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Central Hockey League - The Slow Spin Down the Bowl Continues

Jackets Woodchuck

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Dec 27, 2010
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mk80 said:
I would think that "IF" a merger takes place now the best course of action is to have the CHL play its schedule out as a division of the ECHL much like the CAN-AM baseball league did this year with the American Association. I think you could have the top CHL teams play in the Western Conference playoffs at the end of the season or again do what baseball did and just have the two leagues give out their respective trophies this season, and then fully integrate over the summer.

Regardless of what happens now, I can definitely see a merger for 2015-16 over the summer.
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or they could just play for their own "CHL division" title like the Can-Am did this year.
 
GindyDraws

GindyDraws

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Francis10 said:
So it sounds like its a done deal. Wonder which teams will merge?
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Bringing in all seven isn't feasible. Any model that features Brampton surviving won't work. They are too isolated and not supportive enough to deserve survival.

If the other six teams merge, however, you'll have a self-sufficient division where everybody hosts the other 5 teams 6 times.

And if both were independent from each other this season, maybe there could be a 3-game series between the Miron Cup champ & the Kelly Cup champ.

Now we wait for the official word and knowing when I'll be able to hear "Wichita sucks!" at the Coliseum again.
 

MiamiHockey

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Sep 12, 2012
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JDogindy said:
Bringing in all seven isn't feasible. Any model that features Brampton surviving won't work. They are too isolated and not supportive enough to deserve survival.
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Brampton is isolated from the rest of the CHL, but not from the current ECHL teams. in fact, they're in a perfect spot to be in a division with Elmira, Wheeling, Toledo, etc.

The challenge with fan support in Brampton is that lower levels of hockey in Toronto are not supported unless they are affiliated with the Maple Leafs. The Leafs' current ECHL affiliation is with Orlando. If Brampton's ownership can land an affiliation with the Leafs, they should be a strong ECHL member.
 
mk80

mk80

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Jul 30, 2012
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I think Brampton will be brought in for this year under a merger. My guess is the give the ECHL a go for a season (I foresee 3 at the most) before the close up shop.

The question is if MLSE would want to affiliate with a shaky team only to have to find a new affiliate in a year or two when they are affiliated with a much more stable franchise in Orlando. And even though there are double affiliations in the ECHL Tampa has an affiliation with the Beast. Would they swap? maybe

That could be the only decision factor in any affiliation with the Leafs for Brampton is that any Leafs prospects placed there only have to go from Brampton to the Marlies across the GTA. But Brampton is also closer to Syracuse than Orlando for any Lightning prospects, However I'd say the Lightning would gladly take Orlando under their umbrella.

Also Brampton has a little better chance in the ECHL as they aren't as isolated, plus they fit in the Atlantic division with Wheeling, Elmira, Reading and whoever is in that division I think the Cyclones now.
 
GindyDraws

GindyDraws

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mk80 said:
I think Brampton will be brought in for this year under a merger. My guess is the give the ECHL a go for a season (I foresee 3 at the most) before the close up shop.

The question is if MLSE would want to affiliate with a shaky team only to have to find a new affiliate in a year or two when they are affiliated with a much more stable franchise in Orlando. And even though there are double affiliations in the ECHL Tampa has an affiliation with the Beast. Would they swap? maybe

That could be the only decision factor in any affiliation with the Leafs for Brampton is that any Leafs prospects placed there only have to go from Brampton to the Marlies across the GTA. But Brampton is also closer to Syracuse than Orlando for any Lightning prospects, However I'd say the Lightning would gladly take Orlando under their umbrella.

Also Brampton has a little better chance in the ECHL as they aren't as isolated, plus they fit in the Atlantic division with Wheeling, Elmira, Reading and whoever is in that division I think the Cyclones now.
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That may be the case, but Brampton has to survive a year in the CHL Division where their opponents are the other six CHL teams before they can be moved to the ECHL North (Wheeling, Elmira, Reading, Toledo, & Cincinnati). Whether or not they can remains to be seen.
 

MiamiHockey

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Sep 12, 2012
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mk80 said:
I think Brampton will be brought in for this year under a merger. My guess is the give the ECHL a go for a season (I foresee 3 at the most) before the close up shop.

That could be the only decision factor in any affiliation with the Leafs for Brampton is that any Leafs prospects placed there only have to go from Brampton to the Marlies across the GTA.

Also Brampton has a little better chance in the ECHL as they aren't as isolated, plus they fit in the Atlantic division with Wheeling, Elmira, Reading and whoever is in that division I think the Cyclones now.
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If the Leafs are interested, it would be driven by a greater desire to have their entire system in one location. The Leafs / Marlies share an incredible practice facility that is within 20 minutes of where Brampton plays (basically halfway between Brampton and the ACC). There would be some pretty clear benefits to having everyone under the same roof.

And while Brampton may not get much attendance-wise, the current ownership is not fly-by-night. The primary owner (Gregg Rosen) is extremely passionate about hockey and very solid financially. It would not be surprising in the least to see this unfold.
 
mk80

mk80

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Yes I agree now that you mention it Brampton does have a good owner. I think their situation the good owner just has a bad market. But now with that in mind I do see them sticking around longer than I've originally said.
 

Sidly

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Sep 2, 2014
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Brampton is in the same boat as the Heat were in. Bad affiliation. Not saying the players sent down are bad just real crappy for fans relations. It was sort of the same thing with the Royals before the recent affiliation with the Flyers. Fans I talked to knew of the Titans back in the day but when I mentioned the Royals they gave me weird looks. Now people know who the Royals are locally.
 
mk80

mk80

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I'm pretty sure if my memory is correct that when Brampton first pursued an affiliation last year when they were founded they looked at Toronto. Then they finally affiliated with Tampa after talking with a few other organizations. The big question is, would Toronto reconsider an affiliation with Brampton in the ECHL? The Beast's league affiliation with the CHL was most likely the Leafs opted to go with Orlando in the ECHL. Obviously the draw of having their prospects jump from Brampton, to the Marlies, to the Leafs is a nice idea. I'd say the chance of a Leafs affiliation would grow with a move to the ECHL.

I still waiver on how many seasons the Beast would survive though without a boost in attendance.
 

Off da post and in

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mk80 said:
I'm pretty sure if my memory is correct that when Brampton first pursued an affiliation last year when they were founded they looked at Toronto. Then they finally affiliated with Tampa after talking with a few other organizations. The big question is, would Toronto reconsider an affiliation with Brampton in the ECHL? The Beast's league affiliation with the CHL was most likely the Leafs opted to go with Orlando in the ECHL. Obviously the draw of having their prospects jump from Brampton, to the Marlies, to the Leafs is a nice idea. I'd say the chance of a Leafs affiliation would grow with a move to the ECHL.

I still waiver on how many seasons the Beast would survive though without a boost in attendance.
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If the Beast could get the affiliation with Toronto they'd be in great shape , because attendance would more than likely rise. If they did bleed money remember that the Leafs are one of the wealthiest NHL franchises. Toronto could easily buy the Beast as some NHL clubs are now starting to do with the AA clubs, or they could subsidize the shortfall.
 
mk80

mk80

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Certainly the Beast could benefit from an affiliation with the Leafs. As could the ECHL's Atlantic division as the Beast would sure up that dwindling division. But obviously if the merger takes place they'd have to wait for realignment over the summer until that would happen.

Should be interesting to see what comes out of these meetings. Just wondering (I'm sure they are in involved) but has anyone heard about the PHPA in these talks as the leagues would both need to talk to them with the differences in each league's CBA.
 
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