Confirmed with Link: TNSE considering AHL move to Thunder Bay

[no Gino]

According to local news True North has announced they are going to move the AHL franchise to Thunder Bay, per Leith Dunnick.

Click to read more...

 

[King Woodballs]

what?

i have not seen this any where.

If this is true, why has no one picked up on it.
his tweets are 45 minutes old.

I call b.s.

 

[King Woodballs]

And it begins....

Paul Wiecek ‏@PaulWiecek 2m

Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal reporting on Twitter that Jets have "intention" to move AHL team to Tbay. I've asked for a Jets comment. #bn

 

[no Gino]

Press conference is ongoing but Gary Green of True North Live heading up a group to operate a new arena in Thunder Bay with True North moving the team to Thunder Bay.
Follow Leith Dunnick on Twitter for more updates.

 

[Guardian17]

Has this been confirmed?

 

[Aavco Cup]

Return of the Moose?

 

[King Woodballs]

Return of the Moose?

Thunderbay Thunder

 

[Apollo Leaf]

This makes zero sense.

 

[JetsFan815]

Makes sense from TNSE's pov having the farm team closer to home than across half the continent. Sucks for the Ice Caps fans though if true.

I always hated the name "Ice Caps", esp when we were in the east. Makes it sound like the farm team of Washington Capitals

 

[Apollo Leaf]

I get it if the Jets want a team closer, but does that mean no team in St.Johhs? Being a Newfoundlander this is a huge disappointment if true.

 

[no Gino]

Early reports are Thunder Bay Jets FWIW.

 

[Aavco Cup]

Maybe it's about the arena?(proposed events centre) And the revenue?

 

[Hank Chinaski]

This really doesn't make any sense.

I don't know what the issues are in St. John's on the business side of things, but I can't see how moving them to Thunder Bay will be an improvement. They're going to play out of Fort William Gardens? Like I said, not adding up.

 

[Gump Hasek]

If this is true, who is paying for the new arena? Thunder Bay have no funding for a new building as of last report, and the Feds have supposedly cut off infrastructural grant money that is/was to be earmarked into new arenas. Is the Ontario government footing the bill?

 

[Aavco Cup]

Here's the project proposed.

http://www.thunderbay.ca/City_Government/News_and_Strategic_Initiatives/Event_Centre.htm

 

[sting13]

I guess the big question would Thunder Bay be an expansion team and St. John's
keep their team but with different NHL parent team?

 

[Apollo Leaf]

This really doesn't make any sense.

I don't know what the issues are in St. John's on the business side of things, but I can't see how moving them to Thunder Bay will be an improvement. They're going to play out of Fort William Gardens? Like I said, not adding up.

Exactly. IceCaps are one of the best teams financially, and they have a solid fan base and arena. Theyre a sellout every night. This doesnt make any sense

 

[no Gino]

This really doesn't make any sense.

I don't know what the issues are in St. John's on the business side of things, but I can't see how moving them to Thunder Bay will be an improvement. They're going to play out of Fort William Gardens? Like I said, not adding up.

They will not play in the Gardens. Team only to move after new arena is built.

 

[LadyJet26]

Seems like Thunder Bay is announcing the building of a new arena.

How this goes from that to the Ice Caps moving I have no idea.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

I don't think that has anything to do with it. I think it has to do with travel time for the team and sending players out to St.Johns only for them to not want to report. Plus couple that with the time it takes for a callup to get out of St.Johns to Winnipeg and compare that with a quick Jump on Westjet to Winnipeg from TBay.

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Maybe it's contingent on a new team moving to St. John's?

I swear I remember something like this happening already in the AHL (or maybe CHL) with one team moving out of a city and a new team moving into that city at the same time.

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Paul Wiecek ‏@PaulWiecek 1m
Jets' Scott Brown confirms team is part of a group "exploring the possibility" of moving AHL team to Thunder Bay. Chipman to speak soon. #bn

gary lawless ‏@garylawless 42s
Jets chairman Mark Chipman to address media in Anaheim on possibility of moving AHL franchise to Thunder Bay. Sounds like story has legs #bn

 

[No Fun Shogun]

If it ends up being true, guess that TNSE just figured it was more valuable to have their top prospects relatively closeby than having a cut of the cash cow that was the IceCaps.

Shame especially as this will all but kill whatever excitement was going on in that market for the upcoming AHL All-Star Game, too.

 

[Tdoe42]

There is no AHL in St. John's with out TN and im pretty sure the contract there is about to come up for renewal after next season. The fact government money is involved to subsidize travel this is a way to remind them that TN still has all the leverage

Edit: Those tweets change everything if Scott Brown is talking

 

[LadyJet26]

I don't think that has anything to do with it. I think it has to do with travel time for the team and sending players out to St.Johns only for them to not want to report. Plus couple that with the time it takes for a callup to get out of St.Johns to Winnipeg and compare that with a quick Jump on Westjet to Winnipeg from TBay.

40 minutes versus what? 3 hours plus?

I think it's solely based on that. It wasn't much of an issue when the Jets played primarily on the east coast, but now it's much different.