2023-24 FPHL season

This is the 2023-24 Federal Prospects Hockey League season. This is the league's 14th season.
==League Business==
*On June 2nd, an expansion draft was held to stock the two expansion teams.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/fphl-expansion-draft-results 
*On June 27th, a dispersal draft was held for the players on the Delaware Thunder roster.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/dispersal-draft-results 
*The Elmira River Sharks would receive the Elmira Mammoth rostered players in lieu of an additional expansion draft.
==Membership Changes==
*An expansion team to be based out of the Raising Cane's River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is to be added to the league for the 2023-24 season without any formal announcement from the league.https://www.brprohockey.com/news/baton-rouge-makes-first-staff-hire A formal announcement was made on April 11, 2023.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/baton-rouge-joins-fphl/n-5945234 On July 13th the announcement was made that the team will be called the Baton Rouge Zydeco.https://www.brprohockey.com/news/baton-rouge-zydeco-a-melody-of-louisiana-s-rich-cu
*The league will be adding a team based out of the 5,300 seat Appalachian Exposition Center in Wytheville, Virginia for the 2023-24 season.https://www.wdbj7.com/2022/11/07/new-pro-hockey-team-headed-wythe-county-with-redevelopment-apex-center/ On July 27, 2023 the team's name was revealed as being the Blue Ridge Bobcats.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/wytheville-announces-the-blue-ridge-bobcats/n-5994768
*In late March 2023 the operators of the Delaware State Fair Centre Ice Arena announced they would not be renewing the lease for the Delaware Thunder for next season. The team's fan base was working on a petition to try to get the lease renewed.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5941534 On June 19th the team filed for dormancy for the 2023-24 season.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/delaware-thunder-file-for-dormancy
*On May 12, 2023 the management of the First Arena in Elmira, New York sent notification to the Elmira Mammoth that their lease was being terminated.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/steve-donner-responds-to-recent-headlines/n-5962079 By May 26th, the team decided not to contest the decision.https://www.weny.com/story/48974312/mammoth-sports-and-entertainment-to-surrender-first-arena 
*A replacement team is going into the First Arena replacing the former Elmira Mammoth team another FPHL team announced on June 19th that it had hired a head coach, Tyler Gjurich, and an assistant coach M.J. Maerki.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/elmira-announces-coaching-staff/n-5977524 On July 8, 2023 the team was announced as being named the Elmira River Sharks.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/elmira-welcomes-the-river-sharks The River Sharks are apparently inheriting the former Mammoth team's roster of players.
*The former owner of the Danville Dashers (FHL) franchise has indicated he would like to place another team in Danville, Illinois' David S. Palmer Arena for the 2024-25 season. The arena board replaced his previous team with new franchise in the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2020. That franchise the Vermilion County Bobcats would end up folding in February of 2023. The arena board put out a lease proposal request for potential teams in the ECHL, SPHL, Federal Prospects Hockey League, or the junior level United States Premier Hockey League.https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-6028768
*On November 8, 2023 the league Board of Governors approved the swapping of the Motor City Rockers and Blue Ridge Bobcats between divisions.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/fphl-makes-divisional-line-up-adjustment
*On March 28, 2024 the league announced that addition of a team to be based out of the soon to be opened Classic Center Arena in Athens, Georgia, which will begin play with the 2024-25 season.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/fphl-announces-athens-ga On May 15, 2024 the name of the team was announced as the Athens Rock Lobsters as a tribute to the locally based band the B-52's and their famous song.https://apnews.com/article/athens-rock-lobsters-b52s-hockey-4502c97c01c0158524e9c0b45cbac844
