Well hey there. Remember me? I bet you thought you wouldn't hear much out of me until October, but au contraire mon frère (that's French, and yes, I'm a classy dude). Today was too much of an exciting day to not chime in with my two cents.

The Mavericks held their first press conference of the off-season on Thursday, and the thirst for hockey is still quite alive in the area. The President's Club inside the IEC was jam-packed with proud members of The Orange Army clamoring for the first wave of player announcements for the 2013-14 season.

Mavericks' President Brent Thiessen took to the microphone first and provided some great details on upcoming promotions, partnerships, and giveaways planned for the milestone campaign. While all of that stuff is important and exciting, many of those in attendance were especially interested to hear about the future of the team, the CHL, but also to address some rumors that had been swirling for couple of weeks. Thiessen worked through his agenda, and finally came to the moment at hand: Thiessen announced that the Mavericks ownership group has purchased the St. Charles Chill franchise.

Many of you had heard whispers, but Thiessen finally put the rumors to bed. Gauging the reaction on social media and the message boards has been interesting. To be honest, it's almost been split down the middle. A lot of fans are excited to see that the Chill will join the CHL for this upcoming season, and also that they will be run by some of the stellar staff from the Mavs, including Thiessen and former VP of Communications Patrick Armstrong who has accepted the position of Executive VP with St. Charles. Other fans are worried that it may stretch all parties involved a little too thin. Both sides have valid points. How do I feel about it you might ask? I'm cautiously optimistic. We all know what a great job Thiessen and the Mavs staff have done in the four seasons since they first stepped foot (or skate I suppose) on the ice at The IEC. If they can do the same thing in St. Charles, without sacrificing time and effort in Independence, then I'm all for it, and the CHL will be a better league for all.

Now to the climax of the press conference: the player announcements. After Coach Scott Hillman spoke a few words, he announced that the first four players to sign with the team for the upcoming season were anything but strangers to this fan base. Reigning CHL Most Valuable Player (along with all the other hardware he brought home) Sebastien Thinel, playoff hero Andrew Courtney, "Mr. Consistency" John-Scott Dickson, and the Master of Mischief Dave "Chezy" Pszenyczny will all be coming back for another year with the team.

I won't bore you with statistics or clichés. The fact of the matter is that if you want to build a championship team, you start with laying the foundation with veteran players who know how to play the game, and more importantly, respect the game. While the moves that were announced today were anything but a shock, they were essential to the success of this team moving forward. Coach Hillman has done a terrific job developing young players that practically come out of nowhere, and having players like Sebby, Courts, JSD, and Chezy plays a huge factor in that development. He has the luxury of having players like those four that lead by example on the ice, but also do the right things off of it.

Here's my favorite part of today's press conference: the countdown to next season has officially begun. I can't wait until the next round of player announcements, and I'm sure you all feel the same. One thing is certain; leadership will not be an issue for your 2013-2014 Missouri Mavericks.

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I can't put it off anymore. I have to stop pretending like it didn't happen. I have to come to terms with the fact that this season is over. I think the biggest reason that I've put it off is that the CHL Finals did not start until Tuesday, so I've had a full week to grieve.

It was a great run. It really was. For me, this was the most memorable season, largely because of the birth of The Sin Bin. I've been following this team since its inception, both professionally and personally, but this year was different. This season, I was there (mostly) every night to witness the ups and downs of this team on a different level. If you asked most of the players on the roster who the face was behind The Sin Bin, I bet most of them couldn't tell you, and that's the way that I wanted it to be. I wasn't there to hound them for quotes or become best buds with them. I was there to learn the inner workings of the team and organization, and then try to put those many intricacies into words, and maybe have a little fun with it along the way. I can only hope that I succeeded in that aspect.

I've had the privilege to witness many great things during this season, so many that it is nearly impossible to list them all. The thing that meant the most to me this season was witnessing many members of The Orange Army become even closer (if that's possible) through the connections that were created through this blog. Fellow fans became friends, friends became even closer, and even fans from other teams have reached out through The Sin Bin to make connections with many Mavs' fans. As objective and business-like as I've tried to stay, it's impossible to not develop close relationships with The Orange Army. There are so many terrific people who bleed orange that have reached out to me during this "trial run" of The Sin Bin, and for that, I am forever grateful. The hockey has been great this season, but the fans are what will stick with me forever. For that, I say thank you. With that sentiment in mind, I have a few more thank you's to dish out:

Thank you to Sebastian Thinel for putting together one of the most awe-inspiring seasons that I have ever seen. You truly are "Captain Amazing."

