AHL in Vancouver ECHL in Utica

[ADK34]

With the Vancouver Giants moving to the Langley Events Centre next season

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-giants-moving-to-langley-next-fall

I wonder if this change opens up the possibility of the Utica Comets moving to the Pacific coliseum in Vancouver. Then Utica would get a ECHL team back. If this were to happen (Which im sure it will) im guessing it would be announced sometime during the 2016-17 season. Utica has an arena that only seats 3860, but they do sellout pretty much every game. Vancouver one of the few teams to not move their AHL team west but it will have to happen sooner or later. To put ECHL back in Utica, they could possibly buy an independant franchise such as Colorado, Wichita, or Alaska and simply move them to Utica

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[Clinton Comets EHL]

With the Vancouver Giants moving to the Langley Events Centre next season

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-giants-moving-to-langley-next-fall

I wonder if this change opens up the possibility of the Utica Comets moving to the Pacific coliseum in Vancouver. Then Utica would get a ECHL team back. If this were to happen (Which im sure it will) im guessing it would be announced sometime during the 2016-17 season. Utica has an arena that only seats 3860, but they do sellout pretty much every game. Vancouver one of the few teams to not move their AHL team west but it will have to happen sooner or later. To put ECHL back in Utica, they could possibly buy an independant franchise such as Colorado, Wichita, or Alaska and simply move them to Utica

First, Utica has never been in the ECHL.

Secondly, as discussed, it makes no sense for the Canucks to put their farm team in Vancouver...out west...perhaps...but not 973 miles from their closest opponent.

 

[Hurricane Ron]

Alaska, Colorado and Wichita all have firm ownership in place. The fact that they are independent only means that this past year, they didn't have an affiliation with an NHL team. It has no basis for their viability, or their being open to being purchased and moved.

If you want to speculate on a current ECHL team moving to Utica, if and when the Canucks move their AHL team, you could have done better than listing these three teams.

 

[zetajerk]

First, Utica has never been in the ECHL.

Secondly, as discussed, it makes no sense for the Canucks to put their farm team in Vancouver...out west...perhaps...but not 973 miles from their closest opponent.

Why have their farm club 3,000 miles away and not next door and 973 miles from their opponents? If they're in the Pacific, they can fly down to Cali for road trips for days at a time and the Cali teams can fly up there. Not really a big deal. I don't think the Canucks are that strapped for cash. It's all speculation, but this is the model the AHL is moving towards.

The worst thing you can do is think they care about Utica whatsoever. Five teams learned the hard way last year, one this year. If they can develop players and save time, effort, and money doing so.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

Why have their farm club 3,000 miles away and not next door and 973 miles from their opponents? If they're in the Pacific, they can fly down to Cali for road trips for days at a time and the Cali teams can fly up there. Not really a big deal. I don't think the Canucks are that strapped for cash. It's all speculation, but this is the model the AHL is moving towards.

The worst thing you can do is think they care about Utica whatsoever. Five teams learned the hard way last year, one this year. If they can develop players and save time, effort, and money doing so.

I certainly don't disagree with you on this. ^^

As far as the Canucks being cash strapped, I agree with you on that as well. Money not being the issue, the time on planes, airports, hotels, etc...which has been discussed ad nauseam in this forum and others.

It certainly is correct that this is the way the AHL "business" model is going. As a Northeasterner I don't like it but there is nothing I or the smaller NE cities can do about it.

Likely, it is a matter of time until the Canucks leave. I couldn't care less about Vancouver the organization itself. Probably in about 3 years, there will be about 16 teams in the ECHL Northeast Conference.

 

[wildcat48]

With the Vancouver Giants moving to the Langley Events Centre next season

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-giants-moving-to-langley-next-fall

I wonder if this change opens up the possibility of the Utica Comets moving to the Pacific coliseum in Vancouver. Then Utica would get a ECHL team back. If this were to happen (Which im sure it will) im guessing it would be announced sometime during the 2016-17 season. Utica has an arena that only seats 3860, but they do sellout pretty much every game. Vancouver one of the few teams to not move their AHL team west but it will have to happen sooner or later. To put ECHL back in Utica, they could possibly buy an independant franchise such as Colorado, Wichita, or Alaska and simply move them to Utica

I absolutely think its going to happen perhaps as soon as next season. I've heard that Vancouver brass has already held casual conversation with people at the Pacific Coliseum. With Arizona moving to Tucson, it only makes sense for Vancouver to move its affiliate to the west coast for no other reason than the advantage it provides via the salary cap.

