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While it was a positive for the hockey program and a hit among alumni and fans of the St. Thomas Tommies, Summit Dodge Tommies Hockey will not return to the airwaves on Positive Hits 96.5 next season.

The local Christian radio station has ended its broadcast relationship with the Tommies men's hockey team after two seasons, station manager Doug Boyd said Wednesday.

Citing a change in personnel - Randy Corey, who handled play-by-play duties last year, is no longer with the station - and the economics associated with producing the broadcasts, Boyd said "we're just too small a station to handle that expense. "We enjoyed doing it, we appreciated doing it, and we had some listeners who were supportive of having it. But we're very, very small, we're non- profit. We are just not able to continue both economically and personnel wise."

The station has three full time and one part-time employee.

Boyd said feedback from listeners was positive, if somewhat limited.

"We had some local listeners and we stream online, so we had some from family and friends across the country. It wasn't big ... we didn't have a huge audience. But what we had were appreciative. It was great to have it and we enjoyed it.

"It makes it a difficult decision not to carry on. But we had to make a personnel change and we didn't have the right person to put into that spot. And we didn't have the financial support or the financial ability to continue on."

Summit Dodge was the title sponsor for both seasons. Trius was a secondary sponsor.

"We couldn't get enough sponsorship out of it to pay for a person's time," he said. "And, of course, you have to have somebody in the studio for production. It could have continued on. We could have just eaten it and away we go. But we had to make a personnel change, and we didn't have anybody to back that up. We're just not able to follow up with it at this time. It wasn't all economics, but it's one of those things we had to do."

He said the decision was made in late February. Corey left the station in March.

"We had discussed earlier in the year that it was probably not going to be feasible for us to do," said Boyd, who has been the station manager since September.

"We tried it for two years. We don't have the manpower to properly do it and do a good job. And there were some economics to it. We just felt that we had to stick with what we're here to do and what we were originally structured to do."

Tommies coach Mike Eagles, who led the effort to get the Tommies their own radio deal two years ago, considers the cancellation a setback for his program. But he says he is already talking to other outlets in an effort to keep the Tommies on the air.

"I thought it was a really good thing for our program and I thought it was a good thing for the station," Eagles said.

"But we're continuing to pursue other avenues. We're pretty optimistic."

Eagles felt the affiliation with Positive Hits was a positive for his program.

"I think it was really important for us, in terms of having our own identity," he said.

"We're Tommies Hockey versus a shared agreement. Having all of our games versus a quarter of our games is excellent for our alumni, our fans and families of our current players. It's a big deal for us. It's something we want to continue. We're obviously going to have to look for a new provider. We think there are options."

CHSR-FM is one of them. The Tommies shared the air with UNB prior to negotiating their own deal.

"I think CHSR did a good job for us," said Eagles. "It's just that it's nice to have your own. Having your own broadcasters and everything else is a better situation for us. Not that CHSR was a bad one. We just wanted more. That's why I pursued (Positive Hits) in the first place."

While the Tommies have lost their voice, at least temporarily, Eagles did announce the addition of former Fredericton midget AAA and Leo Hayes Lions right winger Mitch Price to the lineup.

The 20-year-old played the last two seasons with the Woodstock Slammers of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.

Price scored 28 goals and 25 assists for 53 points in 56 regular season games this past year, adding six goals and eight assists in 16 playoff games. The Slammers lost in the league's Kent Cup final to the Yarmouth Mariners.

"He's a good skater and he's improving in all areas of his game," said Eagles. "He has a lot of upside. We're excited to have him. We want to continue to get quicker, and he's a guy that brings good skating and good skill."