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Danbury Hat Tricks
CityDanbury, Connecticut
LeagueFederal Prospects Hockey League
DivisionEmpire
Founded2019
Home arenaDanbury Ice Arena
Owner(s)DP 110, LLC
General managerBilly McCreary[1]
Head coachBilly McCreary
WebsiteDanbury Hat Tricks
Franchise history
2019–presentDanbury Hat Tricks
Championships
Regular season titles1 (2022-23)
Division titles1 (2022-23)
Playoff championships1 (2022-23)

The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional ice hockey team based in Danbury, Connecticut. The team is a member of the Federal Prospects Hockey League and plays at the Danbury Ice Arena.

History

The Danbury Hat Tricks were announced as a member of the Federal Prospects Hockey League on May 7, 2019. Former FHL player Billy McCreary was announced a general manager and head coach.[1] The team is owned by DP 110 LLC, the same group that had recently purchased the Danbury Ice Arena.[1] The first signings by the team were goaltender Jordan Brant and defenseman Kruz Listmayer. Listmayer is the nephew of Hat Tricks co-owner and former NHLer Colton Orr.[2]

The Hat Tricks are the third FHL/FPHL team to have played in Danbury, the previous being the Whalers and Titans. The five stars in the Hat Tricks logo refer to the five previous professional teams to have played in the city; the others being the Trashers, Stars and Mad Hatters.[3] Besides the obvious reference to the players that score three goals in a single game, the team's name pays tribute to Danbury being known as 'Hat City' due to its history at the center of the American hat industry.[4]

During the team's inaugural season, Danbury was in first place in the Eastern Division when the league cancelled the rest of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Billy McCreary stepped down as head coach after winning Coach of the Year to take the head coaching job with the North American Hockey League's (NAHL) Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks, but kept the general manager position with the FPHL team.[5] Former Maine Mariners assistant coach Anthony Bohn was named head coach.[6]

The team opted out of the 2020–21 season entirely due to capacity restrictions in the arena during the pandemic.[7] Before returning in the 2021–22 season, Bohn left to become the head coach of the NAHL's El Paso Rhinos and the Hat Tricks hired former Danbury Trashers captain Dave MacIsaac as head coach.[8]

In the 2021-22 season, the Hat Tricks were among the league's best, but were swept in the second round to Columbus.

Following the season, McCreary was named Head Coach a second time, while also adding on President of Hockey Operations, replacing MacIsaac who went on to future endeavors.[9]

In the 2022-23 season, the Hat Tricks won the league's regular season championship, and made it into the team's first Commissioner's Cup Finals where they came from behind winning the series 3-2 in five games, and winning in overtime on a Michael Marchesan game winning goal at 11:58 of overtime.

Season-by-season results

Regular season Playoffs
Season GP W L OTL Pts[a] Pct GF GA PIM Finish Head Coach Quarterfinals Semi-Finals Finals
2019–20 46 31 12 3 94 .681 212 158 809 1st of 5, Eastern

2nd of 10, Overall

Billy McCreary Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 61 36 22 3 105 .574 253 232 1168 3rd of 7, Overall David MacIsaac W, 2-1, Binghamton L, 0-2, Columbus —
2022-23 56 44 7 5 129 .768 251 156 1627 1st of 5, Empire

1st of 10, Overall

Billy McCreary W, 2-0, Elmira W, 2-1, Binghamton W, 3-2, Carolina
  1. ^ The FHL awards 3 points for a regulation time win, 2 points for an overtime win, and 1 point for an overtime or shootout loss

Source:[10]

Awards

Forward of the Year

  • 2019–20: Carter Shinkaruk
  • 2021–22: Jonny Ruiz
  • 2022–23: Jonny Ruiz (All FPHL 2nd Team)

Defenseman of the Year

  • 2019–20: Aaron Atwell
  • 2021–22: Steve Brown

Goaltender of the Year

  • 2019–20: Tom McGuckin
  • 2022–23: Brian Wilson

Coach of the Year

  • 2019–20: Billy McCreary

Founders' Award

  • 2019–20: John Krupinsky
  • 2021–22: Billy McCreary
  • 2022–23: Dave Smith

Broadcasters of the Year

  • 2019–20: Casey Bryant, Jack O'Marra, Zak McGinniss

Goaltender of the Month

  • February 2019–20: Tom McGuckin
  • February 2022–23: Brian Wilson

Franchise leaders

All-time and season leaders as of the 2022-23 season:

All-time regular season

  • Games played: Jonny Ruiz, 148
  • Goals scored: Jonny Ruiz, 109
  • Assists: Jonny Ruiz, 85
  • Points: Jonny Ruiz, 194
  • Penalty minutes: Daniel Amesbury, 298

All-time postseason

  • Games played: Jonny Ruiz, Gordy Bonnel, 15
  • Goals scored: Jonny Ruiz, Michael Marchesan, Jacob Ratcliffe, 8
  • Assists: Lucas Debenedet & Jonny Ruiz, 8
  • Points: Jonny Ruiz, 16
  • Penalty minutes: Tobias Odjick, 58

Season records

  • Goals scored: Jonny Ruiz, 49 (2021-22)
  • Assists: Carter Shinkaruk, 38 (2019-20)
  • Points: Jonny Ruiz, 85 (2021-22)
  • Penalty minutes: Daniel Amesbury, 298 (2022-23)

Postseason records

  • Goals scored: Michael Marchesan & Jacob Ratcliffe, 8 (2023)
  • Assists: Lucas Debenedet, 8 (2023)
  • Points: Michael Marchesan, 13 (2023)
  • Penalty minutes: Tobias Odjick, 53 (2023)

References

  1. ^ a b c "FHL Returns to Danbury". Federal Prospects Hockey League. May 7, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  2. ^ "The Hat Tricks Sign First Two Players". danburyhattricks.com. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  3. ^ "Danbury Hat Tricks Jersey Unveiling". danburyhattricks.com. May 30, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  4. ^ "Danbury Hat Tricks Pro Hockey Team Unveiled, Coach Announced". i-95 Rock. May 3, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  5. ^ "McCreary tapped as NAHL head coach". www.danburyhattricks.com. June 13, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  6. ^ "Anthony Bohn named Hat Tricks Head Coach". www.danburyhattricks.com. June 17, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  7. ^ "DANBURY HAT TRICKS OPT OUT OF 2021 SEASON: AN OPEN LETTER". Danbury Hat Tricks. March 2, 2021.
  8. ^ "Hat Tricks Tab Dave MacIsaac as FPHL Head Coach". OurSports Central. July 8, 2021.
  9. ^ "News: DANBURY HAT TRICKS NAME BILLY McCREARY HEAD COACH - Danbury Hat Tricks". www.danburyhattricks.com. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
  10. ^ "Home - Federal Prospects Hockey League". www.federalhockey.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
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