R.I.P. Brooklyn Aviators, No Hockey in Brooklyn This Year

Professional hockey in Brooklyn is no more!

After two seasons at Floyd Bennett Field, the Brooklyn Aviators have folded due to financial issues.

The team’s owners are looking for “alternative sources of income,” according to Brooklyn Daily, who first reported the news.

A spokesperson for the Aviator facility confirmed to Sheepshead Bites that the Brooklyn team folded, and its slot will be filled by a franchise in Dayton, Ohio. The team’s Wikipedia entry has already been updated to reflect the disbandment of the Aviators, and the Aviator’s website now redirects to the website of the Dayton Devils.

Rob Miller, who coached the team to the the Finals during it’s inaugural 2010-2011 season, signed a contract with the Augusta RiverHawks, a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League.

“It was fun. It gave me my first opportunity to coach professional hockey, it’s got a little place in my heart for sure,” Miller said, adding he plans to bring several of his former Aviator players along with him to Georgia.

The Brooklyn Aviators debuted in 2009 as part of the North East Professional Hockey League and moved to the newly formed FHL in 2010. Their 2010-2011 season was highlighted by a 21-game winning streak and a trip to the championship.