Falcons go into offseason with answers

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - For the first time in recent memory, the Springfield Falcons will go into the summer with some stability.

The Falcons will remain an affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Springfield has another year on their lease with the Mass Mutual Center and they have a new owner in place.

22News sports anchor Ryan Walsh sat down with Falcons general manager Bruce Landon, who told 22News there was almost no hockey in Springfield next year.

"I will say this quite candidly, the clock was ticking", says Landon.

Landon says the Falcons got a deal done with Charlie Pompea, three weeks before a final decision about selling the team had to be made.

"It was going to be very tough, if Charlie hadn't stepped in, I don't know what we would have done as a group", says Landon.  He adds, "We did have another offer to move the team to another city, but thank god we didn't have to go down that road and we were able to do a deal to keep the team here."

On the ice, the Falcons missed the playoffs for the 8th straight season.  Every other franchise in the American Hockey League has made the playoffs at least once during that span.

"We deserve to be there, it just hasn't happened", says Landon.  He continues, "I don't dwell in the past, I look to the future, hopefully next season we'll be able to give our fans a playoff team."

You cannot blame Columbus entirely. The Falcons have been with four different NHL partners during this playoff drought.

"Overall Columbus was a good partner, we're already talking about next year, doing some strategizing about what we need to do to get better next year", says Landon.

Better goaltending is the first priority.

"Their play (the Falcons goalies in 2010-11) wasn't up to where it had to be for us to be a competitive team all season long and I think Columbus feels the same way, but we do need a number one goaltender in here", says Landon.

Landon points to the trade of Dane Byers in February as a big reason why the Falcons went into a free fall in March. At one point, Springfield was one point out of the playoff race, then they lost 12 games in a row.

Next year, Rob Riley will return as the Falcons head coach and the Falcons will try once again to snap that eight season playoff drought.