The Fighty Pucks

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The Fighty Pucks is the story of the most violent hockey team on the planet. A team of lovable bad boys, misfits and bruisers, led by a teenage boy - AJ Galante. Together with his father, a powerful business man with a dark past, AJ ran the team as they went rampaging on a path to glory. But all the while, the team was being secretly watched by their toughest opponent of all - the FBI.

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Our Editor's Take

True crime and the world of sports are two areas that would not seem to overlap. Yet The Fighty Pucks is a podcast that tells the outrageous story of one of the most infamous minor league hockey teams ever to exist. Another crazy occurrence appears when one thinks the story cannot get any wilder. This podcast is a combination of GoodFellas and Rocky. The series has both underworld and underdog overtones.

The Fighty Pucks podcast is about the Danbury Trashers. They were a minor league hockey team from Connecticut. The team was active during the mid-2000s. However, nothing about them was conventional, and they soon began garnering a lot of attention. Sometimes it differed from the kind of attention one would want for their business.

James Galante owned the Danbury Trashers. He was an associate of the Genovese crime family. James also owned several waste management companies. This was where the team got its name and trash can logo. In a move that no one saw coming, James would go on to name his 17-year-old son, A.J., as the team's general manager. The team's league, the United Hockey League, thought this was an April Fool's joke. However, Galante was serious about his son managing his new hockey team. This podcast tells what happens next.

The team had a simple mandate at the outset of its founding. They set out to assemble the most violent, physical squad they could. The hope was to put together a team that would always deliver visceral hockey. Things would only get wilder from there on out.

The Fighty Pucks podcast is funny, compelling, and thrilling. It tells the story of this improbable hockey team. The franchise would only exist for two years, but it would leave an indelible mark on minor-league hockey. The team folded after the FBI caught up with the Galante family.

Netflix did a documentary about the club. Hollywood is planning a feature film. Musician Drake even wore a Danbury Trashers jersey. With The Fighty Pucks podcast, listeners can hear all the improbable but true stories behind this franchise.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

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Introducing: The Fighty Pucks

Introducing: The Fighty Pucks

The Fighty Pucks is the story of the most violent hockey team on the planet. A team of lovable bad boys, misfits and bruisers, led by a teenage boy - AJ Galante. Together with his father, a powerful business man with a dark past, AJ ran the team as they went rampaging on a path to glory. But all the while, the team was being secretly watched by their toughest opponent of all - the FBI. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episodes

Game 10: The Comeback Kid

Game 10: The Comeback Kid

AJ tries to rebuild his life and finds inspiration in some surprising places. As Jimmy returns to town, he finds AJ a changed kid. The Trashers have come back into their lives and AJ has found the perfect new team member. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 9: No Angel

Game 9: No Angel

AJ, Jimmy and the Trashers have their worlds thrown into chaos as arrests are made. As everyone wonders what next, a defiant Jimmy Galante takes the stage to tell his side of the story. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 8: Grandpa on Long Island

Game 8: Grandpa on Long Island

The Trashers have made it to their season ending game with victory in their sights. As the FBI’s investigation into organized crime comes to a head, Jimmy and AJ seem oblivious to the coming storm. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 7: The Big Payback

Game 7: The Big Payback

The Trashers’ star player is back for some bloody revenge, although no one could have predicted quite how violent his return would become. The chaos on the ice is the least of the worries for the league’s commissioner, who is now caught up in the investigation into the Galantes. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 6: Welcome to Trash Town

Game 6: Welcome to Trash Town

AJ and Jimmy’s world is thrown into chaos as the FBI arrive in town and start to raid businesses. In the calm after the storm, the Trashers’ second season is off to a flying start, but it turns out the past is not completely in their rear view mirror. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 5: Lockout

Game 5: Lockout

Without their star player the Trashers’ kid owner turns to a childhood hero for help. But as their new player arrives in downtown Danbury, he’s noticing something strange about his new employer. The Trashers seem to be on a collision course that not even an NHL star can help them avoid. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 4: Dirty Tricks

Game 4: Dirty Tricks

As the Trashers continue their inaugural season, the win-at-all-costs attitude of their owners has implications both on and off the ice. But as their opponents start to fight back, a blood curdling act of violence rips into the team. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 3: Drop the Gloves

Game 3: Drop the Gloves

It’s opening night for the Danbury Trashers and everyone has congregated downtown to see the spectacle unfold. But as the game gets underway, no one is prepared for the chaos that is about to explode. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 2: Bad Boys for Life

Game 2: Bad Boys for Life

AJ and Jimmy are a father and son team on a mission, to create a unique type of sports team - as violent as they are skillful. But with the hockey season about to start, how are they supposed to build a professional sports team from scratch? The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game 1: The Galantes of Danbury

Game 1: The Galantes of Danbury

AJ Galante is a kid growing up in a small city in Connecticut where his dad Jimmy is a pretty big deal. Desperate to find a way out from his dad’s shadow, AJ falls in love with a sport that would come to define his future. But not in the way he expected. And not without the intervention of his father. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: The Fighty Pucks

Introducing: The Fighty Pucks

The Fighty Pucks is the story of the most violent hockey team on the planet. A team of lovable bad boys, misfits and bruisers, led by a teenage boy - AJ Galante. Together with his father, a powerful business man with a dark past, AJ ran the team as they went rampaging on a path to glory. But all the while, the team was being secretly watched by their toughest opponent of all - the FBI. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.