Has anyone seen John Carroll? where is he? Is he retired or will he be back in the Guppies line up sometime in the near future? These are the million dollar questions for Guppy fans.  Fans that pour into the Zrink on Guppy game nights week after week in the hopes of getting one glimpse of Carroll. Meanwhile, corporate sponsors are asking the same questions but they are Multi-million dollar questions, where is the most familiar guard of the Guppies blue line? No one really seems to know, and it has left both corporate partners and fans of the Killingworth Guppies scratching their heads.

"John has been a great role model and we have had a great working relationship for the past seven years" stated Bob Neely Director of Marketing for Coca-Cola Co. USA. "We had a long term deal that John has walked away from. Basically, leaving millions of dollars on the table" 

Coca-Cola isn't the only sponsor feeling the pain of Carroll's absence. Former Johnny "Qua" sponsor Taco Bell is struggling to find a new face to sell their products. "John was perfect, a great guy on and off the dek, he was very likable" commented V.P. of Sales for Taco Bell Corp Matt Weigold. "We are looking for a new spokesperson, but it not that easy. It's not like we can just go out and just sign Linskey."

However, as much as Carroll's semi-retirement has hurt the business side of the game it's the fans that hurt the most.  Guppies fan Bill Bolton, 19, has been a life long fan  of the Guppies blue liner. "I loved watching John Carroll play the game. I grew up watching him play. It's just not the same since he's been gone"  Mr. Bolton isn't alone in his sadness.

Marge Peters, 75, has been a Guppies fan since the beginning"I still have my ticket from their (Guppies) first game at the old arena in Waterbury" she continued "John was instantly my favorite player. I mean you had guys like (Pete) Fink and  (Brian) Kelly out their scoring the goals but when the chips were down my Johnny was always there for the big goal or big play."

It's true! Who scored the Guppies first goal in team history? Who scored the OT goal in the Whalers Alumni tournament to send the Guppies to the Finals? Who was the first Guppies player to win the league's Most Valuable Defenseman Award in 1996?    JOHN CARROLL!

So what does the Guppies organization know about Carroll's situation?  Well not much! Guppies Assistant Director of PR Bob Sugar explains "We have had several conversation with Mr. Carroll's agent and at this time he doesn't plan on playing with the Guppies organization anytime soon" 

 When we asked Mr. Sugar about whether or not if Carroll has applied for retirement he answered with a quick "No". He continued "It's not Show Friends it's Show Business, but Mr Carroll is always welcome in our hockey club" He explained that if Killingworth has seen the last of John Carroll in Guppie's Blue that "his legend will only grow and his contributions to Guppie Lore will never be forgotten". Finally, Sugar mentioned that Carroll's #2 is a "Sure Bet" to hang from the rafters.