Ep. 11: Captain Kirk: It’s Championship or Bust in Columbus

The landscape of the FPHL is changing, and the Columbus River Dragons believe their opportunity has arrived.

In Episode 11 of Peach State Puck, host Matteen Rad sits down with Columbus River Dragons captain and number 11 Kirk Underwood for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, Southern hockey, the changing face of the FPHL, and a Columbus team entering the 2026-27 season with one unmistakable objective: win a championship.

Before heading to Columbus, Matteen breaks down a potentially significant development in the effort to bring NHL hockey back to Atlanta. The group behind The Gathering in Forsyth County says it has secured financing for an NHL team and submitted its final approval packet, while the first phase of construction began September 1. No NHL franchise has been awarded, but Matteen examines why the latest development could represent another important step in Atlanta’s pursuit of the league.

Then it’s time for Captain Kirk. Underwood opens up about what wearing the “C” means to him and why leadership has always been about relationships rather than a letter on his jersey. He discusses his bond with longtime Columbus hockey figure Jerome “Boom Boom” Bechard, his desire to eventually pursue coaching, and the unusual reality of being both a player and the River Dragons’ Director of Sales. For Underwood, Columbus has become much more than another stop in his hockey career.

The conversation also explores why hockey continues to thrive in a place many outsiders would never consider a traditional hockey market. Underwood recalls arriving in Columbus without initially realizing he was headed to Georgia and being stunned by a fan base that already knew his name before he stepped onto the ice. He credits the foundation established by generations of Columbus hockey, particularly the Cottonmouths, with creating the community and family atmosphere the River Dragons inherited and continue to build today.

But the biggest story is what comes next. The FPHL is entering a dramatically different era, with expansion reaching California, established contenders changing, and familiar rivals leaving the league. Underwood discusses the opportunities and uncertainties created by that new landscape, the importance of maintaining Columbus’ veteran core, and the teams he believes could stand between the River Dragons and the Commissioner’s Cup.

Then he makes the expectations unmistakable. Columbus is not rebuilding. It is not preparing for some future window. After four consecutive seasons ending in Game 3 of the second round, Underwood knows how painful playoff hockey can be and how quickly another opportunity can disappear.

For the River Dragons, it’s championship or bust.

That mentality makes their October 23 home opener especially compelling. Waiting inside the Dragons Den will be the three-time defending Commissioner’s Cup champion Binghamton Black Bears, a team responsible for two of the most lopsided losses Underwood remembers experiencing in Columbus. He doesn’t hide from the history. He wants another shot at them, and this time, he says, it’s personal.

Episode 11 is ultimately about a veteran captain, an experienced core and a franchise that knows opportunities like this don’t last forever. Some of Columbus’ longtime players may be approaching the final chapters of their careers, and Underwood isn’t interested in wasting what’s left.

00:00 - Welcome to Peach State Puck

03:57 - Major NHL to Atlanta Update

05:54 - Meet Captain Kirk Underwood

09:40 - Leadership and Columbus Hockey

16:30 - Why Hockey Works in Columbus

20:16 - The FPHL’s Changing Landscape

26:14 - Championship or Bust

34:27 - Binghamton: This One Is Personal