Hockeytown, USA, Post Mortem

The Massillon Arctic Express, the minor league hockey team that moved from Saginaw, Michigan, to Massillon, Ohio, to play hockey in Massillon's proposed 6,500 seat arena, moved to Canton in January, 2002. They changed their name to the Canton XPress, and then later to the Canton IcePatrol. They never played a game.

The United Hockey League (UHL), the low-level minor league that awarded the Arctic Express franchise to Massillon, became the International Hockey League, then merged into the Central Hockey League. The Central Hockey League (CHL), is a step down from the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), which is a step down from the American Hockey League (AHL), which is a step down from the National Hockey League. The Central Hockey League is home to such tradition laden hockey franchises as the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs and the Odessa Jackalopes.

When the Arctic Express fled to Canton, the MG/Dove management group found another hockey league to provide Massillon and its proposed 6,500 seat arena a hockey team. It was the Continental Elite Hockey League. The Continental Elite Hockey League was a junior hockey league, meaning the players are under 21, usually aged 16 to 20. The league folded in 2004.

Proposed arena financier, and scam artist, Steven Waldman, plead guilty to various counts of fraud and money laundering in August, 2006, was sentenced to 30 years in a Miami, Florida, court. Waldman was given credit for time served, placed on probation, and released. It has been alleged that he violated his probation, and has a July trial date pending.

The site of Massillon's 6,500 seat hockey arena is now home to Massillon's Great Escape Movie Theater.

Frank Cicchinelli continues to reign over the City of Massillon as Mayor for Life...

Roll Credits...