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A New Chapter Begins: Black Bears Prepare to Raise Third Straight Championship Banner October 6, 2026 |
Posted by: Bob Howard Credit: BinghamtonHockey.net |
Eight returning champions, three experienced newcomers and a collection of hungry rookies will make up Brant Sherwood's latest attempt to keep the Commissioner's Cup in Binghamton October 6, 2026 - by Bob Howard BINGHAMTON, NY There will be a familiar feeling inside Visions Veterans Memorial Arena on October 10. The banner will be raised. The championship memories will come flooding back. And once again, the Binghamton Black Bears will stand on home ice as the defending Commissioner's Cup champions. But when the puck drops against the Watertown Wolves, this will not be the same Black Bears team that finished off a third consecutive championship last spring. That is perhaps the most intriguing part of the 2026-27 season. Three straight Commissioner's Cups have established the Black Bears as the dominant franchise in the Federal Prospects Hockey League. Now, Head Coach Brant Sherwood last season's FPHL Coach of the Year faces perhaps his biggest challenge yet: rebuilding around the players who remain while replacing a remarkable collection of championship veterans who have moved on to new opportunities. The Black Bears enter their sixth season with eight returning players, three additional veterans who bring professional experience from around the FPHL, SPHL and ECHL, and a group of first-year professionals looking to establish themselves. In all, Sherwood will have 11 players with professional experience at his disposal. And on October 10, before the new team takes the ice, Binghamton will celebrate the team that came before it. The Black Bears will raise their third consecutive Commissioner's Cup championship banner. Then the next chapter begins. The Championship Core ReturnsThe most important piece of any roster trying to defend a championship is the players who understand what it takes to win one. Binghamton has eight of them. CJ Stubbs No. 23 If there is one player who appears poised to take on an even greater leadership role this season, it is CJ Stubbs. The 32-year-old has developed into one of the Black Bears' most dangerous offensive players over the past two seasons. In 96 games, Stubbs has produced 62 goals and 101 assists for 163 points. Those numbers only tell part of the story. Last season's playoffs provided perhaps the clearest indication of what Stubbs can become for Sherwood's team. In nine playoff games, Stubbs led the Black Bears with six goals and five assists for 11 points, helping carry Binghamton through another championship run. Now, entering another season in Binghamton, Stubbs appears ready to move beyond simply being one of the team's top scorers. He could be one of its leaders. With several veteran voices from last season's championship team no longer in the room, Stubbs has an opportunity to become one of the central figures of the next era of Black Bears hockey. Ivan Bondarenko No. 49 If Stubbs is emerging as a potential leader, his linemate from last season returns as one of the league's most dangerous playmakers. Ivan Bondarenko is coming off a season in which he led the FPHL with 77 assists, adding 21 goals for 98 points. Those 98 points matched the Black Bears' franchise record for points in a single season. And Bondarenko wasn't finished when the regular season ended. During the playoffs, he added 11 assists, repeatedly demonstrating the ability to find teammates at exactly the right moment. That chemistry with Stubbs could once again become one of the defining elements of Binghamton's offense. The Black Bears aren't simply returning their top scorer from last season. They're returning the league's top assist man. Gehrett Sargis No. 19 At 37 years old, Gehrett Sargis brings something every young roster needs experience. Sargis returns for his second season with the Black Bears after scoring 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points in 36 games last season. The veteran forward is looking for something he didn't get in his first season in Binghamton: a full campaign. A full season from Sargis could provide Sherwood with another reliable offensive option and another experienced player capable of helping guide a younger roster. Zac Sirota No. 89 A familiar linemate for Sargis, Zac Sirota is expected to take on an important role down the middle. Sirota has appeared in 76 games over the past two seasons with Binghamton, scoring 31 goals and 29 assists. This season, he is expected to solidify the second-line center position, while also becoming an important component of the Black Bears' power play. Sirota is currently pursuing an opportunity with the ECHL's Reading Royals. Once that tryout concludes, the expectation is that he will join Binghamton, potentially as early as the second weekend of the season when the Black Bears face the Port Huron Prowlers. His eventual arrival could give Sherwood another significant piece of an already experienced forward group. The Blue Line Gets a Familiar LookThe Black Bears lost several important defensemen from last season's championship team, making the returning blue-liners especially important. Jesse Anderson No. 77 There may not be a player who better represents the evolution of the Black Bears than Jesse Anderson. Anderson enters his fifth season in Binghamton, having made the transition from forward to defenseman while becoming an important part of Sherwood's leadership group. He has worn an 'A' on his jersey over the past several seasons and will once again provide the Black Bears with veteran leadership on the blue line. Anderson isn't simply returning because he has experience. He's returning because he has become one of the players Sherwood trusts most. Scott Ramaekers No. 28 Anderson's defensive partner from last season, Scott Ramaekers, is back for his fourth season with the Black Bears and third full season. Another player who successfully transitioned from forward to defense, Ramaekers has become a valuable two-way presence. In 112 games with Binghamton, he has scored 36 goals and 55 assists for 91 points. Those numbers are particularly impressive considering the defensive responsibilities he has taken on. Ramaekers gives Sherwood a player who can contribute offensively while also being trusted in his own zone. Cheechoo Lathlin No. 8 Cheechoo Lathlin returns for his second season and could be in line for an expanded role. With several veteran defensemen departing during the offseason, Lathlin has an opportunity to take on more minutes and greater responsibility. One potential pairing could see Lathlin working alongside veteran defenseman Jake Hamilton, giving the young defenseman an experienced partner from whom he can learn. The Man in the CreaseEvery championship team needs someone capable of making the big save. Binghamton has that player returning. Dominik Tmej No. 30 