Future of the ECHL

[BigBadBruin8]

Springfield could go to the ECHL. Good rivalry with Worcester and Manchester.

Saw several articles today that said the Coyotes will be moving their AHL team to Tuscon next season, so they won't be in the 413.

Springfield could go to the ECHL, a possibility for sure, but I'm not seeing it, at least not yet.

With the history the AHL as a league has in the city, not to mention that the city is the headquarters of the AHL, they will do whatever they can to keep an AHL team there for some other NHL team.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Saw several articles today that said the Coyotes will be moving their AHL team to Tuscon next season, so they won't be in the 413.

Springfield could go to the ECHL, a possibility for sure, but I'm not seeing it, at least not yet.

With the history the AHL as a league has in the city, not to mention that the city is the headquarters of the AHL, they will do whatever they can to keep an AHL team there for some other NHL team.

I'd hate to see Springfield lose its team with its rich history. However, I doubt that having the league headquarters there will have much of an impact.

The ECHL has its HQ in Trenton, NJ. There hasn't been a team there since 2013. The CHL had its HQ in Indianapolis long after that city's team had departed.

And the FHLs HQ is....well....do they even have a HQ?

 

[Woo Hockey]

Springfield could go to the ECHL, a possibility for sure, but I'm not seeing it, at least not yet.

They'll try to get an AHL team moved if anything actually happens.

Even though the city would be better for an ECHL team, they'll probably go without a team for a year or two if the team moves to Tuscon.

If the ECHL wants the 30-30-30 thing, a Springfield Franchise wouldn't be bad for an affiliate of one of the New York teams.

 

[Cacciaguida]

Despite recent problems, I wouldn't count Springfield out as a hockey market. Lots of hockey history there.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

I'd hate to see Springfield lose its team with its rich history. However, I doubt that having the league headquarters there will have much of an impact.

The ECHL has its HQ in Trenton, NJ. There hasn't been a team there since 2013. The CHL had its HQ in Indianapolis long after that city's team had departed.

And the FHLs HQ is....well....do they even have a HQ?

Actually league headquarters is in Princeton, not Trenton.

 

[210]

And the FHLs HQ is....well....do they even have a HQ?

Syracuse, NY

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Actually league headquarters is in Princeton, not Trenton.

True. 19 miles away.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Syracuse, NY

That is mindboggling. I would have guessed the office of a random bar.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

Arizona officially agrees to purchase the Springfield Falcons, will relocate them to Tuscon for next season.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/springfield_falcons_to_be_sold.html

 

[Agalloch]

Arizona officially agrees to purchase the Springfield Falcons, will relocate them to Tuscon for next season.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/springfield_falcons_to_be_sold.html

Springfield could come in the ECHL for the 2017-18 season.

 

[Predarat]

Well, they are drawing about the same as they did over here. At least here, they were in two different arenas that didn't impact the Oilers. Since the State Fair Arena is the home of high school playoffs in the state (at least the smaller classes), not sure why the Blue weren't based there.

That being said, back before the Myriad (Cox Center) was built, the Blazers played at State Fair Arena. Curious if they could put ice back in there. With the Blue and Thunder downtown, State Fair Arena would be a nice option for fans, since parking wouldn't be an issue if Thunder were playing the same night. But, I have no idea if the arena is in suitable condition for the Blazers to return.

State Fair Arena may still have ice capabilities, when the Myriad was booked the Blazers played a few games there in the mid 90s. I think that was the days of McEwen before Sauter got there. Would love to see OKC get an ECHL team, I think they can make it work.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

State Fair Arena may still have ice capabilities, when the Myriad was booked the Blazers played a few games there in the mid 90s. I think that was the days of McEwen before Sauter got there. Would love to see OKC get an ECHL team, I think they can make it work.

For what it's worth, the Jim Norick Arena webpage does show that it can still support ice shows.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

Springfield could come in the ECHL for the 2017-18 season.

They could, and I would imagine that's on the table for the City of Springfield because they need a tenant in the Civic Center, but I believe that they will try to get an AHL team relocated first. JMO.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Arizona officially agrees to purchase the Springfield Falcons, will relocate them to Tuscon for next season.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/springfield_falcons_to_be_sold.html

Don't follow the NHL but isn't Arizona's long-term future in doubt?

 

[BigBadBruin8]

Don't follow the NHL but isn't Arizona's long-term future in doubt?

