T-Town Hockey is back!

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – This weekend is opening weekend for the Toledo Walleye and fans from all over the world go to Toledo for one thing: hockey!

“All you have to do is see them once and you’ll be hooked, no pun intended,” said one fan.

Walleye fans took to downtown Toledo on Friday to show off their Fish Pride. Whether it’s from the team pre-party, watching from a local bar or from the Huntington Center.

“Our fans are everything we do here, we love them, we adore them. And as you can see from some of those walking behind me now, they’re really going for it. They love the fish, they have been waiting 365 days for this day and we are so excited that it can finally be back in Toledo,” said Taylor Vandenbroek, Walleye’s promotions coordinator.

The loyal fan base travels from far and wide.

“We come here every year from Chicago to see Walleye games and have been doing so for ten years, all the way from Chicago,” said one fan.

“I’ve been a Walleye fan since they were the storm in the sports arena, but I’ve lived in Charlotte, North Carolina for 20 years, so this is my first home opener at the Huntington Center,” another fan said.

All eyes are on the Walleye as they enter this season after another long playoff run last year and fans outside the Huntington Center Friday are hopeful.

“I hope to have a great defense with some big hits, a strong offense, score some goals and bring home a championship,” said a fan who spoke to 13 Action News on Friday. “Expectations for the Walleye? I mean, it has to be Kelly Cup, right? Kelly Cup, absolutely!”

The Walleye will also be home Saturday, so if you missed Friday’s opener, don’t worry, you can still see the fish in action Saturday and for a long season to come.

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