​Danville’s Flyers began playing a few years ago to give local hockey fans a bit more action, and now they’re preparing for their third season with both charity games at David S. Palmer Arena and a potential place in a league. The team announced that they and the Lexington Nightfall from Kentucky have officially joined the Midwest division of the Colonial Hockey League, a league that also includes the Kenosha Knights and the Texas Scorpions.
“We started talking seriously in late January or early February last year,” said Brad Lyons, a Flyers defenseman. “We were negotiating with a team in Kenosha and one in Lexington to schedule games for this year. The league Commissioner reached out to us around the same time, and things have gradually fallen into place. A team from Texas joined the conference earlier this year, and Lexington and we joined last week. It looks like a team from Chicago and another from Indianapolis may join the league this year or next.”
The Colonial Hockey League began a few years ago as the Power Play Senior Hockey League, formed from four teams that left the American Premier Hockey League: the Boston Gold Kings, Holyoke Papermen, Norfolk Mallards, and North Shore Nighthawks. Shortly after, the Norfolk Mallards and the Hudson Valley Reapers added their names to the roster, and Kenosha became the first Midwest team to join for the 2025-26 season.
With the new league, the Flyers expect some adjustments to the schedule, including more home-and-away games. Yet Lyons emphasized that many familiar matchups from previous seasons will remain. “We have three road series planned this year—one in Milwaukee, one in Kenosha, and one in Lexington. They will be Colonial League games, except for an exhibition in Milwaukee,” Lyons explained. “Some of the teams we’ve played before will still be on the schedule, and I don’t anticipate big changes in the next season or two, provided the league doesn’t expand with more teams.” He also noted that the Flyers intend to continue strong charity work by inviting teams with whom they’ve had good relationships to return, meaning several repeat opponents are likely. “We’re looking at about eight to ten home games, with three of them designated for Lexington and Kenosha,” Lyons added, “but aside from that, it will be the same group of teams we’ve faced in recent years.”
Lyons also explained that joining a conference would be a strategic move for the Flyers and their families. “During the first two years, we were excited about what we were doing, and last year we were approached by both the Colonial Hockey League and the APHL about joining,” he said. “We didn’t take them seriously at first because most of us are in our early to mid-30s, with kids, and travel isn’t easy for us. When the Colonial League came to us, and it offered a setup that kept travel to four to six hours, it became a practical option for us.”