 

[Canucks21]

I absolutely think its going to happen perhaps as soon as next season. I've heard that Vancouver brass has already held casual conversation with people at the Pacific Coliseum. With Arizona moving to Tucson, it only makes sense for Vancouver to move its affiliate to the west coast for no other reason than the advantage it provides via the salary cap.

The Canucks already committed keep their ahl team in Utica for next season if it happens it would be for the 2017-18 season. The Canucks currently dont have an ECHL affilitate instead of getting an ECHL expansion team to Utica why not just sign an affiliation with a team who is already playing in the ECHL like Alaska or Colorado?

 

[Braeden]

The Canucks already committed keep their ahl team in Utica for next season if it happens it would be for the 2017-18 season. The Canucks currently dont have an ECHL affilitate instead of getting an ECHL expansion team to Utica why not just sign an affiliation with a team who is already playing in the ECHL like Alaska or Colorado?

Wow Alaska would be awesome. It's either Alaska, Colorado or Wichita right now.

 

[Canucks21]

Wow Alaska would be awesome. It's either Alaska, Colorado or Wichita right now.

And currently theres Florida, New Jersey, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Vancouver who dont have ECHL affiliation. Alaska would make since for the Canucks trying to get more canucks fan from there plus if you move your AHL team to Vancouver or Abbotsford it close for ECHL to AHL call ups

 

[crimsonace]

The Canucks already committed keep their ahl team in Utica for next season if it happens it would be for the 2017-18 season. The Canucks currently dont have an ECHL affilitate instead of getting an ECHL expansion team to Utica why not just sign an affiliation with a team who is already playing in the ECHL like Alaska or Colorado?

If (and it's a big if) Portland, Maine gets the 30th franchise, there won't be any more available. Right now, there are 28 franchises (counting the dormant Evansville/Owensboro one), with Worcester & possibly Portland on the way.

So, there would be a need to purchase an existing franchise to move to Utica - and it wouldn't necessarily be the Canucks doing the purchasing, but a local group. Best bet right now might be the IceMen, given I'm still skeptical on a) if the Owensboro rink can/will ever be converted, and b) if it is, if that market is viable for any length of time.

And, as we've covered before, the reality for the AHL is that it doesn't really matter how close/far a team is from its potential opponents, but how close/far it is from the NHL affiliate to make getting callups easy. Wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Pacific Coliseum be a possibility for them.

 

[crimsonace]

And currently theres Florida, New Jersey, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Vancouver who dont have ECHL affiliation. Alaska would make since for the Canucks trying to get more canucks fan from there plus if you move your AHL team to Vancouver or Abbotsford it close for ECHL to AHL call ups

Tampa Bay just signed with Kalamazoo (which was the Canucks' "official" affiliate in 2014-15, and an unofficial one last year). Vancouver/Utica sent more players to Kalamazoo than Columbus/Lake Erie (the "official" affiliate of the K-Wings, who actually assigned more players to Cincinnati than Kalamazoo) did.

New Jersey is officially unaffiliated, but had a working agreement to share Adirondack with the Flames last year.

Alaska would make the most sense of the existing ECHL teams for Vancouver, IF the AHL team is in VAN or ABB.

 

[jason2020]

Tampa Bay just signed with Kalamazoo (which was the Canucks' "official" affiliate in 2014-15, and an unofficial one last year). Vancouver/Utica sent more players to Kalamazoo than Columbus/Lake Erie (the "official" affiliate of the K-Wings, who actually assigned more players to Cincinnati than Kalamazoo) did.

New Jersey is officially unaffiliated, but had a working agreement to share Adirondack with the Flames last year.

Alaska would make the most sense of the existing ECHL teams for Vancouver, IF the AHL team is in VAN or ABB.

I could see Whitehorse is a real good spot for a Ahl team.

 

[210]

If (and it's a big if) Portland, Maine gets the 30th franchise, there won't be any more available. Right now, there are 28 franchises (counting the dormant Evansville/Owensboro one), with Worcester & possibly Portland on the way.

So, there would be a need to purchase an existing franchise to move to Utica - and it wouldn't necessarily be the Canucks doing the purchasing, but a local group. Best bet right now might be the IceMen, given I'm still skeptical on a) if the Owensboro rink can/will ever be converted, and b) if it is, if that market is viable for any length of time.

And, as we've covered before, the reality for the AHL is that it doesn't really matter how close/far a team is from its potential opponents, but how close/far it is from the NHL affiliate to make getting callups easy. Wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Pacific Coliseum be a possibility for them.

It's not a big "if". Godfrey Wood will make it happen.