New Season, New League, Same Goal: A Look at the 2013/14 Philadelphia Revolution

The Rink at Warwick will now play host to a new battleground for the Philadelphia Revolution.
Even in a new setting, the goal is still the same: championship glory.

After four seasons in the Eastern Junior Hockey League, the Revolution will now be playing competitive junior hockey in the newly formed Eastern Hockey League.  Joining them from the EJHL are the Boston Bandits, Connecticut Oilers, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs, New York Apple Core, and Valley Jr. Warriors.

Also during the 2013 offseason, the Revolution also joined the United States Premier Hockey League's Empire Division (USPHL), the Eastern Junior Elite Prospects League's Under-16 Division (EJEPL), and the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League (MJHL).  The USPHL and EJEPL teams will also be playing at The Rink at Warwick, whereas the MJHL squad will play its home games at The Rink at Old York Road in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.

The focuses for the Revolution this 2013/14 season are to get into the playoff picture for the first time in franchise history and improve in goal scoring.  This year, a returning veteran presence and a crop of promising young talent are the keys to help the club reach these goals.

Some notables returning to the Revolution from last year's EJHL roster are forwards Riley Egan, Kyle Jennings, and James Wallace.

Last year's leading point man Egan will most likely earn first-line minutes and help the newcomers adjust to Tier-III Junior A hockey.  In 42 games last season, he registered seven goals and nine assists for 16 points.

Jennings and Wallace may also see top-six minutes this season.  Last season, the two combined for six goals and six assists.

Some prospects rising from the ranks in the Revolution's Empire Junior Hockey League and Eastern States Hockey League teams are forwards Chris Connor and Zachary England.

Connor has seen action at all three levels of the Revolution organization last season, impressing many with his offensive abilities.  In the EJHL, he scored one goal in three games.  At the EmJHL and ESHL levels, Connor combined for 18 goals and 32 assists in 40 games.

England too saw time at the Junior A level last season, registering one assist in two games.  Like Connor, his offensive production at all levels helped his team stay competitive in close games.  Between the EmJHL and the ESHL, England scored 21 goals and assisted on 28 shots in 37 games.

The 2013/14 season opener roster will feature forwards Egan, Jennings, Wallace, Connor, England, Steve Atkinson, Garret Quinn, Pat McKerry, Remington Woods, Ryan Marker, and Nick Patullo; defensemen Dennis Maier, Mikko Kivinen, Jon Gibson, Zach Ziegler, Ryan O'Malley, Nick Schaefer, and Steve Mallory; and goaltenders Jacob Caffery and Hunter Tetrault.

The Eastern Hockey League Revolution will begin their 2013/14 campaign on the road, as they square off against the Bandits at Trinity College's Koeppel Community Center on Friday September 13th at 2:00pm.  Catch all the action live on FastHockey.com.