Tucked away in the swamplands of Central Florida lies the quiet city of Port Richey, proudly known as “The Pearl of Pasco County.” Flanked to the west by the shimmering waters once called the Gulf of Mexico — now affectionately rebranded by the powers that be as the “Gulf of America”—Port Richey stands as the proud "Gateway to the Gulf." To the south, the brackish Pithlachascotee River meanders lazily, forming a natural border with its neighbor, New Port Richey. On the northern edge, State Road 52 draws a line between Port Richey and the wild frontier of Hudson, a backwoods enclave lovingly dubbed “Hudsletuckee” by the locals.
Our story begins in the mid-1980s, a time when Port Richey was far from the bustling hub it is today. Back then, the city was a magnet for "Yankees" fleeing the icy grip of the upper Midwest and the sky-high costs of the Northeast. Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and especially New York contributed to the flood of newcomers bringing their customs, attitudes — and most importantly — their love of hockey.
At the time, Port Richey wasn’t exactly teeming with entertainment options. There was one movie theater, a single mall, and a plethora of the finest dive bars Florida has ever seen. (And yes, I do know what a “plethora” is.) With few places to escape the sweltering 90-degree heat and suffocating humidity that lasted from April through November — not to mention the reliable 3PM thunderstorm — locals and transplants alike found refuge in air-conditioned taverns.
It was in one such watering hole that legend was born. In the upper left corner of this very page, you’ll see the building that once housed the world-famous "Chaser’s" — the bar where it all began. Here, over cold beers and shared nostalgia, a group of transplants kept running into each other and bonded over the one thing they all missed from up north: hockey. Before long, a few Southern souls joined the conversation too.
Someone floated a bold idea: “Why don’t we start our own hockey team… right here in Port Richey?”
And so they did. Announcements were made. Tryouts were held. Somehow — against all odds — they found a way to make ice in the Florida sun. Thus, the Port Richey Hockey Team was born. Under the leadership of the unforgettable Coach "Skip" Venis, the team’s popularity skyrocketed. They even founded a new league — the Southern Hockey League (SHL) — and played games all along the Gulf Coast, from Hudson to Clearwater, and across the bay into Tampa. At the peak of their fame, a brand-new home arena was built for the team.
But, as with all good things, the end eventually came.
In the early 1990s, NHL legends Phil and Tony Esposito arrived in Port Richey to meet with the team and discuss bringing professional hockey to the region. The outcome? Tampa was chosen as the site for a new NHL expansion team. As part of the deal, the Port Richey Hockey Team agreed to disband and the SHL dissolved.
Yet, the spirit of the team never truly died.
Years later, many of the original players reunited, forming an alumni team to compete in exhibition tournaments around the country. Today, if you’re lucky, you might catch them at the annual Southern Hockey Invitational Tournament — better known (and proudly so) as the SHIT Show.
Held in cities like Las Vegas, Cleveland, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Asheville, NC, the SHIT Show is a rowdy, heartfelt celebration of the game they loved and the team that started it all.
Check back often for updates, events, and tour dates — because the legend of Port Richey hockey lives on.