Summary: The SPHL opened up their season this weekend and there's plenty of news about the tickle-down effect teams are feeling from the ECHL/CHL merger/absorption, as well as Fayetteville FireAntz approach to the season how it could take them to a solid playoff mentality early on. After a year overseas, Nikita Kashirsky is back and taking on quite the new role for a player his age in Wichita. Speaking of things being back, the Pennsylvania Triangle is back in the AHL, while the Pirates are back in Portland. Those things plus some news and notes, as well as We Hardly Knew Ye.
