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Sears Centre will host Chicago Express hockey team

The calendar today shows 137 days before the Chicago Express hockey team plays its first game at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.

The team, which doesn’t have a roster set, will take the ice for the first time on Oct. 22 in Hoffman Estates. Team owner Craig Drecktrah and General Manager Wade Welsh appeared at Monday night’s village board meeting as the team entered a three-year deal to play their homes games at the Sears Centre.

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Trustee Gary Pilafas said.

June 16 is the first day the Express can announce player transactions. That’s when the team will likely announce its hockey team affiliations later this month. The Express is a minor-league hockey team, considered “AA,” the 20th team in the ECHL. Each team is affiliated with a “AAA” team, from the American Hockey League, such as the Chicago Wolves. The AHL is composed of farm teams for NHL squads. Fans are most interested in that affiliation, Welsh said.

Drecktrah also owned the now-defunct Chicago Hounds, which played at the Sears Centre from 2006 to 2007 until disbanding. The combination of the new arena ownership and management has given the Express a boost. Season ticket sales are high, he said.

“We’re very pleased at what’s happening, the same thing with sponsorships,” Drecktrah said. “We’re really surprised on how well we’re doing, well, well better than the Hounds ever had.”

The team last week unveiled its uniforms and schedule. Drecktrah said the village wanted a three-year commitment from the team.

“That’s what they asked for, and that’s kind of what I wanted, something stable and long term,” he said. “I’m happy with that.”

Drecktrah said that Sunday’s announcement from the Big Ten awarding the conference’s women’s basketball tournament to the Sears Centre in 2013 and 2015 was good news, even though the Express may have to compete for arena dates with the Big Ten.

“I’m very happy; it’s a big plus for the building,” Drecktrah said.

During the meeting, Mayor William McLeod congratulated arena General Manager Ben Gibbs on the winning bid. Six years ago, the Sears Centre made a bid for the Big Ten women’s tournament but failed.

“We didn’t do as well as you did,” McLeod said with a laugh.

All trustees voted in favor of the three-year deal except Trustee Raymond Kincaid, who abstained. His son, also named Raymond, is the team’s assistant general manager/vice president of operations. He wanted to avoid a conflict of interest.