Growing up in Fort Wayne, Ind. Florida Panthers 2015 Draft Pick Karch Bachman was one of the few in his hometown who decided to pick up a stick and start playing hockey. Traditionally an area where basketball and football reign supreme, Bachman instead was drawn to the fast-paced action of hockey.
The Fort Wayne Komets of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) were Bachman’s first exposure to the game. Bachman’s father, Kurt, an Attorney for the Professional Hockey Players’ Association for the Komets, regularly took his son to see the Komets play.
“I grew up going to Komets games,” said Bachman about his introduction to the game.