NAHL 2019-2020 Thread
- Thread starter JMCx4
- Start date
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
Should be interesting to see how the league's newcomers shape up. Lewiston-Auburn drew fairly well considering it was the NA3HL as well as avoiding the New England hockey saturation curse that seems to hit every junior team, including the Northeast Generals. New Mexico looks to be a long term project, but if they can be a surprising hit at the box office, like Maryland was to a certain extent, then that will shore up an even stronger South Division. I have no hope for the new St. Cloud team, ownership there seems to be questionable at best.
JMCx4
Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Anyone here know of any special significance of the star on the Maine Nordiques' logo? Maybe it's simply a style feature ...
The Johnstown Tomahawks have extended their lease at the Cambria County War Memorial for four more years. Seems like they'll remain the anchor of the NAHL East for awhile.
The NAHL is sending a team to the 2019 Sirius Junior Club World Cup in August. The competition features junior teams from around Europe and Canada. Russia is this years host with games to be played in the Shayba Arena on the Olympic Park grounds. Games begin August 23rd.
Team NAHL features one player from each of the 24 teams:
Quite a cool opportunity for some of these guys to play in an international setting!
Team NAHL features one player from each of the 24 teams:
Quite a cool opportunity for some of these guys to play in an international setting!
JMCx4
Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
I like the one-player-per-team idea. Not sure how competitive Team NAHL will be, though, based on what I've seen from pre-season NA junior action in the past. But it's all about individual talent showcasing & worldly exposure opportunities, I guess.
GindyDraws
I will not disable my Adblock, HF
JMCx4
Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
The Ice Hockey Dude
Ack! Thbbft!
New seats going in for the New Mexico team as we speak, all part of the remodel of Outpost. I am not sure how many seats there will be and season ticket plans are not out yet. I will speculate way under 500 actual seats *and* some kind of general admission / stand and watch. Rumors are they are approved for 1000 in the building w/o more building changes (e.g. taking out a wall for more seats).
I'm hoping they can fill most of the seats and get some standing room, etc. - given the limited number of seats and configuration of the arena as it stands I would call this a success. Be more interesting to see if the team is any good!
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
When the NAHL-USPHL war was just getting started, there was supposedly a 1500 seating requirement standard held by the league. Obviously that standard has been broken multiple times, the entire east division except Johnstown, Maine, and Jamestown plays out of little more than high quality rec rinks. Then again, those exceptions also don't operate on ticket revenue. It would be wise if they continue remodeling to get to at least 1000 seats. And doing the extensive marketing and public relations that comes with filling those seats with ticket-wielding butts. And I would hope that includes removing that monstrosity of the connecting passage.
The Ice Hockey Dude
Ack! Thbbft!
I agree generally with the continued remodeling here to add more seats. Jr / Semi pro teams here
are failed in the past due to poor attendance. I am interested / as is the owner of the team i'm sure, to see what attendance will be this season. Given it is good and they can support more seats then so be it, build em somehow. The owner has deep pockets so i would not
be surprised to see more arena expansion for sure - that doesn't mean he needs to make money on the team. Given the connection passage / or "coolloop" configuration of the arena makes it hard to expand. Sure you can build seats, how do you get access to restrooms and the food area if you have to walk over the ice? Put some carpet down on the side areas? Cat walk across the ceiling, etc. Nothing is impossible to be sure, this is a rec rink for sure, and adding seats presents some challenges. Time will tell so we will see.
ps, i doubt the coolloop stuff ever gets removed as it was just remodeled and is valuable
for non nahl stuff at this rink.
Last edited:
Maine will be interesting to see how they do, Coach had a good run at the youth hockey levels(ISS) But will it translate to upper levels? Very system heavy so if they drafted the right players they will do well, I think they rendered the team owners kid as well and maybe are bringing some of the long term core guys from the iss team(a couple are decent a couple will majorly struggle). Should draw well because nothing else in Maine to do. Northeast should be improved, I’ve been following their off season they tendered a couple guys that should have good impact, and seem to have good staff so I look for them to be better. NM will draw well; again not much to do in NM we will see how the team comes together.
Maine will be interesting to see how they do, Coach had a good run at the youth hockey levels(ISS) But will it translate to upper levels? Very system heavy so if they drafted the right players they will do well, I think they rendered the team owners kid as well and maybe are bringing some of the long term core guys from the iss team(a couple are decent a couple will majorly struggle). Should draw well because nothing else in Maine to do. Northeast should be improved, I’ve been following their off season they tendered a couple guys that should have good impact, and seem to have good staff so I look for them to be better. NM will draw well; again not much to do in NM we will see how the team comes together.
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
I wouldn't say that they should both do well because there's "not much to do." Time again that's been proven to be very false. New Mexico hosted NAHL hockey before, that didn't go well despite there being "not much to do. NAHL hockey has had horrible attendance in small markets with "not much to do" in everywhere from Albert Lea and Brookings to Wichita Falls and Rio Grande Valley. There is absolutely nothing in Elmira, NY, Columbus, GA, and the minor pro teams there couldn't attract flies. And Maine has other hockey options in the area, the EC is less than 45 minutes away in Portland and there's multiple NCAA D3 options closer than that. Saying they should both do well attendance wise based on the lack of other entertainment options is incredibly unsound logic.
