ECHL 15/16 membership - fomer AHL pickups, Vegas out

[My Cozen Dylan]

Losing the teams in California put a bigger financial burden on the remaining ECHL teams in the west....

Alaska
Utah
Colorado
Idaho

Will these survive without the California teams????

I honestly do not know.

I wouldn't be surprised if either:
a.) AHL West is bigger than we think and some/all of the above mentioned teams are involved too; or
b.) These teams join a year or two after the initial AHL West movement.

 

[PCSPounder]

I wouldn't be surprised if either:
a.) AHL West is bigger than we think and some/all of the above mentioned teams are involved too; or
b.) These teams join a year or two after the initial AHL West movement.

I would... for about 8-12 years. After that, there's a point at which one of the California teams will fail and Salt Lake will have been clamoring to get in for some time. That ALWAYS happens with western leagues in any sport (PCL, check... pro WHL, check...).

For now, the AHL vision appears to be that of the Hollywood Bungalow Outpost.

Meanwhile, don't forget... Rapid City really belongs in the same division as the Colorado Eagles. From there, it's possible to make a play for Billings (bigger than Casper, and already has an arena) or maybe stretch to Prescott.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

There's too many teams as is and its stupid when most of them don't play each other. I think some of the CHL teams don't have a long fate.

 

[GindyDraws]

There's too many teams as is and its stupid when most of them don't play each other. I think some of the CHL teams don't have a long fate.

Well, they also don't do that with the AHL. I mean, with the AHL Pacific Division, do you see them playing many games against Portland, Providence, or St. John's?

I don't know if this is a legitimate travel gripe if teams can't play against each other, or this is another "Oh, the ECHL sucks! I wish it would go away!" complaint.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Well, they also don't do that with the AHL. I mean, with the AHL Pacific Division, do you see them playing many games against Portland, Providence, or St. John's?

I don't know if this is a legitimate travel gripe if teams can't play against each other, or this is another "Oh, the ECHL sucks! I wish it would go away!" complaint.

The West teams fly everywhere.

 

[Off da post and in]

There's too many teams as is and its stupid when most of them don't play each other. I think some of the CHL teams don't have a long fate.

The same can be said of the NFL, MLB, SEC football, B1G football, ACC football, and PAC12 football to think of a few other leagues with the same schedule MO. Not too many fans think that's stupid. BTW, most things on this planet don't have a long fate.

Well, they also don't do that with the AHL. I mean, with the AHL Pacific Division, do you see them playing many games against Portland, Providence, or St. John's?

I don't know if this is a legitimate travel gripe if teams can't play against each other, or this is another "Oh, the ECHL sucks! I wish it would go away!" complaint.

It's the latter. For someone with such contempt for the ECHL he sure posts here often.

I don't like liver. However, I don't go to the butcher shop everyday to complain about liver to the other customers.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

The same can be said of the NFL, MLB, SEC football, B1G football, ACC football, and PAC12 football to think of a few other leagues with the same schedule MO. Not too many fans think that's stupid. BTW, most things on this planet don't have a long fate.



It's the latter. For someone with such contempt for the ECHL he sure posts here often.

I don't like liver. However, I don't go to the butcher shop everyday to complain about liver to the other customers.

Actually the MLB has changed that. College conferences no but it does rotate every couple years. But in basketball they do.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

Well, they also don't do that with the AHL. I mean, with the AHL Pacific Division, do you see them playing many games against Portland, Providence, or St. John's?

I don't know if this is a legitimate travel gripe if teams can't play against each other, or this is another "Oh, the ECHL sucks! I wish it would go away!" complaint.

No way. The western teams will play mostly against each other, probably Texas, Iowa Chicago? The AHL schedules pods today. Someone mentioned either on this thread or AHL thread at one point Rochester hasn't or hadn't played Milwaukee for 7 years, even though they are in the same conference.

 

[go comets]

I'm thinking the AHL goes the way the ECHL schedules and the west and east do not meet till the playoffs. It will be interesting. I think some of these AHL city's getting ECHL teams may meet with some resentment at first... But I think fans will give it a try if they have no other options......its just a normal reaction....kinda like if you have driven acuras or a toyota and all of a sudden someone tells you you gotta drive jeep or a Mazda.....

 

[GindyDraws]

No way. The western teams will play mostly against each other, probably Texas, Iowa Chicago? The AHL schedules pods today. Someone mentioned either on this thread or AHL thread at one point Rochester hasn't or hadn't played Milwaukee for 7 years, even though they are in the same conference.

That was my thought process on the matter. I mean, I'm well aware of teams encapsulating themselves in the minors to save on travel costs, but the Pacific Division would play about 60 to even 75% of their schedule against each other, and the rest would be visiting Texas and the midwest on road swings once a season.

I'm thinking the AHL goes the way the ECHL schedules and the west and east do not meet till the playoffs. It will be interesting. I think some of these AHL city's getting ECHL teams may meet with some resentment at first... But I think fans will give it a try if they have no other options......its just a normal reaction....kinda like if you have driven acuras or a toyota and all of a sudden someone tells you you gotta drive jeep or a Mazda.....

That's how I view it. The main issue is that the ECHL style is different from the AHL style, and diehard soccer fans would notice it and, if the opinions of a few users have been on the matter, violently reject it.

I mean, I'd rather have some hockey than no hockey, and the ECHL model is something geared more towards casual fans than the diehards.

 

[Paul Bunyan]

There's too many teams as is and its stupid when most of them don't play each other. I think some of the CHL teams don't have a long fate.

Brampton is apparently in bad shape so the rumors say.....

As the not playing each other thing, teams at the beginnings of seasons can put in travel requests to do trips, it would be nice if each franchise did at least one or two home and homes a season so you could see some new blood. It's kinda insane playing K-Zoo 15-18 times a year.....

