New hockey fight league Ice Wars promises 'prize fighting on ice'

An upstart "sports combat league" called Ice Wars promises to give hockey fight fans everything they want... except hockey.

The league, started by infamous former Danbury Trashers owner AJ Galante, will pit minor league enforcers against each other in a rink next month, but there will be no sticks, no pucks and no object other than knocking your opponent old cold.

"I'm calling it prize fighting on ice because at the end of the day, there is no hockey being played," Galante tells Reuters.

"There are no sticks, there are no pucks, there are no nets. So yes, it's full hockey gear and it will predominantly be current hockey players. But it's prize fighting with a purse on the line."

If you're unfamiliar with Galante I recommend you do yourself a favor and check out the Netflix documentary "Untold: Crime and Penalties". The doc profiles a teenaged Galante as he manages a minor league hockey team in Danbury, CT that had alleged ties to organized crime. It's a wild documentary that has somewhat vaulted Galante back into the public sphere. It appears that now Galante is trying to capitalize on this increase in publicity with his new venture.

Each fight will consist of two, one minute rounds with a 30 second "ice breaker" round if the two fighters split the rounds. Rather than in a true hockey fight though, the combatants will be forced to wear MMA gloves and cannot take their opponent's helmet off during a fight. 

While no former NHLers are expected to participate in the event, a few current and former AHLers and ECHLers have reportedly committed. Former CHL and SPHL player Daniel Amesbury (who hasn't played a pro game in 9 seasons) tells Reuters that he's stoked to show off his abilities.

"As crazy as it might sound, this is something that I've always had in the back of my mind," Amesbury said.

"Six months ago I was saying to my buddy that it's too bad there isn't some sport where I can take advantage of this unique skill that I have.

"I don't know if I manifested it or what happened, but it wasn't much later that this ended up happening and I'm fired up."

Ice Wars is set to debut May 21st in Edmonton.