by Timothy W. Scee II
Special to Newzjunky.com

WATERTOWN, N.Y.  —  A new Federal Hockey League team will hit the ice at Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds in the fall, following the unanimous passage of a franchise agreement Monday night by the Watertown City Council.

Dr. Michael Wainberg and Stanley H. Tibbles, managing partners of Top Shelf Hockey LLC, said the creation of the unnamed team is “basically just a fresh start,” following a two-season professional hockey presence in the city with the Watertown Privateers. 

The co-owners would not say whether that team is still a franchise, but Mr. Tibbles said it does not have any players.

“The primary focus was to just start fresh,” he said. “New Name, new colors, new slate.”

The team formed an initial roster of twelve players out of a Federal Hockey League expansion draft held last week and chose a coach whose name they are awaiting to release. Eight of the prospective players are former Privateers.

Dr. Wainberg said the team will pick four more players at junior college draft June 25, some of whom are already being considered by co-owners.

“We have three players that we have our eye on already,” he said.  “All of them have some ties to Upstate New York."

The team of mostly doctors and small business owners, recently named a Federal Hockey League franchise, said it’s all about hockey to them - not the profits.

“We’re bringing it to the community just to keep it here, we think it’s a valuable resource for the city,” Mr. Tibbles said.  “At some point in time, we’d like to see the team stand up for itself financially but, in the onset, we’re willing to take some money out-of-pocket to fund the team and keep things rolling.”

Several hockey fans and local business owners, according to Dr. Wainberg, have long reached out to the owners to show their support for keeping the professional sport in the city. 

“We talked to several corporate partners, fans, everywhere you look there’s a lot of optimism,” he said. “We’re pretty optimistic that we can maintain the budget for the team.”

The team's current roster includes Matt Caranci, of Toronto, Ontario, Dane Erickson, of Woodbury, Minn., James Gordon, of Springfield, Mass., Matt Graham, of Darien, Ill., Philip Grainger, of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Zachary Hale, of Sandy, Utah, Ludlow Harris Jr., of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Bryan Kalczynski, of Buffalo, Garrett Peters, of Somerset, Mass., Colby Spooner, of Hilton, Steve Wicklum, of Charlotte, N.C., and Jamie Zaleski, of Scranton, Pa.

“Everything is amicable as far as the way things have progressed,” Mr. Tibbles said of the new team’s relationship with league commissioner Don Kiernan. “The league seems healthier than it has ever been.”

Team co-owners also include Mr. and Mrs. Ronald London, of Copenhagen, Cullen Lundy, of Carthage and Dr. Vincent Cesario, of Black River. Mark Webb, of Brownville, had previously been named a team co-owner but his name was not added to a press release issued by the team Monday.

With the addition of the franchise, the Federal Hockey League will consist of five teams including those in Watertown, Danville, Ill., Danbury, Conn., Dayton, Ohio and Belle Vernon, Pa.

The team’s contract at the Watertown Municipal Arena begins Oct. 1 and ends March 31, 2015.  It’s opening night will be Oct. 23, with about 30 games planned to be held at the ice rink.