As the semi-pro hockey team prepares for its inaugural season, it will take some time for the Summit City Distillers to figure out their style of play.
Are they fast, physically strong, defensively minded?
And as the Distillers look to take their players to a higher level, how do they balance development with winning in Fort Wayne's increasingly competitive hockey market?
But the Distillers have hired a coach who has pledged to step up to the plate. Scott Robbins, 61, a former pro hockey player with years of experience coaching youth hockey, said he's a “Phil Mickelson-type, all-out type of guy” and that he expects that to show in how he coaches the Distillers.
“I think I have a pretty good talent and a good eye for spotting plays and things that will give us an advantage,” Robbins said. “I'm sure most of the guys have that skill set by now and maybe some little tricks of the game that I know I can instill in the guys and help them out. Hockey is my passion, so I'm looking forward to working with the guys and being around them.”
Robbins is a Detroit native who played professionally, including in the International Hockey League with the Flint Spirits from 1985 to 1987. He attended Detroit Red Wings training camp and actually played against the Fort Wayne Comets in the IHL.
He moved to Fort Wayne in 2017 and two of his sons, Logan and Lucas, whom he coached, played for the Leos and then the Fort Wayne Spacemen junior team that skates at the Sports One/Park View Ice House where the Distillers begin play this fall. Logan Robbins now plays NCAA Division III hockey at SUNY Morrisville.
The Distillers was founded this summer by Chris Hoy, a college and professional hockey referee, and Nick Graham, a players' representative with HPA Sports Management. Hoy is president of the nonprofit organization, and Graham is general manager. Their goal is to give players a platform to showcase their skills and continue to pursue their dream of playing professionally.
“As I was going through the head coaching interview process, Scott's name came up and it was an instant decision,” Graham said. “After interviewing, we were able to bring on board our first ever head coach. Scotty will bring a lot of intensity to our practices and games. Our fans can look forward to a high-octane offense and suffocating defensive matches. Our players will thoroughly enjoy playing for Scott Robbins.”
The Distillers compete in the eight-team American Premier Hockey League, with the 24-game regular season beginning Oct. 19 and the home opener on Nov. 2. The Distillers' closest APHL rivals are in Toledo and Flint, Michigan.
Hoy and Graham want the majority of Summit City's roster to be made up of players from Northeast Indiana, possibly former college or junior players who were unable to secure work in the Low-A Federal Prospect Hockey League or the High-A Southern Professional Hockey League (the Comets skate in the Double-A ECHL).
“One thing you'll notice, it was the same when I played,” Scott Robbins said, “As you move up the leagues, the game is the same, everything's the same, but everything's a little bit faster. You have the puck a little less time. Every time you move up the leagues, everything's a little bit faster. It's going to be a challenge.”
The Distillers will likely practice once a week and play games on weekends, and Robbins, a carpenter by trade, said much of his time with the players will be spent working on strategy. The Distillers plan to cover some of the travel expenses, although many of the players may have to work full-time while playing and pay their own travel costs.
The team will hold tryouts on Saturday. More information is available at distillers.hockeyshift.com. Cost is $50.
The Distillers have formed an affiliation with the Monroe Moccasins of the FPHL, a new team out of Monroe, Louisiana, that will essentially function as an affiliate, and if the Moccasins need a player, the Distillers should be one of the first places they look.
“This partnership is a huge step for our organization in our inaugural season,” Graham wrote on social media. “It provides a direct line of communication for our players to progress to the next level. That was our main goal when we launched this team, and we feel this is a great start.”
