Springfield, Illinois – The Springfield Jr. Blues are pleased to announce our return to the ice for the 2021-22 North American Hockey League (NAHL) season! We are joined in this decision by the Corpus Christi IceRays and Jamestown Rebels who have also announced their return.
“We are pleased that all three teams have navigated their way through the uncertainty of the past year and remain dedicated to providing opportunity for players moving forward during the upcoming 2021-22 season,” said NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld. “All our teams play an important part in the NAHL landscape and share a deep history of developing players, entertaining fans, and being an important part of their local communities.”
The Jr. Blues have been a mainstay in the NAHL since 1993 and successfully have moved nearly 400 players to the NCAA and over 150 players into professional hockey. Some of our most notable alumni include Mike McKenna, Greg Rallo, Gregg Naumenko, Nikolai Knyzhov, Devin Cooley, Dryden McKay, Tommy Nappier, Trevor Stone, Pat Curry, and Brian McCullough.
“After being without hockey here in Springfield for nearly a year, we are excited to announce our return to the ice for the 2021-22 season,” said owner Dan Ferguson. “We are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to meet our new players, welcome back our amazing fans to the Nelson Center, and return to normal operations within our office.”
Although the Jr. Blues haven’t been active on the ice, head coach Tyler Rennette has been quite active off the ice. Since November 10th, we have signed 15 players to tender contracts for the upcoming season. To read more about our newest signees, click here. These 15 players will join our draft picks from the 2021 NAHL Draft and other invitees at our Main Tryout Camp this summer to determine our roster.
As the Spring and Summer months move along we will release more information about the upcoming season as we can (such as attendance capacity, schedule, etc.). We want to thank all of our fans from the Springfield and surrounding area who have supported us throughout this long and difficult period. We are moved by the outpouring of love in the last several months, and we cannot wait until we are able to see you all again!