*On May 1, 2024 the junior level North American Hockey League announced the addition of the Elmira Aviators to begin play in the East Division with the 2024-25 season. The team will be based out of the First Arena in Elmira, New York.https://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=38750 This called into question the future of the Elmira River Sharks beyond the 2023-24 season. On May 16, 2024 it was announced that the franchise was sold and would be relocating to another city in New York State for the 2024-25 season.https://www.elmirariversharks.com/news/thank-you-fans
*On May 20, 2024 it was announced that the Elmira River Sharks was sold to the owner of the semi-pro Hudson Valley Vipers. The team will be renamed the Hudson Valley Venom and play their games out of the 3,200 seat McCann Ice Arena in Poughkeepsie, New York.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/hudson-valley-venom-to-join-federal-prospects-hock It was later announced that the Venom will play at the Ice Time Sports Complex in Newburgh, New York.https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0AW7e6w7G666rhtqFfoSkK3pfAcmSDVz1pVAsXmab2ocGJvkaaAKPb5rpjCfdFCqBl&id=100092898678212&rdid=Be5ENL67aHwrQUo6&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fp%2FXHcYHdBWWaddAy1W%2F
*On June 5, 2024 the league announced the addition of the Monroe Moccasins to the league for the 2024-25 season. The team will be based out of the Monroe Civic Center in Monroe, Louisiana.https://www.federalhockey.com/news/the-fphl-welcomes-the-monroe-moccasins
==Teams==
===Continental Division===
Team 	Home arena 	Capacity	City 	Joined League
Baton Rouge Zydeco 	Raising Cane's River Center Arena	8,900 	Baton Rouge, Louisiana 	2023
Blue Ridge Bobcats 	Appalachian Exposition Center 	5,300 	Wytheville, Virginia 	2023
Carolina Thunderbirds 	LJVM Coliseum Annex 	4,000 	Winston-Salem, North Carolina	2017
Columbus River Dragons	Columbus Civic Center 	10,000 	Columbus, Georgia 	2019
Mississippi Sea Wolves	Mississippi Coast Coliseum 	9,150 	Biloxi, Mississippi 	2022
Port Huron Prowlers 	McMorran Place 	3,400 	Port Huron, Michigan 	2015
===Empire Division===
Team 	Home arena 	Capacity	City 	Joined League
Binghamton Black Bears	Visions Veterans Memorial Arena	4,710 	Binghamton, New York	2021
Danbury Hat Tricks 	Danbury Ice Arena 	3,000 	Danbury, Connecticut	2019
Elmira River Sharks 	First Arena 	3,784 	Elmira, New York 	2023
Motor City Rockers 	Big Boy Arena 	3,300 	Fraser, Michigan 	2022
Watertown Wolves 	Watertown Municipal Arena 	2,000 	Watertown, New York 	2010
===Dormant Franchises===
Team 	Home arena 	Capacity	City 	Joined League
 	 	 	 	
Delaware Thunder	Centre Ice Rink	700 	Harrington, Delaware	2019
==Standings==
===Continental Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OW	SW	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Columbus River Dragons	56	40	3 	2 	7 	4 	292	155	134
Carolina Thunderbirds 	56	32	12	5 	3 	4 	225	149	116
Port Huron Prowlers 	56	22	22	4 	2 	6 	196	207	84
Mississippi Sea Wolves	56	16	32	3 	2 	2 	199	265	61
Baton Rouge Zydeco 	56	15	36	1 	0 	4 	154	248	51
Blue Ridge Bobcats 	56	11	33	4 	1 	7 	151	221	50
===Empire Division===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OW	SW	OL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Binghamton Black Bears	56	35	10	1 	3 	7 	276	170	120
Motor City Rockers 	56	27	19	4 	2 	4 	219	194	97
Danbury Hat Tricks 	56	22	19	4 	5 	6 	216	192	90
Watertown Wolves 	56	17	31	2 	0 	6 	193	250	61
Elmira River Sharks 	56	18	34	1 	1 	2 	189	259	60
Note: Three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime loss, none for a regulation loss.
==Commissioner's Cup==
The top four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds area best-of-three. The final round is best-of-five.
===Continental Division Semifinals=== 
*Columbus River Dragons defeated Mississippi Sea Wolves 2 games to none (7-2, 8-0)
*Carolina Thunderbirds defeated Port Huron Prowlers 2 games to 1 (2-3, 4-2, 2-1 (ot)
===Empire Division Semifinals===
*Binghamton Black Bears defeated Watertown Wolves 2 games to none (4-2, 7-2)
*Motor City Rockers defeated Danbury Hat Tricks 2 games to 1 (3-2 (ot), 2-4 , 3-0)
===Continental Division Final=== 
*Carolina Thunderbirds defeated Columbus River Dragons 2 games to 1 (0-3, 3-2 (ot), 2-1 (ot))
===Empire Division Final===
*Binghamton Black Bears defeated Motor City Rockers 2 games to none (4-3, 3-2 (ot))
===Commissioner's Cup Final===
*Binghamton Black Bears defeated Carolina Thunderbirds 3 games to none (5-3, 4-3, 4-3)
==References==
Category:2023-24 in ice hockey
Category:Federal Hockey League seasons