Thank you to Colt King for confirming my life-long fear that the Boogeyman does indeed exist. You are a terrifying individual, and I'm glad that I was on the same side as you this season.

Thank you to Ryan Jardine for being the consummate professional every day. As graceful as you are on the ice, you are even more so off the ice.

Thank you to Brandon Smith, for being the player that every team needs to succeed. Your never-ending motor and terrific work ethic is truly an inspiration, and I can only hope to watch you continue to develop into a great player.

Thank you to Mike Clemente and Mathieu Corbeil for not only providing some of the best performances by a Mavs' netminder in team history, but also for continuing to push each other to be great.

Thank you to Riley "Tree" Emmerson for being a good sport about the nickname, not to mention the constant ribbing that I gave you for a better part of the season. You are a true team-player, and any locker room would be lucky to have you.

Thank you to Kenton Miller and Kellan Tochkin for making me feel old. Though you two may look like a couple of young bucks, you play well beyond your years and have great futures in front of you. I hope that when one (or both) of you win a Stanley Cup, you can swing it by Casa de Sin Bin for a good photo op. In all seriousness, we are all excited to see you both continue to grow and do great things.

Thank you to Dave "Chezy" Pszenyczny for being the most dependable player, night in and night out. You are the perfect mix of grit and smarts, with the ideal amount on nastiness sprinkled in. You've been fun to watch.

Thank you to Andrew Courtney for giving us, quite possible, the most impressive 30 minutes of playoff hockey by netting 5 goals during that stretch.  I'm still shaking my head in disbelief.

Thank you to David Simoes. One day, someone will ask me who is the toughest player that I've ever see play the game. The answer will be you without question. 

Thank you to GM Brent Thiessen, Mavs' coaches Scott Hillman and Simon Watson, Todd Mackin, Mike Fisher, Sam Watson, Steve Garrett, Bob Rennison, Mac, and the rest of the Mavericks staff for being an outstanding group to work with all season. You all definitely made my job that much easier.

A special thank you to Mavs VP of Communications Patrick Armstrong for dreaming up the idea of The Sin Bin, and for believing in me from day one.

Thank you to my dear friend Josh Redel, for taking a genuine interest in my endeavors, and also for designing the logo for The Sin Bin. You have set the bar high my friend.

Thank you to my wife, Mrs. Sin Bin, and my beautiful daughter Lil' Sin Bin. I know that you both hated the fact that I was gone all the time, but you both also knew how much I love doing what I do. Your support means more than you know.

Lastly, but certainly not least, thank you to The Orange Army. You guys and gals truly are the best fans in the Central Hockey League. I hope that you realize that you don't need a banner hanging in the rafters at The IEC to prove that.

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So close. For the second year in a row, oh so close. The Mavericks' playoff run came to end at the hands of the Allen Americans on Tuesday night in Game 7 of the CHL Semifinals.

It goes without saying that the end of any season is disappointing unless it's your favorite team raising the Cup, but this year seems to sting more than the others. This team (and fan base) had been through so much over the course of this season. If you were to write a book about this season, I'm not sure in what section it would be filed: comedy, horror, inspirational, non-fiction, sometimes borderline fiction, how-to, and historic would all apply. The other night, I said on Twitter that this has been the most fun/frustrating/compelling/polarizing/entertaining season to date, and I think (not to pat myself on the back) that is pretty spot-on.

I think back over all the things that have taken place over this season and it's hard not to get nostalgic. We got to witness one of the best performances over the course of one season thanks to Mavs' captain, and reigning CHL Most Valuable Player, Sebastian Thinel. String together your own memories when you have a chance. How many of the great moments from this season were somehow Sebby-related? Let me save you some time, the correct answer would be a lot. I constantly hear people speak so highly of Sebby, but words do not do him justice.

I know that it is fresh on our minds, so it's easy to mention, but Andrew Courtney's string of goals in the series versus Allen has to be considered one of the best playoff moments in team history, and might even top that list. A game-tying goal with 30 seconds left in regulation with the team's season on the line, followed by the game-winner just a mere 34 seconds into overtime, followed by a hat trick in Game 6. Remember that stretch Orange Army, because you will never see anything like that again.

