Kalamazoo KWings Get Prominent Role in Netflix ‘Untold’ Hockey Doc
If the 'it' sports documentary of the pandemic year of 2020 was the Chicago Bull's Jordan-era Last Dance, 2021 is all about the Untold series on Netflix. The limited series on gritter stories from the world of sports included an episode on the scrappy and in-your-face minor league hockey team from Danbury, Connecticut, the Trashers.
Featured prominently, in this case as antagonists, if you view the bad-boy Trashers as the heroes of this tale.
The Untold doc tells two parallel stories. One of the rapid rise of an expansion hockey franchise, the other an FBI investigation of possible racketeering and ties to organized crime by the family that owned the club.
The Danbury Trashers, influenced by GM AJ Galante's love for professional wrestling, sets out to be the 'heels' of the hockey world. Playing dirty caught up to one of the stakers, Brad Wingfield, when during a game against the Kalamazoo Wings,
The player refused to fight, but as Wingfield skated away the player grabbed Wingfield's jersey and pulled him back over an outstretched leg. Wingfield's skate caught on the ice as he fell backwards breaking his ankle.
The incident ended in a massive brawl. A skirmish that was repeated when the two met in the playoffs, which the K-Wings ended up winning.
Galante notes at the end of the doc, the Trashers were the 'bad guys' and what happens to bad guys at the end of their story? They get vanquished and the white hats come out on top.
In the Trashers vs K-Wings feud, who really won? The K-Wings did prevail and claim the Colonial Cup. While the Trashers loss and off-ice troubles led to the collapse of the team, the Trashers may have won in the arena of fame and public appeal thanks to their Untold doc.
Take a look at that December, 2005 brawl between the K-Wings and the Trashers:
AJ Galante spoke recently with our sister station I-95 in Danbury's morning show of Ethan and Lou about the Trashers era:
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