1934 Offseason

League Headlines 

• Espinosa Tragedy
• John Phillip Dewey
• Future Minor League System
• Philadelphia Arena Problems

Just days after the Quinlan Cup finals concluded, tragedy struck the new league. The New York Lions popular backup goaltender Jerry Espinosa, who had filled in admirably during multiple games in the series, died from injuries sustained in a multi-vehicle automobile accident from a head-on collision on the dangerous Pulaski Skyway in Jersey City as he was driving back from Manhattan to his hometown of Linden, New Jersey. He had just turned 30 and left behind a wife and two young sons. The Lions and fans were stunned and a memorial service held in his honor had nearly 5,000 fans in attendance. Starting goalie Merlin Melancon decided to change his jersey number from #1 to #11 and requested the team withhold his number, stating “...nobody should wear the #1 for awhile in honor of Jerry.” Lions owner Vincent Elder honored the request and also had a banner created that would be hung from the rafters with his name and jersey. League president Jacob Jaffe also decided that the Best Goalie award would be retroactively named the Espinosa Memorial Trophy in his honor.

A Manhattan lawyer and businessman named John Phillip Dewey (a distant relation to the District Attorney and future governor of New York Thomas Dewey) announced that he was suing Madison Square Garden and the new league for illegally barring his usage of the Garden by his professional hockey team and reneging on a contract that would have given him control of the New York franchise in the FHL. Dewey also claimed that he first had player contracts with current Lions players Michael Prince, Frank Stratta, and Merlin Melancon that predated the league and therefore they should be assigned to his own team instead and all proceeds from games from the Lions should be shared with him. Dewey, a graduate of Columbia, was an acquaintance and somewhat of a rival of Jacob Jaffe but this new development ramped up the animosity. With league vice president Percy Cotro also holding a stake in MSG, owner Vincent Elder collected a team of lawyers to combat the new situation before it got out of hand. Dewey's press conference, however, shot down any hope of a peaceful resolution as he announced that in addition to the suit he was planning on starting his own league.

Meanwhile, Jacob Jaffe and Percy Cotro were working on building the foundation for a league-sponsored minor league system that would give the pro teams easier access to development teams and help foster and promote hockey in future and local regional markets. Cotro was named the primary executive of the new project and unnamed minor league. Cotro hoped to spearhead two minor league teams for each professional franchise, each franchise being connected to one local and one regional. Cotro envisioned a system where players could be moved up and down easily. With the Depression still in full swing, Cotro was adverse to building too quickly but hoped to nail down five locations for inaugural clubs by 1935.

The Philadelphia Stars had a much better than anticipated inaugural season despite their playoff flop and were hoping to build on their success but the Philadelphia Arena's refrigeration system malfunctioned and flooded the building just a few weeks after the season causing significant damage. The Leones were already a bit in the hole financially from renovations to the building before the league started and this places the fledgling franchise in an early bind that could impact their viability in Philadelphia. With repairs not expected to be finished by the beginning of the season, Bruno and Steve Leone sought to mitigate the concern of the fanbase by announcing they would play some home games at the Philadelphia Civic Center, however the building still did not have any permanent refrigeration systems installed and the city fired back saying they had no such agreement with the Leones.

(Updated Philadelphia Stars team info card)

Roster Management

No teams had any coaching changes, but teams made several notable signings, trades and added prospects.

Boston Hibernians

The Hibs' primary focus was extending their star players as they liked their championship roster. Team captain and reigning MVP Johnie Frost was given a raise to $7,000 while star goalie Billy Wibbenmeyer was extended to $4,000. Second line center Tim Garmon was unhappy with his contract and demanded a trade but the Hibs brass decided to give him a small raise, bumping him up to $4,500. Meanwhile winger Joe Rayson, named an All-Star, also requested a raise to suit his status. The Crowley's were nearing their self-imposed $45,000 roster limit though and could only afford to give him a $500 raise to $2,400. It will be a situation to monitor for the Hibs as they navigate how to keep rising players while maintaining financials in a tough era during the Depression. The Hibs signed a young teenaged prospect from Dedham, MA named Amby Ulman to a minor league contract. It is unknown if Ulman will attend college but scout Teddy McLeish (ThisIsFine) liked his physicality and speed for such a young player and recommended him to the Crowleys.

