Dundon Needs to buy the Checkers. At any cost.

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Yeah, I didn't keep up much with the news over the switch to Chicago at the time when it happened.

So, I was thinking somebody would say it was a great option at the time, lack of a good alternative, etc.

Even if there was a lack of an alternative (since I don't know enough about things back then), there were enough serious red flags about Chicago. It's just a shame Carolina walked down that path with them given the turn of events.

Chicago has cared more about winning than most AHL teams despite winning not changing attendance numbers for an AHL team (according to studies). Not that we were completely worried about development. The vast majority of our older prospects had been traded in pursuit of a 2C. The rest were in college or in Europe. Suzuki and rees were our two concerns at that point.

So having a squad that would a decent chunk of veteran salaries and operating cost was ideal. Build nhl depth with lower cost.

It would seem Chicago didn’t want to play ball after we did with them now that we need to support a system built around prospects.

 

[Svechhammer]

Chicago has cared more about winning than most AHL teams despite winning not changing attendance numbers for an AHL team (according to studies). Not that we were completely worried about development. The vast majority of our older prospects had been traded in pursuit of a 2C. The rest were in college or in Europe. Suzuki and rees were our two concerns at that point.

So having a squad that would a decent chunk of veteran salaries and operating cost was ideal. Build nhl depth with lower cost.

It would seem Chicago didn’t want to play ball after we did with them now that we need to support a system built around prospects.

What's most ridiculous is we immediately won them the Calder Cup (our 2nd in a row) and they then bailed on us less than 12 months later because they accused us of not caring about giving them a competitive roster. f*** off, Wolves

 

[chaz4hockey]

Dundon may need to buy one before the NHL expands by two more teams. Then there will be 2 more teams chasing affiliation (and wolves will probably benefit by being the last one standing)

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Broke: these millionaires and billionaires have to be stopped!

Woke: billionaires are ok as long as they use their power and resources for good.

Bespoke: it is immoral for Tom Dundon to not buy the Charlotte Checkers.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Dundon may need to buy one before the NHL expands by two more teams. Then there will be 2 more teams chasing affiliation (and wolves will probably benefit by being the last one standing)

He would probably prefer to get a minority owner to buy 10-20% of the team and then also own the Ahl team

 

[Negan4Coach]

Not at present, but it does happen from time to time. It's not great, but for one year it's not a disaster.

Does Carolina need to solve its affiliation problem? Yes, and they are working on a plan to handle it once and for all by the 2024-2025 season, which probably means buying an affiliate. Note that 20 NHL teams own their affiliates outright.

Would it be nice to own the Checkers? Maybe, but their current owners would have to want to sell at a reasonable price. We all discussed this at length when the Checkers drama happened.

Is there any solution other than buying the Checkers? Obviously yes. There are obviously candidate teams that are struggling and could more likely be bought cheaply and relocated. Like, say, Tucson.

Would such a solution be UNNATURAL or ASININE or IMMORAL? Obviously not, and the OP is being overly dramatic and silly (and not for the first time). Not only that, but this conversation doesn't even merit its own thread because we've got a thread for minor league discussions.

Well certainly it’s not “immoral”, but asinine? Yes. And it is seemingly also unnatural since we’re the only ones without an AHL squad. So, 2 outta 3 ain’t that bad…

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Well certainly it’s not “immoral”, but asinine? Yes. And it is seemingly also unnatural since we’re the only ones without an AHL squad. So, 2 outta 3 ain’t that bad…

It is absolutely the norm for franchises to buy struggling AHL teams in recent years. That's how Tucson ended up with a team in the first place; Arizona bought Springfield. It's also absolutely normal for teams to go without full time affiliations for the occasional season. But that's fine. Have your opinion.

 

[Canes]

@HisIceness probably had the best post in this thread. Checkers aren't even for sale.

Plus they draw just fine. And I'm sure Kahn is willing to sell for nothing to Dundon after how affiliation negotiations went last time.

It's almost like OP is a troll or something.

 

[Unsustainable]

Game of billionaires

 

[Cynicaps]

@HisIceness probably had the best post in this thread. Checkers aren't even for sale.

Anything is for sale at the right price. And Dundon can buy and sell Kahn like a freaking commodity. Just up the price until Kahn gives in or fabricate some stories painting him as bad that would make the AHL force him to sell.

The Wolves should be kicked out for going independent and the AHL should be rushing a 33rd team ASAP. But the AHL will take their sweet time in fixing this problem which they could've kept from happening.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Anything is for sale at the right price. And Dundon can buy and sell Kahn like a freaking commodity. Just up the price until Kahn gives in or fabricate some stories painting him as bad that would make the AHL force him to sell.

What kind of nutcase are you, exactly?

