How long will the WHA Last ?
#4 should read...
They'll get one poor season under the belts
#4 should read...
They'll get one poor season under the belts
Last edited:
Official "How long will the WHA last if it starts up?" with Poll
- Thread starter Papa Smurf
- Start date
- Status
I believe there is a place for a league in North America for the players who can't find work in the AHL because of the veteren rule, and aren't quite good enough for a regular spot in the NHL.
You just have to look at all the North Americans playing in Europe. Sure, some of them chose to go over and like it over there, but I'm sure others have gone out of necessity.
If the WHA does get off the ground, I could see a lot of those guys coming back, and maybe even a few NHL 4th liners will choose to play in the WHA seeing as they could make similar money and get to play a lot more.
You just have to look at all the North Americans playing in Europe. Sure, some of them chose to go over and like it over there, but I'm sure others have gone out of necessity.
If the WHA does get off the ground, I could see a lot of those guys coming back, and maybe even a few NHL 4th liners will choose to play in the WHA seeing as they could make similar money and get to play a lot more.
La-La-Laprise said:
You must be very desperate to start something again about this kid... poor you;The next thing you'll know he might end up right next door to you hahaha oohhhh poor la-la-laprise...all you want is the spotlight.JeEeZ give this kid a break...he must have done something really personal to you huh?!?
For my part of this subject i dont think the WHA will have success,most of them will go for the AHl;we'll see but that is my opinion!
Hart_House_Ca said:
The whole idea is not to be a partner....the AHL is a partner, and honestly, it is nothing more than a test and development zone for the NHL (both in players and policies).
If the WHA gets going, and I hope it does, the least it will accomplish is to open up the game and show all the hockey fans that the NHL has done nothing but hurt the game in the last few years. The WHA is going to give the average fan what they want to see.....more offense and thus more goals. The players, fans, coaches, media, etc. has been crying about the "trap" for years, and the NHL has done nothing bold to fix it...nor has its partner league the AHL.
I think it will be a brand of hockey that is more fun to watch, and the truth is....with hockey's popularity falling below NASCAR and next curling, maybe the pureness of the game is not as important as selling a product people want to watch.
Regardless of whether they sink or swim, I don't understand why so many hockey fans are negative about it. Do you guys have some kind of a stake in the NHL or WHA? Probably not...so what it boils down to is the possibility of another choice for hockey fans, which is good unless you are communist.
If anything, give these people who are bold enough, albeit a little foolish and maybe unorganized, props for trying.
Also, I don't understand why fans are not more understanding when it comes to the lack of organization. This is something new. It isn't like starting a trucking business or restaurant or chain of grocery stores. Hockey leagues don't start up everyday, and I don't think many people can claim experience in such matters.
Lets not forget, most people have trouble organizing one local business, with one name, no fans or critics, one local government, and a product that is often tangible. This is a business that spans the two countries, countless governments, requires the lease of a major building, and you can't simply hire employees for an hourly wage.
I wish them luck, and I will definately support a the league if they can ice a product, no matter what they end up icing the first year.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
id like to see it work......
it can be another good league. look at all of the players playing in europe now. there is still a market in many cities such as halifax and quebec that are craving pro hockey.
the WHA does not have the ability to compete with the NHL but look at some of they players who are pushed into retirement early or some of the skilled jr players who for some reason dont make it to the NHL. this is just another option thats all, and i hope it works.
go ice breakers go!!!!!!
btw the halifax harbour has never had any ice in it ever! its one of the largest and deepest harbours in north america.
it can be another good league. look at all of the players playing in europe now. there is still a market in many cities such as halifax and quebec that are craving pro hockey.
the WHA does not have the ability to compete with the NHL but look at some of they players who are pushed into retirement early or some of the skilled jr players who for some reason dont make it to the NHL. this is just another option thats all, and i hope it works.
go ice breakers go!!!!!!
btw the halifax harbour has never had any ice in it ever! its one of the largest and deepest harbours in north america.
Douggy
Registered User
Dr Love
Registered User
One from column A, one from column B. Some teams will fold, a few others will keep going until the end of the season, then the league will fold. It'll be like how baseball was in the 1870s. Well, at least that is what I would put money on, but who knows.