What's hockey without the gloves being dropped? We saw some doozies this year. Tree busting Kip Brennan open, Colt King's thunderous left that knocked Garrett Gruenke silly, and of course David Simoes beating the hell out of anyone of any size including Gabriel Boutin-Gagnon. When Simmer was leaving the ice, he threw his arms up to the Orange Army, and I don't know if I've ever heard the IEC louder than that. I get chills just thinking about it.

There are so many more moments that will forever be etched into my brain that it's impossible to list them all. Toch's game-winner against Rapid City in the first round of the playoffs, Jardine's highlight reel goal that is still worthy of Top Plays on ESPN, the homecomings of Courtney and Jared Lavender, Mathieu Corbeil and Mike Clemente displaying a few performances that will be hard to top by any net-minder, the For Hilly Fund; the list goes on and on.

Mark my words Orange Army, we will be back. We will be bigger. We will be stronger. We will be faster. We will bring a Cup to the place that it belongs, the home of our Missouri Mavericks, the barracks of the Orange Army, our house, the Independence Events Center. Orange Pride.

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The first game of a seven-game series is the perfect opportunity to send a message. However, when you are facing the top seed, on the road nonetheless, forget about it being an "opportunity." It becomes a necessity. The Mavericks needed to go into Allen and punch the Americans right in the mouth (figuratively, or course). The Americans have a reputation of being.....how do I say this......antagonistic, but have the luxury of exemplary special teams, so it's never really caused much of an issue for them. The Mavericks needed to figure out a way to take advantage of the overly aggressive play of Allen, a feat that hasn't been achieved by many teams this season.

From the first drop of the puck, you could sense that every player on the roster knew this. They were flying. The adrenaline was pumping. The Mavericks knew that if they could come into Allen and steal the first game, they would take control of this semifinals series. The offense was clicking, despite only putting five shots on goal in the first frame. Passes were crisp, the movement was continuous, and the traffic in front of Allen netminder Aaron Dell was endless. It was apparent that the Mavs were going to give Allen all that they could handle on their home ice.

It was inevitable. At that rate, the Americans were bound to lose their cool at some point, and lose their cool they did. 57 penalty minutes turned into three powerplay goals for the Mavericks en route to a 5-1 opening game victory on enemy ice. The Mavericks had crashed the Americans' party. Not only did they crash the party, but they ate all the food in the refrigerator, threw a firecracker in the toilet, and spray-painted the cat just for good measure. The best team in the CHL had just been embarrassed on their home ice.

Unfortunately for the Mavs, they experienced a little bit of an adrenaline hangover. Game 2 was marred by sluggish play, heavy legs, and an inept offense. The only bright spot for the Mavericks was the play of Mathieu Corbeil, who was fresh off a 36 save performance in Game 1. While his line for the second game of the series doesn't appear to be as impressive on paper (29 saves on 32 shots), he was equally as impressive as the previous night. Unfortunately for Missouri, the Americans shook off their woes from the opening game, and came out determined, but more importantly, disciplined.

Getting the split in Allen puts the Mavs in a great situation. Now they have the home ice advantage, with the next three games at the IEC. However, the most concerning thing about the 4-1 defeat in Game 2 is not the number of goals that we surrendered, but rather how those goals were scored. A great point was made by my counterpart over at the Allen Americans Blog (@allenamericans1 on Twitter) earlier today. Allen is known for getting the majority of their goals through grit and grind, winning battles at the net. That is not at all how they netted their four goals in Game 2. Allen relied on pretty passing, finesse skating, and accurate shooting in their win, and the Mavs were totally unprepared for that.

Now the series comes back to Missouri, where the Mavericks are yet to lose in this postseason. While that appears to be favorable for the Mavs, remember that Allen went on the road to Denver last round, and swept all three games on the Cutthroats' home ice to win that series in five games. What we've learned in the first two games is that Allen can beat themselves, and hand their opponent a victory on a silver platter if they cannot control themselves, and also that if they can keep their cool, they are the most dangerous team in the league. The Mavericks, on the other hand, need to avoid the perpetual ebb and flow that we've seen so many times this season: dominant one night, and putrid the next. Which team will show up on Wednesday night?

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