AFHL All Star Draft Begins The AFHL All-Star Game between the American Conference and Canadian Conference has returned and the offline draft conducted by all 20 GMs is now underway. AFHL GMs will select 32 players for the AFHL All-Star Game, based on the players competing in the NHL All-Star Game. Each team will have […]
AFHL Announces the Return of the All-Star Game January 22nd, 2024 The AFHL All-Star Game between the American Conference and Canadian Conference will return this season and feature an offline draft conducted by all 20 GMs. The draft will begin on Monday, January 29th and will end by Thursday, February 1st. The Head Coaches of […]
Another GM Gets the Axe, Lucas Persell Taking Over in Port Hope October 3rd, 2023 The league announced Zach Ostrowski’s abrupt dismissal yesterday after he displayed an extremely low level of activity in his first two months on the job. Lucas Persell is the next man up. “We had different expectations of Zach,” said the […]
September 27th, 2023
After two years of very little to no activity, the AFHL Commissioner has officially announced Adam Z has been relieved of his duties as GM of the Hamilton Firestorm. Rob Martin has been introduced as his replacement.
“I want this decision to serve as a reminder of the high standards we have in this league,” said the AFHL Commissioner at a press conference this morning. “It is a requirement to not only set your lineup and make transactions on a regular basis, but to post in our Telegram group chat on a regular basis. If you are not doing that then you will be replaced. Unfortunately, that is what happened here with Adam.”
It was a tough decision for the Commissioner to make but a league-wide high activity level is the lifeblood of the AFHL.
“This is the part of my job that sucks the most,” said the Commissioner. “But I have to do it in the best interest of the league. Every offseason I look at each GM’s activity level and whoever ranks at the bottom is almost always let go by default. Sadly, Adam was that guy. I would like to add that I appreciate the time he put into building the Hamilton franchise. I think Adam is a good man and I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”
After interviewing nearly two dozen applicants over the course of three months, the Commissioner believes he found a suitable replacement in Rob Martin.
“Rob brings a wealth of knowledge from many years of experience as a GM in the fantasy hockey world,” the Commissioner said in a statement. “He has earned tremendous respect amongst his peers throughout his years of playing fantasy hockey and I believe his great personality will be welcomed with open arms into the AFHL family.”
The Commissioner cast a broad net in his search but seems to have homed in on someone who is very passionate about this game and will be highly active all season long.
“I am thrilled to be here as the new coach and GM of the Hamilton Firestorm,” Martin read from a prepared statement. “We have a really good team and really good players. My staff and I will work tirelessly to bring the Stanley Cup back to Hamilton.”
Martin is inheriting a talented Firestorm team that severely underachieved this past season. With elite talent like JT Miller, Brady Tkachuk, Tomas Hertl, and Zach Werenski already in the fold, Martin will have a chance to succeed right off the bat in Hamilton.
“When I look at this roster, I see a really good balance and blend of veterans and youth,” he noted. “If you look at the past winners in this league, those rosters were made up of a lot good young players and vets. Those teams can find success and I do think that personnel is here.”
Ultimately, it will be up to the players but the new bench boss is raring to go.
“Let’s get to work,” Martin said. “I think the messaging for me with the players is that we’re going to work our butts off in training camp to try to prepare ourselves for a return to the playoffs.”
2023 AFHL Free Agency Draft
Click here for Entry Draft Results
ROUND 1
R1P1: Lethbridge >> Ilya Safonov
R1P2: Toronto >> Matt Dumba
R1P3: Long Beach >> Sam Steel
R1P4: Washington >> Connor Timmins
R1P5: Manhattan >> Massimo Rizzo
R1P6: London >> Isaak Phillips
R1P7: Fort Drum >> Mikey Eyssimont
R1P8: Buffalo >> Domenic DiVincentiis
R1P9: Moncton >> Nicholas Moldenhauer
R1P10: Montreal >> Lukas Rousek
R1P11: Hamilton >> Caleb Jones
R1P12: Atlantic City >> Tristan Bertucci
R1P13: Deer Park >> Gavin Bjorklund
R1P14: Westbury >> Sam Johannesson
R1P15: Laval >> William Whitelaw
R1P16: Boston Giants >> Alex Laferriere
R1P17: Port Hope Panthers >> Travis Hamonic
R1P18: Antigonish X-Men >> Antti Tuomisto
R1P19: Shawinigan Vikings >> SKIPPED
R1P20: Rain City Bitch Pigeons >> Samuel Savoie
Panthers GM Keith Cancilla Retires;
Zach “Oz” Ostrowski Hired as Replacement
August 17th, 2023
After back-to-back appearances in the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals, Port Hope GM Keith Cancilla has announced his retirement.
“When I arrived in the AFHL 12 years ago in the summer of 2011, I thought I would compete in this league for three years, maybe five years,” said Cancilla at his retirement press conference on Thursday. “It is now 12 years later and as I prepare to step away, I feel very thankful for the great ride I have had. I have watched this league explode into what it is today and I am very proud to have been a part of it. I will miss all of the GMs I have interacted with over the years. There are so many amazing personalities in this league.”