 

[hockeynjune]

Too much “Succession” up in here.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

What kind of nutcase are you, exactly?

Seems like the kind who has played entirely too much Crusader Kings.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

What kind of nutcase are you, exactly?

It would be immoral of Dundon NOT to fabricate stories painting him as a bad owner.

 

[Chrispy]

I don't think Cynicaps should be promoting the idea of people making things up to get a governing body to remove someone annoying them.

But maybe that's just me.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Seems like the kind who has played entirely too much Crusader Kings.

That'd make the trade deadline a lot spicier.

"The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired Jack Hughes from the New Jersey Devils after Tom Dundon married off his daughter to Hughes. The New Jersey Devils have received a 1st round pick in 2026 as compensation.

An assassination plot was uncovered by the Department of Player Safety targeted at Kyle Dubas of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been fined $5000."

 

[Svechhammer]

What kind of nutcase are you, exactly?

Hey that's no way to speak to a Game of Thrones Season 8 writer

 

[MinJaBen]

Hey that's no way to speak to a Game of Thrones Season 8 writer

The Red Trade Deadline.

 

[Svechhammer]

The Red Trade Deadline.

Free Agency is Dark and full of Terrors

 

[tarheelhockey]

charlotte will put the butts in seats with their cheap ticket deals and such. Checkers cant get enough money to support their very high travel costs in the AHL. the need to be an echl team and travel to greenville, norfolk etc.

LOL what

Charlotte is the 3rd largest market in the AHL, and the largest market without an NHL team to compete with. It's already an NHL-sized market and will be entering the top-20 in the near future.

They perpetually draw in the mid-6000s which puts them in the upper half of the league for attendance, while having one of the best established brands in the league. They've been in the AHL for 13 years with, to the best of my knowledge, no ownership instability or relocation rumors (which is saying a lot with regard to 13 years of minor league hockey).

There's nothing wrong with the ECHL, but what reason would they have to move down? You say the tickets are cheap, but they certainly aren't going to have the same prices if they move to the ECHL and that league also has nationwide travel costs.

 

[MinJaBen]

There's nothing wrong with the ECHL, but what reason would they have to move down?

I thought the rumors of them moving down were due to cost of travel as Charlotte is quite isolated geographically from other AHL teams. If they go to ECHL, there are a lot more teams within bussing distance in that league. Isn't that part of the reason that Charlotte didn't play during the COVID year where there were no fans allowed?

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

LOL what

Charlotte is the 3rd largest market in the AHL, and the largest market without an NHL team to compete with. It's already an NHL-sized market and will be entering the top-20 in the near future.

They perpetually draw in the mid-6000s which puts them in the upper half of the league for attendance, while having one of the best established brands in the league. They've been in the AHL for 13 years with, to the best of my knowledge, no ownership instability or relocation rumors (which is saying a lot with regard to 13 years of minor league hockey).

There's nothing wrong with the ECHL, but what reason would they have to move down? You say the tickets are cheap, but they certainly aren't going to have the same prices if they move to the ECHL and that league also has nationwide travel costs.

wut?

Charlotte's average opponent distance is 668 miles
In the ECHL it would be 346 miles.

Estero, FL would the longest distance and there are 4 AHL opponents are farther than that. Orlando is the next farthest and hershey (the closest AHL team) is only 30 miles closer.

charlotte is at a pretty big disadvantage with teams no closer than Hershey and Wilkes-Barre, PA.

 

[Negan4Coach]

It is absolutely the norm for franchises to buy struggling AHL teams in recent years. That's how Tucson ended up with a team in the first place; Arizona bought Springfield. It's also absolutely normal for teams to go without full time affiliations for the occasional season. But that's fine. Have your opinion.

I wasn't commenting on a franchise purchasing a struggling AHL team. The OP said it was unnatural for an NHL team to not have an AHL affiliate. And then as is typical here, he gets jumped on for daring to have an opinion that defies conventional wisdom

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I wasn't commenting on a franchise purchasing a struggling AHL team. The OP said it was unnatural for an NHL team to not have an AHL affiliate. And then as is typical here, he gets jumped on for daring to have an opinion that defies conventional wisdom

We get having hyperbolic opinions is your thing too but are you really that shocked that people would not agree with that line here? Even more so from a caps fan?

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I wasn't commenting on a franchise purchasing a struggling AHL team. The OP said it was unnatural for an NHL team to not have an AHL affiliate. And then as is typical here, he gets jumped on for daring to have an opinion that defies conventional wisdom

No, because plenty of people have said that and not been jumped on. He got jumped on because of his hyperbolic and absurd overreaction, which he has since doubled down on by proposing a misinformation campaign against the Checkers owner. But again: feel free to focus on the wrong thing and get all mad about it.