how long until the echl will have 31 teams and where you put the teams?
- Thread starter CANADIENSFAN90
- Start date
If it is my 4-division alignment (detailed here: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=130037795&postcount=38 ) that is adopted, Portland (Maine) could be added as team #28 to the division based in the Northeast US (plus one team in Canada) in 2018-19.
With the ECHL at a 72-game schedule, the league could have each non-division match-up occur twice each (21*2 = 42), then each team would play its division rivals 5 times each (6*5 =30, 3 teams would be played twice at home and thrice on the road, and the other 3 thrice at home and twice on the road), for the years that the ECHL is stuck at 28 teams.
One possibility for a future team is the placement of Vegas' ECHL affiliate in Atlantic City. I realize Atlantic City had a team in the past that left a long time ago, but having a new ECHL team in the city that is part of the Golden Knights' system is viable because of what the two cities have in common.
With the ECHL at a 72-game schedule, the league could have each non-division match-up occur twice each (21*2 = 42), then each team would play its division rivals 5 times each (6*5 =30, 3 teams would be played twice at home and thrice on the road, and the other 3 thrice at home and twice on the road), for the years that the ECHL is stuck at 28 teams.
One possibility for a future team is the placement of Vegas' ECHL affiliate in Atlantic City. I realize Atlantic City had a team in the past that left a long time ago, but having a new ECHL team in the city that is part of the Golden Knights' system is viable because of what the two cities have in common.
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royals119
Registered User
There are multiple threads here about potential cities. Portland, Elmira, Albany, Peoria, Evansville, St Charles, Reno etc. Nobody had Jacksonville on their radar prior to the team announcing, so who knows?
I don't see this happening. I would expect the league to continue the current pattern, where each team plays the 3-4 closest teams about a dozen times, then the next 3-4 closest teams a half dozen times or so, then takes one long road trip to a different division to complete the last 6-10 games.
It could happen, but unlikely. The Bullies didn't fold because their affiliate wasn't in a gambling town, they folded because no one came to the games, and the state subsidy that was keeping them afloat ran out. A.C. is very geographically isolated, so it isn't convenient for people to come to the games. The town itself was pretty economically depressed back when the Bullies were around, and several casinos have closed since then. Casino workers tend to work evenings and weekends, and tourists who come to town to gamble aren't likely to take time out to see a hockey game. The only way I see them getting a team is if the Devils finally decide to invest in the ECHL (unlikely) or if the Royals and Flyers split and the Flyers want a local ECHL affiliate and can find an owner who has money to lose.
It would not shock me if the Sens are interested in co owning or 100% a team and having it based out of Eastern Ontario maybe Kingston.
Next year will be critical for Adirondack's survival, with no AHL team in nearby Albany it will be interesting to see the impact on the Adirondack ECHL club. The demographics of Glens Falls and the Lake George region is changing. The city that calls the civic center home is becoming a hub of activity but appears to be people who are high tech workers moving into high end apartments, go to galleries and social events, coffee shops. That area is losing that blue collar working class hockey fan, the same base that keeps Utica and Binghamton in the game. Albany was the same way, people coming in for these "tech" jobs are techies, hipsters, and what we used to call yuppies, not into hockey. With Albany out that may give them a shot.
http://poststar.com/sports/hockey/t...cle_c5557445-11ce-5369-a063-fab067c49409.html
http://poststar.com/sports/hockey/t...cle_c5557445-11ce-5369-a063-fab067c49409.html
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ckg927
Registered User
CANADIENSFAN90
Registered User
For the past few years they have said and also sent out hints they would like there farms teams near to Ottawa and own in whole or part.
ADK34
Registered User
FiftyLionz
Registered User
Evansville isn't an option. They have the Thunderbolts, plus the city's mayor/council are pretty unreasonable.
Yea but they have to increase next season per the group looking to purchase them. They are failing to raise enough money to operate the team. They are going to have to sell shares if they want to be able to operate. They have all costs to pay. Salaries and benefits under the union, travel costs, etc. If they affiliate with the Rangers or Buffalo this will help them, it wont be a Bruins or Islanders affiliation.
GareFan18
Registered User
Islanders likely are staying with Worcester, most likely, NS, BASED off the positivity shown by both the Islanders and Bridgeport since the announcement....
why would Boston go to Adirondack? Rangers aren't leaving Greenville, Buffalo seems to be the favorite here.
ADK34
Registered User
Any NY area NHL team would definately be a great fit for ADK, just a matter of time before Calgary opts out
that's the whole idea of selling to local ownership, it doesn't matter if Calgary stays or not once the Flames are off the business/ownership end, and solely as an affiliate, it depends on how the deal is structured as to who is responsible for what on the business end.
crimsonace
Registered User
The Thunderbolts at least kicked the tires on returning to the ECHL this season. http://www.tristatehomepage.com/new...ously-had-discussions-with-the-echl/681485677
As soon as the IceMen transferred to Jacksonville, the Evansville market became open for the ECHL.
I really wish OKC would get going on this, sounds like the NBA/Thunder wants to monopolize both Ice Ready arenas.
uh, the OKC Blue aren't going anywhere, Predarat, I just don't think after the Blazers/Barons era, even though Edmonton essentially owned that franchise, that a local group to operate and own a franchise is the main sticking point to returning hockey to Cox Center....
Do you think an ECHL team would do well in OKC? It just seems such a shame a city that supported the Blazers like they did does not have a professional Hockey team. I know the Barons did not do well attendance wise, but the Blazers were always at the top of the CHL in attendance, and regularly in the top 10 in all of minor league hockey (including AHL/IHL when they were still AAA). Maybe too much time has passed for it to rise up again, but it would be awesome to see it work in OKC again.
that was a 5 year deal, but Prodigal,had/may have gotten tired of operating a franchise, and shed the ownership end of it when the Barons arrived, which meant the end of the Blazers overall, PrederAt, it wasn't Edmonton specifically, otherwise had they not settled on OKC, the AHL was getting tired of the Oilers not using their owned affiliate they had back to Toronto, and the odd shift to Edmonton at the 1st NHL Lockout of 2004, and then the Oilers bought into Bakersfield.
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
Won't happen. They don't even have a full slate of stable franchises now. There's not even 31 stable minor league franchises combined between the two leagues. For the fake business paradigm you can see why they would want 31 but for the fans it'd actually be better if the affiliation game would decrease. As it goes now the teams aren't built to try and win. They are built for "development" of almost which there's none and its a lot more of an illusion.
Woo Hockey
@WooHockeyNews
Won't be anytime soon but...
It sounds like Reno and Portland will be joining the ECHL for 18-19 and the current rumor is that the Colorado Eagles will be making the jump to the AHL for 18-19 at the earliest.
I don't see Adirondack working out with their current ownership status, given that Elmira was "community owned" and that didn't work out.
It sounds like Reno and Portland will be joining the ECHL for 18-19 and the current rumor is that the Colorado Eagles will be making the jump to the AHL for 18-19 at the earliest.
I don't see Adirondack working out with their current ownership status, given that Elmira was "community owned" and that didn't work out.
ADK34
Registered User
Seems like everyone is always talking about Portland and Reno joing the ECHL. Has anything new surfaced about teams in these cities for 2018-19 yet? In my opinion i would love to see Portland make a comeback. The league needs some more north east teams.
