Toledo, OH has been quiet on the hockey front this season, while the Toledo Storm shut down operations for the season while they await the construction of a new arena. Along with that, the Storm are undergoing an identety change. Here’s a little primer from Wikipedia:

Their franchise was bought by the Toledo Mud Hens AAA Baseball team who will operate the team, under a new name, in a new arena expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2009 season. The team is currently in suspended operations while a new arena is built for them in downtown Toledo, and was expected to return to ECHL during the 2009-2010 season. On February 20th, 2008, it was revealed that the team’s new name would be the “Toledo Walleye”[1].

So, the Mud Hens thought that Walleye was decent enough name? Did they not see the outcry and finger pointing when the Lake Erie Monsters were reported to even consider the name Walleye?

But what gets me is that the team isn’t even starting to play until the fall of 2009, a year and a half away, but they want you to buy their gear. From their homepage at www.toledowalleye.com:

Be the first to get the new gear? What is this, Pokemon? They are a year and a half away from taking to the ice, and the “fans” should get their merch now? Aside from the colors mimicking the Denver Nuggets, a toothless yellow fish with a hockey stick is the sure source of pride for a minor league hockey team. The money for new jerseys should be pouring in.

Right now, there are 12 shirts, 5 hats, a puck, a mini-stick, and a sweatshirt listed for sale online. I can’t stress this point enough: they haven’t even played yet.

I’m going to get a puck. Nothing screams collectors item like abject failure.