Celebrate 10 Years, But Remember the First Nine!

That’s what the Allen Americans are having to do this 2019 season, when they started out back in October, there was a bit of hope in the air, and with that, you would think that they had a chance to actually put something together to make their 10^th season on the ice in Allen, something to be remembered, 

However, that is not the case, this is a season to forget, other than the head coach Steve Martison, getting his 1000^th win behind a bench, and it comes during a season that, frankly should be soon forgotten. The announcement that a new NHL affiliation with the Minnesota Wild, and their triple A team Iowa Wild, seemed to be a good turn, for the last several years the team was associated with the San Jose Sharks.

Coach Martison seems to have a good relationship with most, if not all the teams in the NHL and could have helped any of the teams out there, but Minnesota came and signed.

Never quite understood why the team in Downtown Dallas, didn’t pick up the team in Allen to be their Double A affiliate, but none the less, as the team in Allen can and have said in the past, their lost is someone else’s gain.

But the truth of the matter is that this team has seen better months in this ECHL, and with this season coming down to the last few games, its pretty obvious that this team is not going to make the playoffs for the first time in the 10 years that they been playing in Allen.

Lets face it, this teams first appearance in the playoffs was their first year playing, they took it to the CHL Finals against Rapid City Rush, only to lose in six games. The second through their fourth year they made the post season then in the fifth year they win their first title in the CHL, the following year, they go back to back, then they move to the ECHL and win it there, despite being called a “Beer League”, then backed it up with another Championship. FOUR IN A ROW for this little hockey team in Allen, one shy of tying the Dallas Cowboys for most championships by one team.

Those are the memories that stick with the faithful of the Americans, but the season of 2018-19 will be one to forget, not getting anywhere near the playoffs, and that stings, talking to Coach Martison, he shows the wear and tear of a season, that for lack of a better word “Sucked”. So from here, the questions begs to be asked—“how do you improve?” The answer is, rebuild from the ground up!

No nucleus will be in place, from goaltender to scorers. This season alone there was no defense, at least that anyone would write home to mom about. This team overall lacked the killer instinct. Nothing to show for it!

So this American Team will have to find another way to get the right players to be on this squad! Marty (Coach Martison) will search and look under every rock and crook and cranny to secure players to put on the ice and give a fighting chance to at least make the post season for next year.

For now we will look back, look at the banners that hang from the rafters, and wear the championship gear that we have collected over the four years of this team, and remember that they were the best of the best for those 9 years on the ice in Allen!

Its just a thought!