The Fort Vancouver Vipers hockey club closed up shop on Tuesday.
Citing a shortage of players and player safety, the junior hockey team that played at Mountain View Ice Arena is out of business.
Chuck Cheshire, the Vipers general manager, said the decision to cease operations immediately was made in the best interest of the players. The team was unable to field a full roster this season in the pay-to-play Northern Pacific Hockey League. The Vipers were winless in eight games this season, getting outscored 82-4.
“Without players you can’t compete,” Cheshire said.
The club, a not-for-profit organization, officially ceased operations at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. In an e-mail sent Tuesday night, Vipers president Danny Steinmueller announced the decision.
“Due to an insufficient amount of players and a recent increase in injuries, we are ceasing operations in the interests of maintaining the health and safety of players,” Steinmueller said in that e-mail.
Players on the Vipers roster were transferred on Wednesday to the Tri-Cities Outlaws roster, NPHL vice president Flint Doungchak said. Some players might eventually wind up on other rosters, Doungchak said. Players pay $6,500 a season plus housing costs to play in the NPHL.
The NPHL is a developmental league for players ages 16-20 who aspire to play hockey at a higher level. It is the same age group as the Western Hockey League, but the NPHL is the lowest level of USA Hockey-sanctioned junior hockey, whereas the Portland Winterhawks play at the elite major junior level.
In the 2013-14 season, the Vipers were winless in 40 games. The previous season they were 2-38. Two losses last weekend at Wenatchee stretched the club’s losing streak to 77 games.
The Vipers started this season with only 11 skaters and three goalies. The team was sometimes competitive early in games, but opponents with more players overwhelmed the Vipers. Only five players played in all eight games this season and two others played in seven.
In an effort to bolster recruiting for this season, the Vipers added former Portland Winterhawks player and one-time Seattle Thunderbirds coach Jim Dobson.
Despite a string of NPHL clubs that have come and gone, Vancouver remains a desirable location for a hockey club, according to Doungchak.
“It’s been a great market. The issue isn’t fans,” Doungchak said.
The general manager of the Eugene Generals, Doungchak said there is always someone interested in operating a team in the Vancouver-Portland market. Doungchak said the Generals would like to see the NPHL return to Vancouver in the future.
Bob Knoerl, general manager at Mountain View Ice Arena, said losing the Vipers is “pretty disappointing.”
The loss of $42,000 in ice fees for the season will hurt, but that “the rink will be fine,” Knoerl said.
One way he will make up for lost revenue will be having popular Friday evening public skate sessions every week.