Yes, it is.

 

[GindyDraws]

Don't follow the NHL but isn't Arizona's long-term future in doubt?

Oh, absolutely.

That doesn't stop teams from making decisions like this.

 

[Woo Hockey]

Oh, absolutely.

That doesn't stop teams from making decisions like this.

It's just going to bring up the question in a few years asking where AHL Tucson will move to when the Coyotes move elsewhere.

Will probably make it easier to move the AHL team if any NHL relocation is done.

 

[olebaron]

Ice in the Jim Norick arena

For what it's worth, the Jim Norick Arena webpage does show that it can still support ice shows.

I checked with the arena and was told the Ice making equiptment for hockey was removed a several years ago. Disney on ice does have a show there each year, but they bring their own ice making equiptment. I attended nearly all of the Blazer games played there and liked the arena for hockey. The arena is on the fairgrounds and is operated by the fair board and has been properly maintained and improved. I doubt that hockey will be played again the Cox Center (where the Barons played). The Oilers wanted to remain in OKC for another 2-3 years, but the City rejected a lease of less that 8-10 years. I think the rejection made no sense unless OKC used this as a opportunity to get hockey out of the Cox Center. If that is the case, it would seem that the Ice making equiptment in the Cox should be available to be moved to the Jim Norick Arena.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

Wonder where it will move to? That will be interesting I suppose. If the big club relocated its probably via a sale and the AHL team would probably then be included.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Just a note to all - posts that get too into the nitty-gritty of the future of the Coyotes are better suited for the Business of Hockey forum's ongoing Phoenix threads. Try to keep this as on-topic to the ECHL as possible. Thanks!

 

[HockeyFan4Life]

I checked with the arena and was told the Ice making equiptment for hockey was removed a several years ago. Disney on ice does have a show there each year, but they bring their own ice making equiptment. I attended nearly all of the Blazer games played there and liked the arena for hockey. The arena is on the fairgrounds and is operated by the fair board and has been properly maintained and improved. I doubt that hockey will be played again the Cox Center (where the Barons played). The Oilers wanted to remain in OKC for another 2-3 years, but the City rejected a lease of less that 8-10 years. I think the rejection made no sense unless OKC used this as a opportunity to get hockey out of the Cox Center. If that is the case, it would seem that the Ice making equiptment in the Cox should be available to be moved to the Jim Norick Arena.

There would have to be some MAJOR upgrades done to the Arena at the fairgrounds.

 

[crimsonace]

Given the ECHL is announcing its 2016-17 schedule today, any movement on Springfield won't happen until 2017-18 at the earliest.

 

[Neill99]

Schedule

What time is it being released?.

 

[crimsonace]

What time is it being released?.

According to their tweets, it appears to be dropping around 2 p.m. EDT

 

[garnetpalmetto]

It's been dropped.

Press Release

.PDF versionMonth-by-Month

Team-by-Team

From the press release, here's a few highlights of the schedule

* Adirondack hosts Atlanta, Florida and Colorado for the first time while visiting Idaho and Utah.
* Alaska hosting first-time visitors Orlando, Indy and Toledo, and hosting Cincinnati in a rematch of the 2014 Kelly Cup Finals while making its first-ever visits to Fort Wayne, Manchester, Missouri and Tulsa.
* Allen visiting Orlando, Florida and Fort Wayne for the first time in team history.
* Atlanta making its first-ever visits to Adirondack, Allen, Manchester.
* Colorado taking trips to Adirondack and South Carolina.
* In addition to playing Allen for the first time, Florida also welcomes first-time visitors Manchester, Missouri and Utah.
* Idaho hosts Cincinnati in a rematch of the 2010 Kelly Cup Finals, as well as Reading and Wheeling, while paying its first-ever visits to Missouri, Norfolk and Wheeling.
* First-time visitors to Manchester are Alaska, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Florida, Kalamazoo and South Carolina.
* Orlando takes a six-game road trip to Colorado and Alaska.
* Rapid City welcomes Reading and South Carolina for their first-ever visits to South Dakota. * In addition to traveling to Rapid City on its western road trip, Reading also pays visits to Idaho and Colorado.
* Thanksgiving Day sees Atlanta and Fort Wayne host their traditional games, while the ECHL rings in New Year’s Day with games in Alaska, Indy and Tulsa on Sunday, Jan. 1.