Teams in the East hardly travel for the most part anyway which is pretty sad, and scheduling is made around that (see Fort Wayne playing Evansville and Indy every other game ).

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Yeah, it's fairly safe to say that a handful of teams, both newbies from the CHL and not, won't be around five years from now. Just the nature of the business in minor league sports.

Plus, I'm sure that the ECHL will try to pick up recently (or soon to be) abandoned AHL markets to set up shop at some point as well, such as Peoria.

 

[Andre Poodle Lussier]

Yeah, it's fairly safe to say that a handful of teams, both newbies from the CHL and not, won't be around five years from now. Just the nature of the business in minor league sports.

Plus, I'm sure that the ECHL will try to pick up recently (or soon to be) abandoned AHL markets to set up shop at some point as well, such as Peoria.

I'm sure there will be some half-hearted attempts by NE and Mid Atlantic AHL markets that are abandoned to try ECHL for a while. It's going to be a tough sell to fans who have been given AAA hockey for years (and decades in some cases) to get sold a lower rung of hockey and hope that numbers will support it. Will they? Maybe...but it's going to be tough to tell Worcester, Utica, and a few other markets that instead of seeing the "stars of tomorrow" you're going to get the fourth line players of the day after tomorrow.

The ECHL's "eastern" flank is not doing well - Reading's attendance is down close to its lowest levels on record. Trenton's gone. Elmira's not drawing well. Even with any realignment of leagues and teams, this isn't going to be a one or two year ordeal as some of the ECHL's weaker links (not including the CHL add-on's) are going to likely go belly up...

If there's a school of thought that this upheaval is going to be quick and once it's done, it's done - there's some prime oceanfront property in the Midwest that I can sell you.

 

[Paul Bunyan]

Yeah, it's fairly safe to say that a handful of teams, both newbies from the CHL and not, won't be around five years from now. Just the nature of the business in minor league sports.

Plus, I'm sure that the ECHL will try to pick up recently (or soon to be) abandoned AHL markets to set up shop at some point as well, such as Peoria.

Peoria (my cousin works out there) would be great to bring back...as they have a ton of old rivalries that would re-spark if they came back into the league proper. I'm hoping at some point they do. Better them than likely some random start up in a market they want to get but has no history or fanbase.

 

[toledo storm]

Peoria used to have a hell of a rivalry with Toledo but that would never happen nowadays even if Peoria came back.. Toledo has since went with the new ECHL brand of Hockey... Do not hit anybody and don't you dare fight someone... After 32 games today the Toledo Walleye have only 335 penalty minutes on the season.. There are no such thing as rivalries in Toledo these days.. I thought we would see some when Kalamazoo and Fort Wayne joined the ECHL but nope... Just boring and very soft games..

While the Walleye are a good team I have not seen a rivalry game in Toledo since they demolished the Sports Arena and the Storm were dead... I would love to see Peoria join and play Toledo again but the games would be like watching paint dry just like all the other Toledo games.. Sad but true

 

[Avsrule2022]

Here are some interesting stats to compare the "softness" of the East vs the West.
Average PIM per team:
North: 473
East: 519
Central: 637
Pacific: 646

Eastern Conf. Team avg: 496
Western Conf. Team avg: 642

The Western Conference teams average almost 150 PIMs more than the East. The Pacific avg. 173 more than the North. It's funny, but the average PIM's per game for these 2 is 5 minutes more for the Pacific, the same amount you get for fighting
I hear a lot about how soft and boring the ECHL is. Its not like that in the West, thank goodness.

 

[toledo storm]

You are correct.. The west still carries a good amount of physicality but the North is ever so boring to watch.. I have actually seen a Toledo player hit somebody and tell them "sorry" with a pat on the a$$ ... I wish I could tell you I made that up but I can't.. It happened..

I try not to complain much because we could have no Hockey at all but its getting old watching some of these games.. Just finish checks fellas, just finish checks.. That would be a start.. I'm serious when I tell you some of these games are real snoozers and I just barely call Hockey.. I like to refer to it as an "Ice Show"

 

[JungleJON]

Didn't know which thread to post this - figured this might be the best one.

Has anyone else noticed that the Las Vegas Wranglers logo is still on the ECHL main page? Has it been there all year and they forgot to remove it or was it just put there because they are going to announce that the team is returning?

Might not be nothing, but thought I would ask.

 

[offkilter]

Didn't know which thread to post this - figured this might be the best one.

Has anyone else noticed that the Las Vegas Wranglers logo is still on the ECHL main page? Has it been there all year and they forgot to remove it or was it just put there because they are going to announce that the team is returning?

Might not be nothing, but thought I would ask.

Its been there all year. They did the same thing for the Columbia Inferno for a while too.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.c...831/A-new-nickname-could-be-in-Condors-future

Bakersfield getting new team/nickname?

 

[hkymnky]

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.c...831/A-new-nickname-could-be-in-Condors-future

Bakersfield getting new team/nickname?

Even though there's a long oil drilling tradition in Bakersfield, the brass in Edmonton would be fools to talk away from 17 years of brand equity in the Condors name. That being said, I would totally approve a new logo and color scheme to mark the team's elevated status as Edmonton's AHL affiliate.

 

[hkymnky]

Anybody have contacts with the Bakersfield front office?

...because I think I may have found their new logo.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

^I actually really like that...but not as much as their current one.

 

[Hoodaha]

Anybody have contacts with the Bakersfield front office?

...because I think I may have found their new logo.

Haha, other than the Condors letters being too dark, I actually kinda like it.

 

[Hoodaha]

^I actually really like that...but not as much as their current one.

Agree. If it were me, I'd slap the current logo on one of the Oilers jerseys and put Oilers patches on the shoulders.