they don’t dissolve some athletic teams then the entire university would go under. That’s not being cheap that’s trying to survive.
no its being cheap. they have the money to deal with such a crisis with how much money they steal from kids every year. no college is “fighting to survive.” that’s a clearly false narrative
Expect to see more sports programs shut down at colleges in the near future due to the uncertainty created by the way universities handled this “pandemic”. The “college experience” may no longer be as appealing as it had been, which will lead to a decline in enrollment.
Shame to see UAH hockey go away. Always liked having a Div. 1 team based in the deep south.