Belleville AHL

[HamiltonOHL]

Bruce Garrioch @SunGarrioch
If Belleville city council approves arena deal Monday then possible move there in 2017-18 could be presented to AHL board next week. #Sens

 

[HamiltonOHL]

find it funny how hamilton had ahl and went ohl and now belleville looks like it will go ahl after having ahl

 

[Canadian Game]

Could it be an ECHL team?

The city keeps saying that the level of hockey would be comparable to OHL. All of the rumours over the past few months have been AHL (most likely), OHL, and QMJHL.

If it ends up being ECHL there will be a ton of angry citizens. The pitchforks already came out when city council was too cheap to do the required infrastructure renovations to the arena, which ultimately helped lead to losing the Bulls.

 

[TcNorth]

The city keeps saying that the level of hockey would be comparable to OHL. All of the rumours over the past few months have been AHL (most likely), OHL, and QMJHL.

If it ends up being ECHL there will be a ton of angry citizens. The pitchforks already came out when city council was too cheap to do the required infrastructure renovations to the arena, which ultimately helped lead to losing the Bulls.

With OHL approval, could a QMJHL team be placed in Ontario (Belleville)?

 

[Canadian Game]

With OHL approval, could a QMJHL team be placed in Ontario (Belleville)?

I have no idea how the business side of that works...whether the QMJHL would need approval to have a team in Ontario, or if they could just go ahead. If I were a player though, I wouldn't be impressed with the road trips. Even as a fan, Gatineau would be the closest visiting city to travel to...not fun lol.

 

[ImaBullsfan]

Belleville mayor says New hockey team announcement will be Monday or Tuesday. All the signs from media point to the Binghamton Sens moving to the friendly city, for the 2017-18 season

 

[JV11]

"OHL played here for 34 years ultimately that would be our role to try and bring that type of entity back.†Mayor Taso Christopher

"Interesting "

 

[TcNorth]

No matter what happens, good luck to the hockey fans of Belleville and Bingamton. I have been through the heartbreak of losing a team and a league and it is no fun.

 

[ImaBullsfan]

"OHL played here for 34 years ultimately that would be our role to try and bring that type of entity back.†Mayor Taso Christopher

"Interesting "

I would LOVE! To hear another OHL team would come back here. I grew up here being a bulls fan, and have fond memories of going to games with my grandparents. I want to have those same memories with my son. I can't wait to here

 

[JV11]

I would LOVE! To hear another OHL team would come back here. I grew up here being a bulls fan, and have fond memories of going to games with my grandparents. I want to have those same memories with my son. I can't wait to here

Exactly.

 

[From Up Top]

I would LOVE! To hear another OHL team would come back here. I grew up here being a bulls fan, and have fond memories of going to games with my grandparents. I want to have those same memories with my son. I can't wait to here

Seems like it will be the baby Sens moving to Belleville, but with the NHL expanding to Las Vegas, I wonder if the OHL is considering expansion since there will be more professional jobs available in a year from now?

 

[Duke Guy]

Seems like things have paused again. It's been 9 months since this discussion started and what the City of Belleville needs is a real deal-maker before this blows up.

 

[Canadian Game]

The only thing I can think of is that if the move involves multiple teams like the Belleville, Hamilton, St John's, Winnipeg shuffle last year, maybe Belleville council finished the formalities today on their end as planned but are still waiting on something from one of the other cities before an announcement is made. Taso seemed eager last week and now his lips seem to be sealed. I wonder if someone told him to stay quiet while they wait.

Just my guess anyway...

 

[BSensFan72]

Is it possible there waiting on the AHL BOG to approve a move so when they do announce something its final , not announce there coming here then the Ahl turns it down?

 

[Canadian Game]

According to this article in the Ottawa Citizen, I think you are correct.
http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hoc...opes-belleville-hockey-is-not-all-in-the-past

Quite a telling article too with some good insight and tidbits. Well worth the read even though it includes a few things we already knew.

 

[ImaBullsfan]

According to this article in the Ottawa Citizen, I think you are correct.
http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hoc...opes-belleville-hockey-is-not-all-in-the-past

Quite a telling article too with some good insight and tidbits. Well worth the read even though it includes a few things we already knew.

I have said the same thing from the get go, the Crawford family was always in on buying the Bulls way back when Doc Vaughan had the team for sale. Man, how things would have been different.
What a great article from the Ottawa citizen, really sheds some light on the past crap!
Really hoping to see the Crawford 's back owning a team here soon

 

[TcNorth]

So if I am understadnig this correctly, Yardmen Arena will close this fall for renovations and Binghamton will have a lame-duck team this fall while prepairing to move to Belleville the following season?

 

[go comets]

Is it possible there waiting on the AHL BOG to approve a move so when they do announce something its final , not announce there coming here then the Ahl turns it down?

The ahl approves all moves. If the NHL wants it the ahl will not stand in the way..

 

[go comets]

So if I am understadnig this correctly, Yardmen Arena will close this fall for renovations and Binghamton will have a lame-duck team this fall while prepairing to move to Belleville the following season?

Binghamton has already lined up a team for the 17-18 season. The word is the devils will move their team from Albany to Binghamton for a one year commitment. After that they may extend or look elsewhere.

 

[Westcoasthabsfan]

wont last....love how the city will cough up the money for renos etc but when the Bulls were there the mayor didn't care.... Belleville is a junior hockey town

 

[Westcoasthabsfan]

find it funny how hamilton had ahl and went ohl and now belleville looks like it will go ahl after having ahl

its not funny at all.....The Bulls should still be in Belleville....

 

[buzzworthy]

A question for Belleville fans...are the Senators going to help pay for the renovations? This seems to be a stupid move. Westcoasthabsfan is right. Belleville is an OHL town. Having been to many AHL games over the years (Hershey, Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Lehigh Valley) and being an Otter's season ticket holder for the last 14 years, I can assure you that OHL hockey is, overall, a more entertaining game. The gap in talent on both ends is greater in the OHL, but it is the enthusiasm that is the difference maker. Also,the tickets are pricier for AHL games. I am hoping that Belleville gets an OHL franchise back!

 

[TcNorth]

Then the question becomes do Belleville fans want to wait 2-3 years (or longer) for an OHL team, or 1 year for a pro AHL team?

 

[BSensFan72]

Couple things
1. Yes the Bulls should still be in Belleville, did council screw up by not doing renos? I say yes and no ... The money could have been there but Simmonds takes a lot the responsibility for that not happening.
2. Is the OHL Better than AHL .... That's an individual preference, but with the OHL u have a smaller drawing area than AHL, I can guarantee you will see people from cobourg and Kingston drive to Belleville to watch AHL
Also for those thinking that It's a stupid move to bring AHL in over OHL, I'm sorry but OHL Not to many owners can afford to pay for renos so those all fall back on the city, If you can get an AHL or NHL owner willing to pour some money into the renos you go with it and deal with things when they leave

An owner of a team in any league can pack up and go whenever they want and the city is stuck with arena renos and no team ... If the owner puts money in its a lil easier on the city when and if they do leave

So those people that blame the city totally for the Bulls leaving , don't know all the facts.

 

[Duke Guy]

Has the Belleville Mayor announced his "we are extending things for another month" speech?