The Jacksonville Icemen have officially returned to the ice for the 2026-27 season.
The Icemen opened their season on Friday, Oct. 16, at home against the South Carolina Stingrays.
Jacksonville fell 5-1 to the Stingrays and are off to a 2-2-1-1 start.
Head Coach Sean Teakle knows his team is in for an uphill battle this season, but he believes they are ready for the challenge.
“Everyone in the south got better, but we are super excited about this year. We are going to bring a different look to the team,” he said.
Currently, the Trois-Rivieres Lions hold the first-place spot in the ECHL with a 6-0-1-0 record. The Greenville Swamp Rabbits and the Florida Everblades are not far behind in second and third place.
The Icemen will face the Everblades for the first time this season in a three-game series that begins on Friday, Nov. 6. The Everblades have won four ECHL championship titles in the last five years with their most recent title coming last season.
Teakle is looking forward to the challenge that Florida will bring.
“We’re excited to play them; I think we’ve built a team to beat them,” he said.
Since becoming head coach of the Icemen in 2025, Teakle has worked hard to promote an atmosphere of teamwork and family.
“His culture is family,” said Assistant Coach Stephon Thorne.
Teakle is excited for everything this season will bring, and he said his team is most excited to see the fans come out to the games.
“The fans make a big difference, it brings a lot of emotion to the game,” said Teakle.
Jacksonville will play all three games against Florida at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena on Nov. 6-8.
