Hamilton GM Gets the Axe, Rob Martin Announced as Replacement

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.”