Dominik Tmej enters the 2026-27 season as the reigning FPHL Net-Minder of the Year. Last season, Tmej established himself as one of the league's elite goaltenders. He won 28 games, losing only three times during the regular season, while posting a remarkable 1.83 goals-against average, .932 save percentage and seven shutouts. Then came the playoffs. Tmej won another seven games while recording a 2.02 GAA and .915 save percentage, including another shutout during the championship run. With the Black Bears replacing several key veterans in front of him, having Tmej back in the crease provides Sherwood and his coaching staff with an enormous advantage. The road to a fourth championship attempt begins with the reigning Net-Minder of the Year between the pipes. Three Veterans Join the RebuildThe Black Bears didn't simply rely on their returning champions. Sherwood and the organization also went looking for experienced players who could help bridge the gap between last season's championship team and this year's younger roster. Three additions bring professional experience from outside Binghamton. Chance Gorman No. 44 Chance Gorman knows the Southern Tier. Before beginning his professional career, Gorman spent five seasons at Elmira College, one of the premier NCAA Division III hockey programs in the country. He later moved into the professional ranks, spending parts of the past two seasons with the Fayetteville Marksmen of the SPHL. In 22 regular-season games over those two seasons, Gorman has recorded four goals and nine assists for 13 points. His familiarity with the region, combined with his professional experience, makes him an intriguing addition to Sherwood's forward group. Sam Dabrowski No. 21 Sam Dabrowski brings more than 100 games of professional experience to Binghamton. The forward has spent the past three seasons in the SPHL with the Pensacola Ice Flyers, Knoxville Ice Bears and Fayetteville Marksmen, while also seeing time last season with the ECHL's Reading Royals. For a Black Bears team that is replacing several experienced forwards, Dabrowski provides another player who understands the professional game and what is required to compete at this level. Jake Hamilton No. 13 The Black Bears knew they needed experience on defense. They found it in Jake Hamilton. The veteran defenseman played for the Pee Dee IceCats last season and faced Binghamton in all five of the Commissioner's Cup Finals during the Black Bears' championship run. Now, instead of trying to stop Binghamton, Hamilton will be wearing black and green. The ninth-year professional has played more than 200 games across the FPHL, SPHL and ECHL, giving Sherwood a defenseman who understands the physical side of professional hockey. Hamilton also brings some toughness to the lineup. He trained with Sargis during the summer and isn't afraid to drop the gloves when necessary. With Dan Stone, Austin D'Orazio, Camron Cervone and Dan Wieber all moving on, Hamilton's experience could be particularly valuable to a young Black Bears defense. The Next Generation ArrivesBeyond the 11 players with professional experience, the rest of the Black Bears' training camp roster represents something entirely different. Opportunity. The organization has brought in a group of players looking to make their first mark in professional hockey. Following Tuesday's release of goaltender Joel Eisenhower, Graham Burke and Amir Vailulin are competing for the backup goaltending position behind Tmej. On defense, Marquise Brown and Martins Leps join Anderson, Ramaekers, Hamilton and Lathlin. The forward group includes Parker Bonsignore, whose father Jason played in the NHL, along with Nick Cyprian, Brandon Barrett, Steve Guo, Ivan Kuligan, Caleb Lepitre and Ludovik Tardif. Speed is expected to be a major part of what this group brings to Binghamton. They may not have professional experience yet, but they have something every rookie brings into training camp: A chance to earn it. A Championship Team Has ChangedThe Black Bears aren't hiding from the fact that this roster is different. The departures are significant. Tyson Kirkby, Mac Jansen, Camron Cervone, Emery, Gavin Yates, Kyle Stephan, Swain, McAnanama, Dan Wieber, Austin D'Orazio and Jacob Shankar have all moved on to other opportunities. That list includes captains, three-time champions, veteran leaders, top scorers, defensemen and players who helped establish Binghamton as the FPHL's dominant franchise. Replacing them isn't simply a matter of replacing statistics. It's replacing personalities. Leadership. Experience. Championship memories. And that is why the eight returning players are so important. Stubbs. Bondarenko. Sargis. Sirota. Anderson. Ramaekers. Lathlin. Tmej. They know what it feels like to win in Binghamton. Now they'll be asked to help teach a new group how to do it. Sherwood's Next ChallengeStanding behind the bench will be the man who has guided the Black Bears through three consecutive championship seasons. Brant Sherwood returns after being named the FPHL Coach of the Year. He will once again be joined by former NHL player and Associate Coach John Quenneville, giving the Black Bears one of the league's most experienced coaching staffs. Also returning to keep the operation running behind the scenes are Equipment Managers Aidan Birchard, John Brown and Chris Puzakulics. The names on the roster may have changed. The standard has not. October 10: More Than an Opening Night There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the 2026-27 Black Bears. A new group of players. New line combinations. New defensive pairings. Young players getting their first opportunity. Veterans trying to establish themselves. And the chance to watch Sherwood attempt to build another championship team. But before any of that happens, Binghamton will take a moment to celebrate what this organization has accomplished. On Saturday, October 10, the Black Bears will open their sixth season at home against the Watertown Wolves. The night will begin with the raising of the third consecutive Commissioner's Cup championship banner. Three banners. Three championships. Three consecutive seasons at the top of the FPHL. Then, the doors will close on the past and the puck will drop on the future. The players who helped create Binghamton's championship legacy will have their place in the rafters. The players who remain will have a new challenge. And the players arriving for the first time will have a chance to become part of the story. For the fourth time, the Black Bears will attempt to keep the Commissioner's Cup in Binghamton. The difference this time is that they won't be defending the championship with the same team that won it. They'll be trying to build another one. Six seasons. Three consecutive championships. One more banner going to the rafters. And on October 10, a new Black Bears team gets its opportunity to begin the chase for four straight. |
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