Former captain of the Worcester Railers Ashton Rome remembers the deafening cheers of Worcester’s fans fondly.

“New England hockey fans are second to none,” Rome said, “their support is amazing.”

In the inaugural game of the franchise in 2017, the Railers played to a sold-out crowd of pure electricity. The game resulted in a 4-3 victory for the Railers over the Manchester Monarchs. Due to the electricity, Rome described the feeling in the arena as “crazy.”

For this season though, the zealots of Worcester will not fill the over 12,000 seat DCU Center which they call home.

On Nov. 18, the Railers announced that they would suspend play for the upcoming season. This decision, made in accordance with the entirety of the ECHL’s North Division, was made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rome ― now a Firefighter/Advanced EMT in Salem, New Hampshire― sympathizes for the players.

“If I put myself in the players’ shoes, it’s got to be really tough,” Rome said. “Jobs in Europe are probably very scarce… I can’t imagine what it’s like not having a team to go play for.”

The former captain started his professional career in Worcester playing in the AHL in 2006. After his departure from the Worcester Sharks, the team moved to San Jose, where they still play as the Barracuda. This move left the city hockeyless. 

This left the opening for the Railers to jump into Worcester for the 2017-18 season. Rome then took the opportunity to come back where he started, captaining the Railers for their inaugural campaign. Worcester was back to being a hockey city, with Rome at its helm.

Rome feels especially empathetic for the players who were in his position in Worcester: the beginnings and ends of their careers.

“[A season-long suspension is terrible for a] player who might only have one or two years left or somebody who is trying to come out of junior or college and play at the next level,” Rome said.

This is not to say that Rome disagrees with the decision of the management for the Railers. As a player for the team, he saw firsthand the style of Cliff Rucker, the owner of the Railers.

“Rucker would do anything for the players, he would do anything for the team,” Rome said. “He only has the players’ and the team’s best interest at heart.”

Rome emphasized that the health of the players, staff and Worcester community are integral to the role of management. When looking at the scope of potential safety hazards, shutting down for the season becomes a completely rational option.

Though, that does not mean that the decision to cancel play for the season was an easy one.

“It’s probably the last thing that the Railers and the Railers ownership and management want to do,” Rome said. “They’re in it to play every game and to… have the fans out watching games.”

The commitment discussed by Ashton echoes through Worcester’s management’s words in announcing the cancellation of the season. Instead of dwelling in the depression that could arise from a cancelled season, the front staff and ownership have been instead calling for hope of the future of the franchise.

“Although we are extremely disappointed, it is vital for us to continue to move forward,” said Stephanie Ramey, President of the Railers.

“Moving forward, the Railers are committed to Worcester and will continue to be a large part of this [Worcester’s] community as we prepare to hit the ice again in October 2021,” Rucker said.

“I look forward to building a Kelly Cup contending club for the 2021-22 season,” said Michael Myers, the Chief Operating Officer of the club.

In Ashton’s position as an EMT, he has an especially close connection to COVID-19.  He has seen the variety that the virus creates: from those completely asymptomatic to those on the more undesirable end of the spectrum.

“I see COVID-19 right up close, sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s bad,” Rome said. “I think the fact that you could have it and not know it… it’s a tough situation for a hockey team.”

His medical experience plus his hockey experience gives him the unique perspective of both the player and the practitioner. He is a person with such a love of the sport and the rationality of a medical professional who knows all too well the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suspending play for the season is a tough decision that has been made. Season or not, the care and love for the sport will endure in Worcester.

“They love the game,” Rome said. “Everybody does it because they love it.”

John Smark