Expansion Teams Thread
- Thread starter ADK34
- Start date
Not too bold with the FHL, Watertown is already coming back next season along with an expansion team in St. Clair Shores
JungleJON
Registered User
- May 10, 2011
- 306
- 10
Same goes for for his NAHL pick, team already joined a month or so ago.
A genie he is not.
JungleJON
Registered User
- May 10, 2011
- 306
- 10
I can see Orlando and Estero, FL (Everblades) moving up to the AHL, with possible Atlanta (Gwinett).
ECHL, is the AHL keeps losing teams in the Northeast, you could see Utica, Binghamton, Portland and maybe Hartford or Springfield thrown into the mix.
USHL wants to expand east and have heard they are looking at the Buffalo, NY area.
SPHL - there are lots of potential cities who could join, but you hear the same ones being tossed around year after year.
FHL - does anyone really care?
ECHL, is the AHL keeps losing teams in the Northeast, you could see Utica, Binghamton, Portland and maybe Hartford or Springfield thrown into the mix.
USHL wants to expand east and have heard they are looking at the Buffalo, NY area.
SPHL - there are lots of potential cities who could join, but you hear the same ones being tossed around year after year.
FHL - does anyone really care?
-Fresno has failed before in ECHL and California has enough teams it seems through many leagues.
-I could see Orlando moving up but the Everblades are in the middle of nowhere and Peter Karmanos had it's issue owning them.
-Gwinnett has always done well but it' still an warning sign to have hockey in Georgia even if you move them up.
-I could see Orlando moving up but the Everblades are in the middle of nowhere and Peter Karmanos had it's issue owning them.
-Gwinnett has always done well but it' still an warning sign to have hockey in Georgia even if you move them up.
If Fresno gets a team, it'll be AHL. For the ECHL, Fresno would bo on an island. There are 5 other California AHL teams to bus to.
royals119
Registered User
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
ADK34
Registered User
I will pick a new NAHL and FHL team, sorry i have not been up to date with the expansion news for those areas.
NAHL-Lewiston Maine
FHL-Traverse City Michigan
HockeyFan4Life
Registered User
The viability of hockey in OKC has been discussed at length in various other posts on this site. Sadly, I don't think it will happen anytime soon.
If Dallas wanted to move their ECHL affiliate closer, then Allen would be the obvious choice.
That being said, there really isn't any reason to have an ECHL team close to the NHL market. Players from the ECHL aren't being directly called up to the NHL. Dallas seems fine having its ECHL affiliate in Boise, but does have its AHL affiliate in Cedar Park, TX.
wildcat48
Registered User
That's not likely to happen right now.... It might be several years, if ever, before they attempt to bring in an NAHL team. Market seems content with NA3HL team.
Last edited:
eggy2486
Hitman #6
I can't see an AHL team working in Belleville, as a league they're not going for small cities anymore. If they're losing the Bulls, I can see them going for a Jr A team instead, low overhead for almost the same turnout for fans.
crimsonace
Registered User
OKC, IMO, is the best available market without hockey where a franchise would be successful. But the Thunder's vise grip on not just its arena, but the Myriad/Cox Center (where the NBDL team has scheduling priority) makes it a very difficult place to operate a team. Lund has explored it.
There was apparently an ownership group that wanted to put a OJHL team there but the owners of Wellington and Trenton blocked it as they are each only 20 minutes from Belleville.
I also heard there was interest in the Allan Cup Hockey League, but with Norwood folding all of the other teams are the other side of Toronto now except for Whitby.
The Everblades -- barring the arrival of a sugar daddy with nothing else to do -- will not go to the AHL. Our fan support is enough to do good in the ECHL thanks to snow birds who won't drive to Tampa or Sunrise to boost us up in the second half of the season.
Don't expect the team to go anywhere any time soon though, even with the recent Karmanos law suit. Team helps balance the operations of the arena on off nights while big concerts ( Luke Bryan, Elton John, etc) put the arena into the black.
Though the team may be losing slightly in the money column, there presence is what helps balance the arenas books every year.
Don't expect the team to go anywhere any time soon though, even with the recent Karmanos law suit. Team helps balance the operations of the arena on off nights while big concerts ( Luke Bryan, Elton John, etc) put the arena into the black.
Though the team may be losing slightly in the money column, there presence is what helps balance the arenas books every year.
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
We could say that about a lot of teams in the minor leagues. That could be a big issue. I remember an article a few years back where a rumored sale was up and there were two options, the arena and the team but someone wanted just the arena space to turn it into something else undisclosed.
CMUBrent
Registered User
- Jan 23, 2007
- 38
- 4
I could see Battle Creek in the FHL before too long. They already have teams in Port Huron and St. Clair Shores, so a third Michigan team would be logical (if, of course, logic would ever apply to the FHL
)Not familiar with Traverse City's rink. Is it large enough to support USHL hockey?
wildcat48
Registered User
Portland will not be applying for an expansion team. They plan on taking another route to acquiring an ECHL or AHL franchise.
BTV
Registered User
Hmm? Is AHL actually a possibility? This story has gone completely cold since the few days after the announcement - and now hearing they will not be pursuing an expansion team makes me curious if there is something in the works, or if the idea somehow doesn't seem as profitable to them as it originally did...
wildcat48
Registered User
wildcat48
Registered User
As I said a few days ago... Ownership group looking to bring an ECHL team to Portland will not apply for an expansion franchise. Instead they are close to purchasing an existing franchise. I'm hearing that its either Evansville/Owensboro or Kalamazoo. I'm leaning toward the Evansville/Owensboro franchise because the current owner is getting bored with owning the team and doesn't want to pay for the upgrades to the arena in Owensboro.
Portland would still be looking at 2017-18 for hitting the ice.
READ MORE>>>>
Portland would still be looking at 2017-18 for hitting the ice.
READ MORE>>>>
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
Lol you mean Geary already wants out of his fantasy?
The fact that Kalamazoo could be bought though at all is interesting.
The fact that Kalamazoo could be bought though at all is interesting.
BTV
Registered User
Is the Las Vegas Wranglers franchise still floating out there somewhere? I know they ceased operations, but did the franchise license simply disappear? Or could Vegas possibly be an option to be purchased and relocated?
Ad
Upcoming events
-
-
GAME 5 - Cape Breton Eagles @ Baie-Comeau Drakkar - Baie-Comeau Drakkar leads series 3-1Wagers: 3Staked: $225.00Event closes- Updated:
-
Game 3 Rochester Americans @ Syracuse Crunch - Series tied 1-1Wagers: 5Staked: $1,285.00Event closes- Updated:
-
-