JasonMacIsaac said:
Dear JasonMacIsaac,i am somebody who followed the olympiques for quite a long long time and i pay attention to the developement of european players.Also,i have been reading this forum for a few years.. Which in this forum M. La-La-Laprise,keep bringing down one of our players.. in a really brutal and non-constructive way for absolutely no reason...I understand for i dont know what reason you dont seem to like vagner also... but this La-La-Laprise jumps to every subjects that includes talking about this kid.For a specific reason at first vagner may not seem the ideal type of hockey player for me..but this kid has a lot of potential and a great vision.. good skate..I am in the middle of hockey and what i saw in him made me see how great he is as a hockey player he can be which is a defensive-defense...Whatever those scouts or General manager or all the people in the hockey environment i believe they know what their doing and believe in a kid like vagner..My son plays hockey and he wants to be drafted too like every kid does.. i just put my son in the place of vagner if he would read such things they say about him..i would'nt take it too seriously but..things like that or people like that have no class.All that brings me to say that this kid has a chance to prove himself and the people that surrounds him can see that he his a great talented hockey player and that he deseves that chance like anybody else.I cant believe how certain people attack a player like this, i never saw that anywhere...except all those sites that la-la-laprise goes to.Is petr Pohl the next victim, he's european too.
Even though Orlando had a WHA team for a little bit, you heard absolutely nothing about it. It would have done alright here if it was run by the right people. If there isn't going to be Lightning hockey next year, I would have gone, but it's all academic now. I was for it for a little while, but I couldn't care less any more. I guess they'll get the same mileage as the XFL did. Once the novelty wears off they'll be beaten down by the NHL when it comes back. They may squeeze two or three seasons out but I predict they'll start to lose money halfway through the first year.
Licentia
Registered User
- Jun 29, 2004
- 1,832
- 655
I think the WHA will succeed in markets like Hamilton, Halifax, Quebec City, etc. Especially if they can sign some of the top NHL players that they drafted. (Why in the world did Halifax draft Travis Green for their 1st pick??) Those markets will get the opportunity to see some stars, which is much better than junior/AHL.
I doubt Detroit and Toronto will succeed at all. Even though Detroit seems to be the "Most Together" franchise of them all so far. I doubt it because the NHL can draw high paying crowds in both cities.
In Dallas I see typical American fans who i'm sure would be happier to pay much less for tickets to see hockey than the NHL charges, so I think they have a small chance for success.
The reality is that the WHA can succeed in the non-NHL market cities because they will have 1 top NHL level talent to wow the fans. Plus the WHA has a history that many people will be fond of.
If they get into Winnipeg, Hartford, and some other small market cities they can survive I believe.
Plus if the NHL doesn't get a salary system that works for teams like Calgary and Edmonton, then I wouldn't be suprised to see them fold eventually or be moved, and for WHA teams to appear.
I doubt Detroit and Toronto will succeed at all. Even though Detroit seems to be the "Most Together" franchise of them all so far. I doubt it because the NHL can draw high paying crowds in both cities.
In Dallas I see typical American fans who i'm sure would be happier to pay much less for tickets to see hockey than the NHL charges, so I think they have a small chance for success.
The reality is that the WHA can succeed in the non-NHL market cities because they will have 1 top NHL level talent to wow the fans. Plus the WHA has a history that many people will be fond of.
If they get into Winnipeg, Hartford, and some other small market cities they can survive I believe.
Plus if the NHL doesn't get a salary system that works for teams like Calgary and Edmonton, then I wouldn't be suprised to see them fold eventually or be moved, and for WHA teams to appear.
Lard_Lad
Registered User
Timmy1973 said:
No, it wouldn't have. I lived in Orlando while the Solar Bears were there. Despite a consistently good team in a league whose level of play was at least equal to what the WHA will be offering, their attendance declined every year until they were playing in a building that was two-thirds empty. And that's with tickets at a fraction of the WHA's prices.
