Bierchen Fits Danbury Hockey’s No-Nonsense Identity
DANBURY — When the final horn of the Danbury Hat Tricks’ 2024-25 season sounded, players hunched in silence as they headed to the locker room. Across the ice, the Port Huron Prowlers celebrated a 5-3 win to advance in the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
There was no reason for the Hat Tricks to stay on the ice — until Prowlers rookie defenseman Ben Brockway skated to center ice and drove his stick into the center of the Hat Tricks’ logo as if planting a flag.
“We just can’t allow that bullshit to happen,” said new head coach John Bierchen. “Now there’s got to be a response.”
That moment still resonates with Bierchen as he prepares for his Federal Prospects Hockey League debut Oct. 10 against Port Huron.
“When they did that, they knew that Opening Night was going to come and we were going to have to respond,” Bierchen said.
Bierchen, 37, was officially named head coach of the Hat Tricks in August, and he’s already embracing the attitude of Danbury hockey — the same attitude that made him take last season’s playoff loss personally.
A former University of Alabama (American Collegiate Hockey Association) goaltender, Bierchen says his experience in net gives him a unique perspective when it comes to being a head coach and seeing the game.
“It helps that I look at the game from a different point of view, but that different point of view is still from a member of the team that is on the ice, that still sees everything and is a part of every meeting,” Bierchen said.
He added, with a laugh, that goaltenders don’t always appreciate his perspective.
“Sometimes the goalies like it and sometimes they don’t,” Bierchen said. “It’s not often that a head coach can criticize the goalies and get away with it.”
That perspective has carried over from his most recent coaching stop, leading the Nordic Hockey Academy U20 program in Austria.
While interviewing for the job, a friend in the FPHL told Bierchen why Danbury seemed like the right fit.
"He said 'this is a perfect match because you have a f— you personality and Danbury is a f— you type organization,'" Bierchen said. "That’s what makes it such a good fit."
Danbury hockey has always carried a chip on its shoulder — one so significant it might as well need surgery.
Dating back to the Trashers of the now-defunct United Hockey League — known for their intimidating brand — and continuing through the current Hat Tricks, the city’s teams have always mirrored that hard-nosed mentality.
To the Hat Tricks front office, seeing that mentality in Bierchen wasn’t just welcome, it was essential.
“He’s like, ‘This is the 16-year hockey history of this building, and the community is this way, and I want to learn about it,’” Hat Tricks president Herm Sorcher said.
In his short time with the organization, Bierchen has already made an impression on team captain Jonny Ruiz. When talking about his new head coach, Ruiz kept coming back to one word: “details.”
“He’s a big X’s and O’s guy,” Ruiz said. “But the little details, whether it’s the locker room, whether it’s practice or video, I think it’s the direction we want to go as an organization.”
Bierchen’s aggressive yet non-intimidating style has the players ready to hit the ground running when they start practicing this week.
“It’s going to be great. It’s going to be electric — I’m looking forward to it,” Ruiz said. “I know just talking to some of the boys that are already here, they’re pretty pumped about it.”
Sports tell stories, and Opening Night is a chapter Bierchen and his team have been waiting for. For the Hat Tricks’ new head coach, it’s his first real test — a chance to prove that the Prowlers’ symbolic flag planted on Danbury Ice Arena’s center-ice logo won’t define his tenure.
“I hope Matt Graham (Prowlers player and head coach) is experienced enough to start this No. 13, so we can just get this out of the way early,” Bierchen said. “If not, we can let it go a couple of shifts, but I think they know what needs to happen.”
Under Bierchen’s leadership, the only history that’ll be repeating itself in Danbury is the tough, intense style of hockey the city has come to expect — not any opposition flags being planted on home ice.
“I think everyone has something to look forward to at some point on Opening Night,” Bierchen said.
The Danbury Hat Tricks open their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Friday, Oct. 10, with a playoff rematch against the Port Huron Prowlers at the Danbury Ice Arena. Single-game tickets and season ticket packages are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Hat Tricks office located inside the Danbury Ice Arena at 1 Independence Way in Danbury, by calling (973-713-7547) or emailing (herm@danburyhattricks.com) the office, or online through Tixr. For the latest Hat Tricks news, visit www.danburyhattricks.com, follow the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/danburyhattricks), Instagram (@danburyhattricks), X (@DanburyHatTrick), TikTok (@danburyhattricks), and YouTube (@DanburyHatTricks), and subscribe to the Hat Tricks' newsletter.
ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:
The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, CT and compete in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the 2023 Commissioner's Cup Champions have brought thrilling, fast-paced, and hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their competitive spirit, electric atmosphere and strong community ties. The team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable game-day experience for fans of all ages while proudly representing the city of Danbury.
Off the ice, the Hat Tricks are committed to fostering connections within the local community through outreach programs with schools, businesses and charities. By developing top-tier hockey talent and growing the sport in the region, the Hat Tricks aim to bring the community together and deliver entertainment that leaves a lasting impact.