Having been part of the fundraising team that got LaSalle's Vollmer Culture and Recreational Complex built, John Savage completed his task by officially landing a Junior B hockey club to put in it.

Savage, a majority owner along with his brother Stephen and business partner Brian Schwab, purchased the Tecumseh Chiefs and introduced the team renamed as the LaSalle Vipers at a press conference Tuesday at the complex.

"The area is a good place for junior hockey," said Savage, whose ownership group also includes Ron Seguin, Barry Yetman and former Chiefs owner Rich Ofner."There's never been a junior team here. That's been a missing element from the town.
"A lot of town spirit comes from having a sports team to call your own and rallying around it.
"The town has matured significantly and we think it's the right time for this."

The new team's colours are largely white and black with tan/beige trim. The logo's dominating feature is a lunging head of a snake with a letter V forming the background of the crest.

The Vipers, who will open their training camp at the Vollmer Arena in mid-August, will play 21 of their 26 home games on Wednesdays, one on Friday and four on Sundays.
The team will play its home opener Sept. 10 against Leamington.

Savage admitted he never really had a burning desire to own a hockey team until Yetman and Seguin approached him with the idea four years ago.
The LaSalle-based group was really able to seriously to pursue a team once LaSalle opted to build a new arena complex.

Their timing couldn't have been better as Ofner was looking to scale back his investment in the Chiefs, who had struggled to make a go of it in Tecumseh. 

"For whatever reason it was tough to draw fans for them there, but we think we can be more successful in drawing fans out in LaSalle," Savage said.
"I think it's important we get deeply involved in the community and with minor hockey right away. We have 1,000 seats in the new rink and our goal is to fill every one of them."
Savage said the new ownership would be mostly involved in the marketing and administration of the team.

The Vipers plan to be very aggressive in those areas and will begin to take the wraps off an entertainment component planned for their games as the summer unfolds.
"We have a strong management structure in place," Savage said. "We're very focused in our businesses and we'll bring that focus to the hockey team."
While they will exceed it this year because of the extra start up costs, the team will have an annual budget in the $150,000 to $200,000 range.

In retaining Chiefs general manager Kevin McIntosh, Savage said the new owners will leave the hockey decisions to the hockey people.
"There was obviously no problem with the on-ice product as they were the best team in Ontario last year," Savage said. "They know how to put a hockey team together."
There will be a change in the coaching staff with Chiefs coach Jim Hunter stepping down to do other things and his staff leaving with him.

Behind the Vipers bench this winter will be former Buffalo Sabres draft pick John Nelson.
Nelson, who coached the Sun County AAA minor bantams last season, brings along his staff from that team Jimmy Sonmez, Gil Langlois and Wayne Samwell. Rounding out the coaching staff is former Chiefs head coach George Winter, who served as the GM/coach of the Junior C Belle River Canadiens the past two seasons.

"The continuity of the hockey team is important," said McIntosh of his biggest challenge.
"We have new coaches and we will have a lot of new players.
"But this is really an exciting time for the team. You look at the people involved, the new logo, the first-class facility and the excitement here; I think there's an opportunity to for great success here.

dwaddell@thestar.canwest.com or 519-255-5777 ext. 412