Jamie Rivers
If you entered the Family Arena in St. Charles six months ago, you saw a concert venue with no resemblance to a sports arena. You would never have guessed that the 14-year old structure once housed a professional hockey team.
Fast forward to today. The arena now features boards almost completely constructed, with LED ribbons and a new state-of-the-art video scoreboard in the center. Now, the Family Arena might remind you of a hockey arena.
“I was pretty impressed with the building itself,” said Jim Wiley, Director of Hockey Operations for the Central Hockey League. “From an eye perspective, and my eye’s perspective, it is very very nice.”
The arena will be home to the St. Charles Chill, the most recent addition to the CHL. Beginning play in October 2013, the Chill have already stated their team slogan.
“Feel the Chill,” said Patrick Armstrong, the Executive Vice President of the team. “From the moment you walk in the building, you will feel that chill.”
The CHL is comprised of ten teams throughout the Midwest, which ranges from the Arizona Sundogs in Prescott Valley, Arizona to the Brampton Beast in Brampton, Ontario. The Chill hope to renew a rivalry with the Quad City Mallards, who were the biggest enemies of the Missouri River Otters, the now defunct United Hockey League team that played at the Family Arena from 1999-2006.
The biggest hurdle for the Chill will likely be their opponent 220 miles down Highway 70, the Missouri Mavericks. The Independence, Missouri team saw forward Sebastien Thinel contribute 29 goals and 96 points in all 66 games to finish last season as the CHL’s leading point-scorer.
Head Coach and General Manager Jamie Rivers is ready for the challenge, establishing his team’s focus and “culture” in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. In front of 80-100 season ticket holders, fans and media members, Rivers unveiled the first three members of his new team.
“I wanted to bring in guys who, I thought, exemplified leadership, as well as talent,” Rivers said, “and they are going to be there every day and they are going to create that winning culture that I want.
“I wanted to build a very good foundation for this hockey club.”
All three players are natives to the St. Louis area and have vital experience in professional hockey.
Kyle Kraemer, 28, is a graduate of CBC High School in St. Louis. After attending Northeastern University in Boston, Kraemer played 185 games in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), amassing 71 goals, 94 assists and 165 points. Last season, Kraemer had career-highs in goals (30), assists (41) and points (71) with the Ontario Reign.
“I haven’t played at home in 10 years,” Kraemer said. “The last time I played at home was for CBC so I look forward to it.”