If the WHA was to succeed it should consider:
1. Ditch the "Bettman experiment" and stop putting team in places that will fail (What would have been Orlando).
2. Put teams in bigger cities that are distant from and NHL city.
They did a good job of this so far even though Hamilton and Quebec City are close to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. (A team in Halifax is genius I think.)
Follow these steps and put a team in Regina, Winnipeg, Portland, Hartford and Salt Lake City. All these cities are considered of bigger size (While Portland is really the only of these that is an actual metropolitan area).
By putting teams in these areas you have both put them in a hockey market, put them in a city without an NHL team so fans would be more interested, as well as put them in an area a good distance away from an NHL city so the WHA would be their only option for pro hockey.
Basically, make the WHA an NHL for big cities that dont have a team.
1. Ditch the "Bettman experiment" and stop putting team in places that will fail (What would have been Orlando).
2. Put teams in bigger cities that are distant from and NHL city.
They did a good job of this so far even though Hamilton and Quebec City are close to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. (A team in Halifax is genius I think.)
Follow these steps and put a team in Regina, Winnipeg, Portland, Hartford and Salt Lake City. All these cities are considered of bigger size (While Portland is really the only of these that is an actual metropolitan area).
By putting teams in these areas you have both put them in a hockey market, put them in a city without an NHL team so fans would be more interested, as well as put them in an area a good distance away from an NHL city so the WHA would be their only option for pro hockey.
Basically, make the WHA an NHL for big cities that dont have a team.
Last edited:
Licentia
Registered User
- Jun 29, 2004
- 1,832
- 655
Follow these steps and put a team in Regina, Winnipeg, Portland, Hartford and Salt Lake City. All these cities are considered of bigger size (While Portland is really the only of these that is an actual metropolitan area).
The Agridome in Regina is too small for this league. It can be expanded I've heard but presently it only seats around 6,000 max.
Saskatoon can seat 10,000 plus.
I think Regina and Saskatoon though are too small to support even a WHA team. They are both under 200,000 in population. Plus the league would compete with the Roughriders in Regina which has the most loyal fans in the CFL.
The Agridome in Regina is too small for this league. It can be expanded I've heard but presently it only seats around 6,000 max.
Saskatoon can seat 10,000 plus.
I think Regina and Saskatoon though are too small to support even a WHA team. They are both under 200,000 in population. Plus the league would compete with the Roughriders in Regina which has the most loyal fans in the CFL.
It might last one season, but if it's too last long-term (5 years or more) it needs a long NHL lockout (maybe 2 years), a few marquee NHLers to commit to the league and the franchises to be truly adopted by their homes. Quebec has lost an IHL and an AHL team since the Nords left, so I'm not sure this team will last.
La-La-Laprise said:
a) a couple of teams do and most of the other teams are talking to ppl about it.
b) 2 teams dont have arena lease agreements one of them is Hamilton and they have their eye on a arena and the other team im not sure.
c) Its a Name. It doesnt take long to make one up
d) There are alot of coaches who are currently unemployed and would willingly become a coach in the WHA
e) ???
EDIT: I think the WHA will get at least a few seasons under its belt possibly even more then the old WHA
Licentia said:
Yeah when i read a article in the Saskatoon newspaper about Saskatoon being a possible location for the new WHA i was pretty excited but now Saskatoon is even being considered and im kind of disappointed but I still think if the NHL has a lockout for even 1 year the WHA can be Succesful!
ofhdhdy said:
If Regina can support a CFL team then they can support the WHA. The CFL isn't as "lame" as people say and its a big responsability to keep a decent attendance there.
robertch
Registered User
robertch said:
Something along the lines of you can only have 5 players on your team over the age of 25.
Communal Blood
Registered User
- Status
Ad
Upcoming events
-
Tappara Tampere @ Pelicans Lahti - Tappara leads series 2-1Wagers: 3Staked: $134.00Event closes- Updated:
-
-
Eisbaren Berlin @ Pinguins Bremerhaven - Eisbaren Berlin leads series 3-1Wagers: 3Staked: $95.00Event closes- Updated:
-
BET ON ONLY ONE HORSE Bewitch Stakes (Gr. 3) - KEENELAND RACE 8Wagers: 6Staked: $2,300.00Event closes- Updated:
-
