Warriors offer statement on team's status

The Michigan Warriors released a statement on their team blog Sunday, attempting to set the record straight on their NAHL situation after this season:

By now, many of our fans have likely heard of the NAHL's announcement stating that seven clubs, including the Michigan Warriors, are eligible for dormancy in the 2012-13 season.

While it may sound a bit "doom and gloom," the Warriors are working to restructure their deal with Perani Arena in order to better suit the rink's, team's and fans' needs. We appreciate the support from Flint-area hockey fans, and there are no definite plans for the Warriors to "sit out" next season, move from Flint or otherwise.

According to team owner Pat McEachern, the "dormancy" status is fairly common throughout junior hockey, a statement coach Moe Mantha echoed Thursday during an interview with an ABC 12 reporter.

The facts...

Under the dormancy clause, the Warriors could indeed sit out next season and return to Flint the following season.

The Warriors are working with Perani Arena to reach a deal which would benefit all parties involved. The application for such status does not mean the Warriors won't play at Perani next season. As a business owner, McEachern is simply taking precautionary measures in order to protect the team.

Speculation...

The Warriors are leaving Flint, being sold and relocated -- each falls into the "speculation" category. There aren't any immediate plans to move the team from Flint, nor are there any to go "dark" for a season, either.

What does the report mean?

By definition, the word "dormancy" refers to being inactive. And that could be the case for the Warriors, in theory, if a satisfactory deal with Perani fails to be reached. Jim Cain, who runs Firland Management, the company which owns Perani Arena, recently said keeping the Warriors in Flint is the ultimate goal.

"We have one entity, the Warriors, who have over 30 event days there a year," Cain said, according to a report on MLive.com. "Literally, it's half of what we do. It's very important (to keep the team)."

Visit the Warriors official team blog for the latest on the dormancy issue. Again, the Warriors appreciate their fans' support during this time, and urge them not to jump to conclusions.

Coach Mantha said it best Thursday, stating that the team's goal -- and the players' goal -- is to remain focused on finishing the season the best way possible. As of Saturday, the Warriors owned a seven-point advantage over Jamestown for the North American Hockey League's fourth and final playoff spot.

The Warriors look forward to competing for their second consecutive Robbie Cup Finals, which they reached in 2010-11, which was the franchise's first season in Flint.