Casey Harris couldn’t help but laugh and smile as he greeted fans one at a time after a short-lived return to the ice.
In an event billed as Casey Harris Night earlier this year, the veteran Port Huron hockey player had just finished his first game of the season with the
Port Huron Prowlers minor league hockey team. With his hands bruised and partially swollen, Harris still found a way to smile despite the after-effects of the on-ice fights he had just taken part in.
“It’s always fun when they ask you to play with the young kids and mix it up again,” Harris says. “I’ve been practicing with them the last couple of weeks. The love for hockey never leaves you. I’ve always enjoyed being competitive. In everything I do, I try to do my best. Whether it’s hockey, or with my business, or with my staff. I always try to do my best.”
For the 48-year-old long-since retired hockey player and owner of the popular local restaurant
Casey’s Pizza & Subs, it was yet another chance to return to his first love.
Like Harris, many of the Port Huron Prowlers hockey players continue in their playing careers that didn’t result in the ultimate dream of playing in the National Hockey League. Instead, they have found their fit in the
Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL), an independent minor league that allows players to work up to higher levels of play.
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Alex Johnson, Assistant Coach of the Port Huron Prowlers.
In that upward climb, many players have found a home in cities such as Port Huron, which has a lengthy history of minor league hockey teams. From the Port Huron Flags to the current Prowlers, hockey has always thrived in the waterfront city. That has made the experience exciting and valuable to players such as Alex Johnson, who has had two stints with the Prowlers, dating back to 2017.
Johnson, a defenseman and the Prowler's assistant coach, has enjoyed his time in Port Huron despite the ups and downs of playing on the minor league circuit.
“It’s an amazing place to play,” Johnson says. “The fans are awesome. They come out every weekend. It seems to ramp up each year at the end of the season. We have a good core group here. That seems to help with players staying here so long. The guys love it and want to be here. Even when players have had call-ups, they have chosen to stay here.”
Being a minor league hockey player can often be difficult, especially when traveling on the road. With the constant expansion of the FPHL, road trips have gotten longer, and players often face the challenge of playing without much time to rest.
“The travel is really grueling, with 15-to-18-hour bus rides,” Johnson says. “There were times when we showed up right before the game. We had a situation where we had some bus issues when we traveled to Binghamton (NY), and we got there like 10 minutes before warmups. But you kind of roll with the punches in this league. You have to be ready for everything. And once you hit the ice you have to be ready no matter what. You have to be mentally tough. Sleeping on the bus, your body is a little more sore than sleeping in your bed. You have to always be mentally focused, and once you hit the ice, all of that goes away.”
“But it’s still been amazing to be able to play. I have loved hockey my whole life, and I want to play it for as long as I can, and this has granted me the opportunity to do that, so I’m very grateful this team is here, and I’ve had the opportunity to be here for so long.”
Like Harris and Johnson, players simply can’t stay away from the game they love. The Prowlers hockey franchise, founded in 2015, is now in its 10th year. Since then, players have come and gone, but what remains is a loyal fan base that is always ready to support the team.
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Mitts, the Port Huron Prowlers mascot.
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Fans of the Port Huron Prowlers on Casey Harris Night.
Just ask Stephen Tummonds, a local fan who spent several hundred dollars to buy Harris’s game-worn jersey in an auction after his return to the ice.
“I grew up playing hockey since kindergarten, and then I started refereeing since I was in the eighth grade,” Tummonds says. “So, I’ve been playing for 15 years and refereeing for eight years. I bought the jersey because it’s all about the community. I was thinking how important the money would be going back into the community. That’s fine with me.”
Then, there are also the special storylines that arise along the way, such as homegrown hero Austin Fetterly. Earlier this year, the former Port Huron High School graduate suited up for his 300th professional game. Gone are the days of representing Port Huron at local Silver Stick Tournaments. Now, Fetterly suits up for his hometown minor league hockey team.
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Austin Fetterly, player number 19 for the Port Huron Prowlers.
“It’s come full circle,” Fetterly says. “I always had guys I would ask questions to. They would tell me if you blink, it’s over. It’s been a surreal experience. I’ve grown so many ways, on the ice, off the ice. Giving back to the community is a big thing to me. Seeing all of the kids that I’ve even taught to skate and now they are in high school. Just to see the next generation of players even in our locker room. Teaching them how to stay humble and giving them skills you don’t just pick up along the way.
“It’s been a crazy experience, and hopefully it continues a little longer. Playing here in Port Huron and all of the history and watching the pro teams come here. Thinking to myself how cool it would be to do it as a job one day and to finally get the opportunity, the love of the game drives that. Once you get hooked, it’s hard to stop.”
After facing a stretch of finishing the season below .500, or 18 wins and 18 losses, three out of the last four years, the Prowlers have taken a step in the right direction. With a month and a half left in this year's season, the Prowlers find themselves in the middle of the pack with a chance to move higher with a winning streak or two. Potentially making it to this year’s playoffs.