Spiders Enter 2017–18 Season With High Expectations
Oct. 27, 2017
The Spiders kick off the 2017–18 season in less than a week and expectations are high as the Spiders return all 16 full time players from last season’s playoff squad.
The only new face for the Spiders will be Paul Fitch, who was recruited by Jay Hilden. Paul skated one game with the Spiders in the AHA Fall Tournament in early October and looks to be a very strong addition.
Departures from the Spiders are Jim Maietta and Shawn Tromiczak. Maietta retires as the B3/C1/C2 franchise career scoring leader with 196 points. Tromiczak, with his 1.2 points/game and aggressively fragile sensibilities, leaves in search of a different “class” of hockey team.
The B3 level has grown to 21 teams for the 2017–18 season. The reigning champion Lakers have been moved up to B2 while the Spitfires have moved down to C1. Additions to the level are the Rack Attack, Spitfires Green, Spitfires White, River Pirates, and Lumberjacks. The Rack Attack is a combination of players from the defunct C1 Rack Attack and players dropping down from the B2 Rack Attack. The Spitfires Green is a new team formed by a couple players from the former B3 Spitfires team that dropped to C1. The Spitfires White and the Lumberjacks were both promoted from C1 while the River Pirates move down from B2. Die hard Spider fans may recognize former Spider Greg Lindsley on the Lumberjack roster.
The Spiders open the season against the Battle Cats on Wednesday, November 1st at 7:45pm at VMCC W.
Division assignments:
| Team | 2016–17 record |
|---|---|
| Spiders | 12–4–4–0 |
| Battle Cats | 9–7–3–1 |
| Chiefs | 3–13–3–1 |
| Gators | 4–14–2–0 |
| Northern Horde | 7–11–0–2 |
| Rack Attack | New team |
| River Pirates | 3–17–0–0 (B2) |
| Spitfires Green | New team |
| Taz Devils | 12–7–1–0 |
| Venom | 9–10–1–0 |
| Wild | 10–6–2–2 |
| Team | 2016–17 Record |
|---|---|
| Barons | 14–3–3–0 |
| Chaos | 5–13–1–1 |
| Fighting Piranhas | 10–6–4–0 |
| Landsharks | 8–10–2–0 |
| Lumberjacks | 12–6–0–2 (C1) |
| Minnesota Loons | 9–9–2–0 |
| Phantoms | 7–12–1–0 |
| Saints | 13–4–2–1 |
| Spitfires White | 14–4–1–1 (C1) |
| Yellow Jackets | 12–7–0–1 |
