RADNOR, PA -- The news came as a shock.
There was confusion, Then Anger. Then despair. Then worry.
The Radnor Rink Rats, who had long been floundering, had seemingly found life under new owner George Baschul. There where an energy of new life with a new perspective, fresh blood being injected into the line-up and the front office.
Now, original owner Damian Stamm is back in control after an absence - some say way longer than the official one - to take control of the founding franchise that won the UHL Championship in Season 2 but has yet to sip champaign since.
The move came over the hectic holiday break when the US was itself undergoing tremendous turmoil, leading to speculation that the timing of the move was designed to "bury the news". While the new-but-old GM defends his return to the team, he acknowledges the harsh criticism that has come from a crusty but devoted crowd.
"For sure, I think a lot of the criticism is fair," he said. "There were a lot of underlying factors that have led into what has gone on over the last 5 years. The state of the hockey team is what it is because of that and now I am focused on building on a strong core to returning to the championship."
The focus remains on the young core with the steady presence of Roman Josi as the anchor on the blueline. The team has depth on the right wing with snipers Mikael Granlund, Timo Meier, and Cam Atkinson, while building around the young core of Sebastian Aho, Matthew Tkachuk, and Kirby Dach.
"There's a foundation here," Stamm said. "This time, we expect to see it through."