Usually around this time of the year, activity would begin to pick up around the New Ulm Civic Center as members of the New Ulm Steel Junior Hockey team began to arrive in town getting acquainted with their new billet host families and getting prepared for their preseason camp.

But for the first time in seven years, that is not happening as the Steel were sold for relocation to a group that moved them to Tomah, Wisconsin.

For local hockey fans that enjoyed attending the 25 home game regular season Steel schedule, it may leave a void for them on some weekends.

The loss of the Steel will also be felt in ice rental time to the City of New Ulm — but perhaps not as much as many would assume.

“Last year, the Steel paid around $30,000 to the City in ice rental fees,” said Cheryl Kormann, Assistant Park and Recreation Director for the City of New Ulm.

“They were the lowest of the organizations that rent ice time from the City. New Ulm/Sleepy Eye Hockey Youth Hockey Association paid around $103,000, New Ulm Figure Skating paid about $61,000 and New Ulm High School paid just under $43,000.”

So while the City will not receive the approximately $30,000 because of the door being closed with the relocation of the Steel, Kormann said that another door has opened to recover some of that money.

“We are now able this season to host Friday night hockey games and weekend hockey tournaments,” she said. “Whereas if the Steel were playing on a Friday night, NUSE Hockey would start their tournaments in Sleepy Eye.

“I have scheduled tournaments, but just because I have scheduled them does not mean that they are going to play them. They do put a cut-off date and if they do not get enough teams to sign up then that is a reduction. So there is a reduction in amount of ice [time] sold.”

But Kormann added that there is also cost savings in maintenance.

“Their level of play is higher than the high school or association teams,” she said. “It is a lot more aggressive and more time is spent on bringing the ice back up to good condition.”

Kormann said that the city had formed a partnership with some Steel players.

“We had some of them take lifeguard training so they serve as lifeguards in the pool during the day time. I could use those individuals.”

Kormann added that the moving of the Steel is a loss for the community and their fans who averaged more than 260 fans per home game.

“They had their following — we did the Skating with Santa with them — and it was fun for the kids to skate with some players. So that way it is disappointing, of course. It is also disappointing because we had made improvements to the Civic Center based on their requests and requirements and now they are gone.”

So now for the big question.

Can or does New Ulm want another Junior Hockey franchise?

In my opinion, the only ways that can happen and be successful is if a franchise is purchased and owned locally.

The head coach/GM must live in New Ulm.

They need to have a solid and reliable front office which they began to have prior to the sale.

They need to have a 100% open working and positive relationship with the City of New Ulm, the high school program and the NUSE Hockey Association.

Owning and operating a Junior Hockey franchise is not cheap — it can be done.

The question is if there is enough interest locally to pursue it.