Chicago Maroons

The Maroons focused on upgrading their blue line, and found a promising young defenseman from Racine, Wisconsin named Edward Gibson. Scouted by co-owner Eddie McNair and regional scout Fred Metzger (Burmy87), Gibson projects as a solid, technically-sound defender with a high hockey IQ. The Maroons were excited for his potential and inked him to a $3,000 contract, while also giving starter Ron Gould a $500 raise to $3,500. They sent veteran Frankie Vinson down to a minor league affiliate where his $1,200 contract will remain on the active roster. They also signed a local young teenaged prospect named Jackson Doles to a minor league contract after his father Steve (Sevsdast) pitched him to McNair. The Maroons will have a $49,700 total salary heading into the new season.

Detroit Lancers

Don Cashwell and the Lancers looked to restructure the roster, sending veteran defenseman Von Ledoux to the minors and traded aging top-pair Henry Parrish to Philadelphia for an undisclosed amount of money. Meanwhile Cashwell had connected with several regional hockey scouts and brought in some new prospects that were recommended to him. A retired Lieutenant Colonel named Richard Johnson (ZO82) had put in the road and rail miles, finding a promising young goalie named Jacob Morrison playing on an amateur team in Indianapolis. Morrison is disciplined and has a big body that he uses to guard the cage. Cashwell signed Morrison to a minor league contract. Johnson also recommended a local Detroit-area defenseman named Frederick Kruger, a hulking specimen with deceptive speed who played collegiately at Michigan and had just graduated. Another local Pontiac defenseman named Danny Whitcomb was discovered by scout Edward Mill (Jayhawk), a similarly strong body with great stay-at-home defending skills. Cashman signed both players to $1,500 contracts and felt like they would be an upgrade on the blue line and help keep the net more clear for veteran goalie Chuck Wyman.

New York Lions

To replace Espinosa as backup goalie, the Lions signed 24-year-old Sam Grant, a graduate of West Point to a $2,000 contract. Grant, scouted by Fred Metzger (Burmy87), projects as a steady and reliable force in the net. He remains active military reserve but wants to pursue his professional hockey dream. The Lions also gave starter Merlin Melancon a raise to $3,500. The Lions also signed a young winger named Robert Sledd to a minor league development contract after scout Ben Skowten (Scratch) found him lighting up the junior amateur circuit in upper New York. Owner Vincent Elder is a bit concerned after the team salary ballooned to $57,000, highest in the league, especially with the recent legal issues from Dewey. The Lions could be an early trade candidate to shed salary if they aren't able to do well early in the new season. Elder also met with a regional scout named Eric Fitzsimmons (_ILKYIK_) and signed a young prospect named Harold Quatermass from Little Danbury, CT to a minor league development deal.

Philadelphia Stars

The Stars received defenseman Henry Parrish from Detroit and paired him with team captain Russ Hatley on the top pairing. Philadelphia hopes Parrish's net-front defense work will be a good compliment to the more offensively-minded Hatley and help the goalie tandem of Manera and Christie. To make room, they sent aging defender Tim MacKinnon down to the minors but he may also retire instead. The Stars' brass were excited about young prospect Luke Broadlee, 22, but he seemed to regress as the season wore on and looked lost in the physicality of the playoffs. They decided to send the winger to a minor league development team in hopes that he will be able to find his game and signed a local veteran bruiser named Mike Steiner to the active roster. Meanwhile, a scout named Giuseppe Scatoli (idm), a family friend of the Leones, sent some recommendations for players. Steve Leone immediately liked Richie Money, a flashy young center prospect from Doylestown, PA, to a minor league development deal. Money shows incredible skating skill but is still learning the physical aspects of hockey.


C&C much appreciated! I also really appreciate all the prospects y'all have submitted so far! I tried to get a least one from every person in this first offseason but don't fret if you don't see your players just yet. Keep them coming! The league really needs wingers...