Battalion Hockey Primed for Return to North Adams
 The Berkshire Battalion will be back on the ice for the 2015-16 season. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The owner of the Berkshire Battalion says the team is ready to come back for the 2015-16 Federal Hockey League season.
Bill Dadds, who purchased the franchise at the end of last season, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday that he accepts the city of North Adams' restrictions on the number of Friday night games that will be available to the second-year semi-pro hockey franchise.
"Right now, everything is OK," said Dadds, who lives and works in southern New Jersey. "We got three Friday nights. I could have used five or six, but we can make that work."
The Battalion also has an opening for a Friday matinee on Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, Dadds said.
This month, some of the Battalion's fans took to social media to accuse the city of pushing the team out of the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink.
On Monday afternoon, North Adams Administrative Officer Michael Canales said the city wanted to see the popular team return for a second season.
"They need to play a limited number of Friday nights so we can rebuild our public skating program that really took a hit last year," Canales said. "As far as we're concerned, that's the only issue."
Canales said the city would like to limit the team to four Friday dates, and according to Dadds on Tuesday morning, the team has no issue with that.
He did say that Friday night dates help more than just the team.
"I like Friday nights because not only does it help us but it helps the restaurant businesses in the city, too," Dadds said.
Dadds sees potential for growth in the FHL, which finished last season with six teams spread from Danville, Ill., to North Adams.
"I'm not going to move [the Battalion] but we are going to put a new South Jersey team together," Dadds said. "We're going to be adding another eastern team, which would be good."
The league again will enter the 2015-16 season with six teams, but the lineup will be a little different, Dadds said.
Last year's champion, Watertown, is slated to take a year off while its rink undergoes renovation, but its loss is offset by a new franchise in Berlin, N.H. Meanwhile, after the Danbury Whalers this spring were evicted from their home in the Connecticut city, the FHL started a new team just over the border in Brewster, N.Y., and called it the Stateline Whalers.
The Battalion, meanwhile, will have a familiar look as Dadds has committed to bringing back head coach Darin Lane, who was fired as rink manager this spring after admitting to taking money from the till. Lane took over the club last December after the then-ownership dismissed coach Dan Farrell without explanation.
"Everyone deserves a second chance," Dadds said of Lane.
"The fans love him, and the boys love him. That's important."
UPDATE: On Sunday, June 21, Lane posted on the team's Facebook page that he will not return as coach for the 2015-16 season. His statement read, in part, "It is now time to focus on establishing a new career and be here for my three daughters and my wife Heather. I thank you all for the most amazing experience and so many new friendships. The Battalion has excellent ownership with Bill Dadds, and he is committed to the success of this organization."
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