Remember Macon Mayhem hockey? See team’s major come back with new branding, leaders

The Macon Mayhem hockey team, a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, is making some big moves in an effort to create stability and produce growth for the franchise.

From a seasoned new coach and successful new owner to a re-imagined viking logo - the Macon Mayhem are ready for a new season.

“Professional hockey has deep roots in Middle Georgia dating back to the 1970s and we’re looking forward to the continued commitment and direction of this group moving forward,” said Doug Price, Southern Professional Hockey League commissioner. “The league remains excited for the future of hockey in Macon based on the proven success of this leadership in another Southern Professional Hockey League market.”

Who’s the Macon Mayhem head coach?

Earlier this month, the Mayhem formally introduced new head coach Dave Pszenyczny at the Macon Centreplex during an in-person press conference. Pszenyczny, the seventh head coach in Mayhem history, came to the team as a former player and 2011 President’s Cup champion.

Pszenyczny played parts of five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting, Mississauga IceDogs, and Barrie Colts, before playing 13 years of professional hockey.

During parts of two seasons from 2006-08, Pszenyczny had stints with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, as well as the East Coast Hockey League’s Phoenix Roadrunners, Alaska Aces and Reading Royals.

Pszenyczny transitioned to the Central Hockey League, where he recorded a total of 49 goals, 90 assists, 139 points and 744 penalty minutes in 347 games played across six seasons. He spent three seasons with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, where he won a Central Hockey League Ray Miron.

With over 500 professional games of experience under his belt, Pszenyczny made his Southern Professional Hockey League debut with the Peoria Rivermen in 2015. In three strong seasons of play, Pszenyczny was league runner-up in each of his Southern Professional Hockey League seasons and was tabbed as the league’s Defenseman of the Year in 2017-18.

He retired from playing after the 2018 playoffs, and became the first head coach in Quad City Storm history prior to the start of the 2018-19 season. He has spent the last six years in that post.

“There have been a lot of changes and uncertainty around Macon hockey in the past couple of years. In my many visits to Macon as both a coach and player, it’s clear that the team has great support from the community – starting with a passionate fan base,” said Pszenyczny in a press release. “Through my conversations recently, it’s clear we also have support from the venue and the city, which is crucial.

“My goal is to bring it all together on the ice and I am working every day towards building a team that I know we can all be proud of, both on and off the ice.”

New team owner and CEO Chuck Norris said Pszenyczny is not only an experienced coach with a proven track record in the Southern Professional Hockey League, but he is also a great person.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dave for many reasons, but most importantly, he fits and portrays the vision we have for the culture of this team moving forward,” he said.

New owner and new team president

The Southern Professional Hockey League announced the transfer of ownership of the Macon Mayhem franchise to Macon Pro Hockey Group, LLC, following a unanimous vote of approval by the Board of Governors.

Macon Pro Hockey Group, LLC is a veteran-owned and operated organization under the direction of Chuck and Lanai Norris, who also own and operate the Southern Professional Hockey League Fayetteville Marksmen.

Under the Norris family, the Fayetteville hockey franchise has created stability and produced growth in many areas, including increasing attendance by over 100% since purchasing the team in 2017. In addition, their vision has redefined the capacity of in-game production for minor-pro hockey and pioneered many upgrades in the Crown Coliseum to maximize positive fan experience, according to company officials.

“Throughout this process, we were encouraged when meeting with David Aiello and Trent Merritt as they displayed a similar willingness to create a true partnership like we’ve seen in Fayetteville,” said Norris. “We also had the pleasure of sitting with Mayor Lester Miller who shared the importance of hockey remaining and thriving in Macon, while offering support of our team’s vision moving forward.”

Norris has named Alex Wall as team president, currently serving in the same role with the Fayetteville Marksmen.

“Fans can expect a lot from us moving forward – from new and improved theme nights, to giveaways, specialty jerseys, enhanced merchandise, and so much more,” Wall said. “Each home game will be its own experience – win or lose – and we’re eager to welcome Macon back through the doors for the 2024-25 campaign.”

New brand

To top off the many changes, the team released a freshly-designed branding package as part of the press conference at the Macon Centreplex.

The identity is a fresh characterization of a viking as a bold and determined character, embodying the heart of Georgia. The viking has retained some elements of his past, like his red beard, battle worn helmet and missing tooth, but is now in black instead of navy, according to designer Jason Villanti.

“I was thrilled when the club reached out and asked us to work together with them to create a fresh new look for Macon,” Villanti said in press release. “It was our intent from the jump to re-imagine something new while recognizing and paying homage to the Mayhem’s past.”

The team’s color change is not limited to replacing navy blue with black. A new ice blue has been added with black, as well as Mayhem red and white. The viking’s beard features a hidden letter “M” near the chin, tying his identity back to the Mayhem as well as the city of Macon.

“We worked on this new face of the franchise for hours on end,” said Norris. “Jason and I were meticulous in making sure we created a fresh and intimidating look for the franchise to relate itself with, while also retaining the Mayhem identity that the fan base has grown attached to.”

The historic Macon Coliseum, built in 1968, will remain the home of Macon Pro Hockey Group, LLC for many years and remains one of the premier facilities in the city, according to Norris.

Season tickets for the 2024-25 are on-sale now. The team will kick off opening night on Oct. 19.

This story was originally published August 15, 2024 at 5:00 AM.