In a previous conversation with the Commissioner, Cancilla had stated his reasons for retiring was due to his life being very busy and a belief that the window for this aging team to win a championship has closed.
“We want to thank Keith for his 11 years of amazing participation in the AFHL and wish him the best in his retirement,” said the AFHL Commissioner.
At the end of the press conference, a reporter had asked Keith if he would ever consider a return to the AFHL in the future. Keith had a short response that caused quite a stir in the room: “Never say never”.
The AFHL named Zach Ostrowski as the next GM of the Port Hope franchise, tapping one of the hockey world’s top rising GMs to lead the franchise to it’s first Stanley Cup victory after back-to-back appearances in the Finals.
Ostrowski diagrees with Cancilla’s comment about the window for this team to win has closed. He believes this roster only needs a little bit of tinkering to remain in contention.
“This is a tremendous honor and privilege to be named the new GM of the Port Hope Panthers,” Ostrowski said in a statement. “I would like to thank the AFHL Commissioner for affording me the opportunity to lead this team. I look forward to working with this group of talented players and building upon the winning culture in place.”
Ostrowski inherits a roster built around an aging core as the Panthers look to add speed and develop young players. The team is expected to shop for youth this offseason, specifically for younger top-six forwards. There are other pressing personnel decisions to be made including an assistant coach vacancy, and positions that oversee the power play and blue line. There is also a critical draft to prepare for; the Panthers only have one draft pick – in the third round.
“We are extremely pleased to name Zach Ostrowski as the new GM of the Port Hope franchise,” the Commissioner said in a statement. “Zach is one of the best young GMs in the game who’s had success at every level at which he has competed. We feel his leadership, communication skills, ability to develop players and familiarity with our league will be a tremendous asset as he makes this next step in his fantasy hockey career.”
2023 AFHL Entry Draft Board ROUND ONE R1P1: Lethbridge >> Connor Bedard R1P2: Toronto >> Adam Fantilli R1P3: Long Beach >> Matvei Michkov R1P4: Laval >> Leo Carlsson R1P5: Washington >> Will Smith R1P6: Lethbridge >> Zach Benson R1P7: Long Beach >> Ryan Leonard R1P8: Buffalo >> Colby Barlow R1P9: Moncton >> Gabriel Perrault […]
ROUND ONE
R1P1: Lethbridge Inferno
R1P2: Toronto Red Devils
R1P3: Long Beach Ice Dogs
R1P4: Laval Nomads (Washington)
R1P5: Long Beach Ice Dogs (Manhattan)
R1P6: Lethbridge Inferno (London)
R1P7: Washington Wolfpack (Fort Drum)
R1P8: Buffalo Phantoms
R1P9: Moncton Black Bears
R1P10: Montreal Xtreme
R1P11: Hamilton Firestorm
R1P12: Moncton Black Bears (Atlantic City)
R1P13: Toronto Red Devils (Deer Park)
R1P14: Moncton Black Bears (Westbury)
R1P15: Lethbridge Inferno (Laval)
R1P16: Moncton Black Bears (Boston)
R1P17: Atlantic City Sharks (Port Hope)
R1P18: Laval Nomads (Antigonish)
R1P19: Fort Drum Killers (Shawinigan)
R1P20: Washington Wolfpack (Rain City)
ROUND TWO
R2P1: Lethbridge Inferno
R2P2: Toronto Red Devils
R2P3: Manhattan Supermen (Long Beach)
R2P4: Manhattan Supermen (Washington)
R2P5: Moncton Black Bears (Manhattan)
R2P6: Washington Wolfpack (London)
R2P7: Montreal Xtreme (Fort Drum)
R2P8: Manhattan Supermen (Buffalo)
R2P9: Moncton Black Bears
R2P10: Montreal Xtreme
R2P11: Hamilton Firestorm
R2P12: Toronto Red Devils (Atlantic City)
R2P13: Rain City Bitch Pigeons (Deer Park)
R2P14: Westbury Royals
R2P15: Laval Nomads
R2P16: Washington Wolfpack (Boston)
R2P17: Manhattan Supermen (Port Hope)
R2P18: Lethbridge Inferno (Antigonish)
R2P19: Lethbridge Inferno (Shawinigan)
R2P20: Washington Wolfpack (Rain City)
ROUND THREE
R3P1: Lethbridge Inferno
R3P2: Toronto Red Devils
R3P3: Manhattan Supermen (Long Beach)
R3P4: Laval Nomads (Washington)
R3P5: Rain City Bitch Pigeons (Manhattan)
R3P6: London Mustangs
R3P7: Fort Drum Killers
R3P8: Montreal Xtreme (Buffalo)
R3P9: Antigonish X-Men (Moncton)
R3P10: Manhattan Supermen (Montreal)
R3P11: Hamilton Firestorm
R3P12: Atlantic City Sharks
R3P13: Deer Park Chiefs
R3P14: Westbury Royals
R3P15: Laval Nomads
R3P16: Antigonish X-Men (Boston)
R3P17: Port Hope Panthers
R3P18: Laval Nomads (Antigonish)
R3P19: Hamilton Firestorm (Shawinigan)
R3P20: Deer Park Chiefs (Rain City)
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