With only a handful of days before the puck drops at the first Belleville Senators home game, the mood of local hockey fans is a stark contrast from that of just two years ago when news broke that long-time OHL franchise, the Belleville Bulls, was pulling up stakes and leaving town.

Gina Giouroukos, a founding member of the Belleville Senators Fan Club — which began its life as the Bring the Bulls Back group — said they were told from the outset that their goal to bring high-level hockey back to Belleville was impossible.

“I think people were thinking we had bit off more than we could chew,” said Giouroukos. “You know a lot of other cities that had lost teams, junior or professional, hardly ever got them back… or it was several years before the idea of being able to bring a team back was brought to fruition.”

Not letting the naysayers dissuade them, Giouroukos and crew kept their proverbial stick on the ice, going door to door collecting signatures to prove that The Friendly City was still a place friendly to hometown hockey.

More than 6,000 signatures were collected.

“There was a huge base of fans that was left without hockey and we all felt that we needed to do something to contribute and help any way we could to bring hockey back to Belleville.

“We’re a very grassroots hockey town, we love our hockey,” she said. “We have a lot of hockey players that have gone on to play pro out of Belleville.

In September of last year a press conference was held to confirm what had been rumoured for months. Belleville was going to become the new home to the Senators’ AHL team.

When one of the worst kept secrets in Belleville hockey history was officially announced, Giouroukos said she was “ecstatic”.

“The fact that the city was able to secure an AHL team within two years of losing our other team I think is phenomenal.

“We very very much excited to be a huge contributing factor and to support the hockey transition team that had been put in place at city hall.”

While it’s still a few days away from Wednesday’s home opener, Dug Stevenson, Quinte Regional Marketing Board executive director, has already had an up close and personal view of the B Sens on ice.

While videoing a Facebook Live promo last week of the team’s practice, Stevenson had a chance to jump in net for a bit while players smacked shots at him.

“I think I saved one, so that’s got to count for something,” laughed Stevenson. “And I’m not battered and bruised, not missing any teeth. I think they went easy on me.”

Stevenson said he’s seen a lot of people talking about the B Sens, not just in person, but online through Facebook and Twitter.

“There’s so much chatter online right now, not just about the home opener, but about everyday goings on,” he said.

Stevenson said with this being a brand new team, it’s a year of firsts.

“It’s first goal, it’s first call-up, but it’s also first sign going up in the Yardmen, first time they’re nailing down who the vendors are going to be, all these sorts of things. So those are creating chatter too, in addition to all the talk and all the hype for this opening game.”

Tickets for Wednesday’s game are already sold out.

“That’s going to be the place to be on Wednesday night,” said Giouroukos.

“It’ll be a historic night.”

The Belleville Senators Fan Club is currently running a fan appreciation contest with B Sens jerseys, game tickets for Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 home games, and other items on its Facebook page. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/BSensfanclub/

tjmiller@postmedia.com