As for Maine, tendering the owner's kid usually isn't a promising sign, as is the local kids with connections. Northeast Generals played the political game their first season and we all know how that went. There were dozens of stories in the first few weeks of camp about how those kinds of kids were being chosen and others with D1 commits, both NLIs and verbals, were told to go home. That resulted in an inaugural season with 4 wins and a single D1 commit to compliment a variety of mediocre D3 commits. While there is the need to compete with the USPHL and the supposed ladder of development, taking kids because of their connections with the program, whether it be playing with the NA3 team, ISS Kings, or whatever, over merit isn't going to result in on-ice success.
JMCx4
Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Actually not why Northeast wasn't good in year 1. They were new to the league and didn't properly understand just how big of an adjustment the league is. They only had 1 direct D1 commitment that year but had 10 players from the final roster that have gone on to play or commit D1. It's just a very hard league to play in.
GeauxIceGators
Registered User
- Jul 14, 2019
- 5
- 1
I'd love to see the team relocated for the 2020-2021 season to either Lafayette, LA,
Lake Charles, LA, Beaumont, TX, or even somewhere in Houston ,TX.
JMCx4
Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Not at all likely while the franchise is Lamar Hunt Jr.'s only junior team interest. You could see a franchise sale & subsequent relocation if he ever gets the USHL team he's presumably still waiting for. But even then he has a publicly stated vision of "growing a hockey ecosystem" anchored by his ECHL Mavericks franchise that could involve a development network of junior hockey players, ala Black Bear Sports Group who own the NAHL's Maryland franchise as well as the USHL's Phantoms & a couple of EHL Jr. A teams. Better you should wish for one of probably several NAHL team owners who are struggling financially to finally give up on their hockey dreams.
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
Completely disagree with your assertion other than the point about them being unprepared. Half their inaugural roster went to mediocre D3 schools, it’s not even like they were going to national powerhouses. Look at other teams in their recent inaugural season. Chippewa had 4 D1 commits and 5 very strong D3 commits. Maryland didn’t have that strong of a season and still had 4 D1 commits. NJ in their inaugural season had 6. It’s not hard to get kids interested in playing for the team and they send many kids home during their camp. And look what happened. Like many things in New England, it was politics.
Not a chance. Lamar Hunt Jr. is keeping them in Topeka or moving them to KC. No need to move them to an oversized arena in the Cajundome. Sudduth hasn’t hosted hockey in almost 2 decades, they’re dropping $5-$10 mil just for ice making equipment. Beaumont isn’t interested in hosting any hockey, and Houston isn’t either. The Aeros have been gone for a long time and Houston hasn’t even been on the radar. They were relevant to the NHL for three minutes, it’s a huge city with 3 ice rinks. Just like Dickies Arena, just because a facility is there doesn’t mean hockey should be played in it. They’re fine in Kansas and won’t be leaving.
Spoke to someone who was at NE gens main camp this year, said team should be much more competitive, they brought in some out of town guys who are good and not political moves, some young guys to develop, and seem to have a better long term vision. A couple guys they brought in are D1 caliber prospects, and a couple including one of their younger guys are in talks with a couple D1 schools, so it seems they are moving in the right direction. Any reports from Nords camp? Who made training camp? How many political moves (loyal iss guys)? Or are they doing it right?
The Ice Hockey Dude
Ack! Thbbft!
Updates on the New Mexico team. It appears, much to my surprise, that they will get about 625
bottoms in seats - more than I thought / expected. While they are not done installing the seating, looks like about 1/2 bench seats and 1/2 bench seats based on the seating chart i'm looking at.
Early season ticket plans are $700 for a stadium seat, $420 for bench seats, both for all home
games. This breaks down to 25 or 15 per game, per seat type. I am curious what the other
teams rates are? And how these prices will sell for New Mexico. Feels a little high to me....
No 1/2 ticket plans at this time.
bottoms in seats - more than I thought / expected. While they are not done installing the seating, looks like about 1/2 bench seats and 1/2 bench seats based on the seating chart i'm looking at.
Early season ticket plans are $700 for a stadium seat, $420 for bench seats, both for all home
games. This breaks down to 25 or 15 per game, per seat type. I am curious what the other
teams rates are? And how these prices will sell for New Mexico. Feels a little high to me....
No 1/2 ticket plans at this time.
JMCx4
Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Always a slippery slope (or rink), trying to compare hockey ticket prices from market to market. And some teams have perks included in their packages that boost the value. But for the few NAHL teams within reasonable driving distance of me ...
- Springfield (IL) Jr. Blues: $160 for adults and $140 for children 12 & under (all bench seats, two sides of the rink)
- Topeka Pilots: $400 & $325 for adults, $250 for children 3-12 years, $355 & $280 for billet families/students/military/seniors (all stadium seating)
- Janesville Jets: $200 & $160 (pretty sure they're all bench seats, one side of the ice only)
- Chippewa Steel: $219 for adults and $135 for students (5-18) (also looks like all bench seats, one side of the ice only)
Last edited:
The Ice Hockey Dude
Ack! Thbbft!
Thank you. Yeah, i sampled most of the other teams web sites for season ticket prices and
can can confirm what i had originally posted. 700 and 420 are the very high prices for the NAHL.
Be interesting to see how attendance is with these prices, and if there are some reductions in price
or specials.
tealhockey
@overtheboards
Anyone really stand out to you as a D1 prospect? Interested to keep up with them a bit this year
I don’t know the team personally just second/third hand info “bs”ing with some people, I heard they brought in a good forward who was with Odessa I think last year who had upside, and a couple others similar to him, a 99’D that has bounced around and is a penalty machine, not sure if he makes it out of camp, a young forward that is supposed to be pretty good, and a young D man that is supposed to be good, they are young so obviously there will be some learning and development for them but could contribute.
