AHL 17-18 Schedule

[GindyDraws]

Can't the Pacific teams just play 20 games & everybody gets a trophy?

I'm still appalled at how limited their schedule is and how gutless the AHL is today.

 

[GindyDraws]

So if I'm reading the grid correctly, the only interconference play is:
- Manitoba plays 4 games against each of the 3 Eastern Canadian teams
- Hershey and WBS each do a home-and-home with Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, and Rockford

Seriously, just split the league in half already. Bring back the IHL name and the Turner Cup. Baseball gets by just fine with multiple AAA leagues, hockey can do it too.

I'm fine with just splitting off the Pacific teams and letting the other franchises play for real.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I'm fine with just splitting off the Pacific teams and letting the other franchises play for real.

except the NHL owns all of those markets, through their parent clubs, JD....

 

[GindyDraws]

except the NHL owns all of those markets, through their parent clubs, JD....

I still don't understand why the NHL teams are so controlling about limiting the number of games.

I am of the mindset to have theme be completely isolated from the rest to the point that they are their own league.

 

[royals119]

I still don't understand why the NHL teams are so controlling about limiting the number of games.

I am of the mindset to have theme be completely isolated from the rest to the point that they are their own league.

Two big reasons this isn't going to happen.
1 - a larger league makes for better finances. They can get national sponsors to pay more, get better discounts on insurance, pucks, jerseys, software, etc etc.
2- Two leagues means competition between leagues for free agents, refs, team staff, and teams. If say Las Vegas isn't happy with the Wolves after a couple years they could get a franchise in the new western league and put a team in some other city, leaving Chicago's owner with no affiliation and therefore no team. He can't even sell his team, so he has to take a huge financial loss, or try to poach some other team's affiliation (leaving that owner in the same situation). Worse yet, Las Vegas could put their new affiliate in the rink at Hoffman Estates, so even if the Wolves find a new affiliate they have a team in the same market to compete with at the same level of competition. Above all else the owners want to protect their investment in the team, and if a situation like this happens they could be left with a suddenly worthless franchise. As it is now, with only one AAA league and only enough teams to match up to the NHL, the owners are always assured they will either have a team, or someone to sell their team to. The league isn't going to expand beyond the number of affiliations. With two leagues there is no longer that guarantee.

 

[210]

Two big reasons this isn't going to happen.
1 - a larger league makes for better finances. They can get national sponsors to pay more, get better discounts on insurance, pucks, jerseys, software, etc etc.
2- Two leagues means competition between leagues for free agents, refs, team staff, and teams. If say Las Vegas isn't happy with the Wolves after a couple years they could get a franchise in the new western league and put a team in some other city, leaving Chicago's owner with no affiliation and therefore no team. He can't even sell his team, so he has to take a huge financial loss, or try to poach some other team's affiliation (leaving that owner in the same situation). Worse yet, Las Vegas could put their new affiliate in the rink at Hoffman Estates, so even if the Wolves find a new affiliate they have a team in the same market to compete with at the same level of competition. Above all else the owners want to protect their investment in the team, and if a situation like this happens they could be left with a suddenly worthless franchise. As it is now, with only one AAA league and only enough teams to match up to the NHL, the owners are always assured they will either have a team, or someone to sell their team to. The league isn't going to expand beyond the number of affiliations. With two leagues there is no longer that guarantee.

Which essentially makes independently owned AHL teams worthless...

 

[royals119]

They are essentially worthless. That was the rumor a few years ago that the NHL teams pulled on Norfolk. Supposedly the owner didn't want to sell, so their affiliate said they would cancel the affiliation and leave them as an independent if he didn't. With no players assigned by the NHL they wouldn't be able to compete on the ice, and they'd lose money trying to pay a team of free agents. There was another rumor that the AHL wouldn't include them on the schedule without an affiliation in place. Not sure how much of it was true, but he did end up selling.

 

[210]

They are essentially worthless. That was the rumor a few years ago that the NHL teams pulled on Norfolk. Supposedly the owner didn't want to sell, so their affiliate said they would cancel the affiliation and leave them as an independent if he didn't. With no players assigned by the NHL they wouldn't be able to compete on the ice, and they'd lose money trying to pay a team of free agents. There was another rumor that the AHL wouldn't include them on the schedule without an affiliation in place. Not sure how much of it was true, but he did end up selling.

They have value as long as there's only 31 AAA-level teams, the fact the NorAds were sold for market value shows that. But add a 32nd team and none will ever sell at anything.

 

[royals119]

They have value as long as there's only 31 AAA-level teams, the fact the NorAds were sold for market value shows that. But add a 32nd team and none will ever sell at anything.

Yes, exactly my point. We definitely agree. That is probably the number one reason that the AHL didn't split into two leagues and instead created a west division that plays less games and doesn't travel east much. As soon as you have two leagues, the chance of a 32nd team being created increases from zero to something greater than zero, and the owners don't want that.

 

[GindyDraws]

Two big reasons this isn't going to happen.
1 - a larger league makes for better finances. They can get national sponsors to pay more, get better discounts on insurance, pucks, jerseys, software, etc etc.
2- Two leagues means competition between leagues for free agents, refs, team staff, and teams. If say Las Vegas isn't happy with the Wolves after a couple years they could get a franchise in the new western league and put a team in some other city, leaving Chicago's owner with no affiliation and therefore no team. He can't even sell his team, so he has to take a huge financial loss, or try to poach some other team's affiliation (leaving that owner in the same situation). Worse yet, Las Vegas could put their new affiliate in the rink at Hoffman Estates, so even if the Wolves find a new affiliate they have a team in the same market to compete with at the same level of competition. Above all else the owners want to protect their investment in the team, and if a situation like this happens they could be left with a suddenly worthless franchise. As it is now, with only one AAA league and only enough teams to match up to the NHL, the owners are always assured they will either have a team, or someone to sell their team to. The league isn't going to expand beyond the number of affiliations. With two leagues there is no longer that guarantee.

And yet why do I not feel sorry for the AHL.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.sjbarracuda.com/news/detail/barracuda-announce-a-pair-of-schedule-changes

Couple of schedule changes for Cuda home games in February.

 

[JMCx4]

Running schedule change list from the League ... http://theahl.com/stats/schedule-notes/all-teams/57/-1