2015-16 San Antonio Rampage (AHL) and Ft Wayne Komets (ECHL) Part II

[tigervixxxen]

I believe Mayor is just guessing. There's a lot of issues there. First, Colorado Springs isn't suitable for the AHL and they have an international size sheet. Second, the expansion team doesn't want to manage an expansion AHL franchise as well. I believe that the Avs will wait until Vegas gets the expansion franchise and hope to purchase the expansion AHL team, then Vegas can slide over to San Antonio, which with the NBA ownership would minimize their hassles. There aren't a lot of existing AHL franchises that aren't team owned at this point and we know they aren't going to purchase San Antonio so its going to be very difficult to somehow buy another team from underneath another NHL team's occupancy. I don't know that they want their AHL team on a complete island up here, its nice for callups but they then have zero teams they can bus to for games. That's why they play Texas 14x a year, its so they can get in a quick road game and go back home.

I don't think the Komets are an option, they do have a nice fanbase but they can't turn a ECHL franchise into an AHL one. There are 30 AHL franchises, you have to buy one is the first step, then you can decide where you want to locate it. If they wanted FW then they'd have to buy FW too, make the swap and then put the Komets somewhere. Its not going to happen when the Komets probably don't even want to be bought, they barely want to be affiliated to begin with, and its not going to do the Avs much good to have their AHL operations in Indiana.

 

[cgf]

Thanks TV!

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Would love for that move to happen. Having a guy like Weiss giving updates on the Rampage was unbelievable compared to what we've had in the past but a team in CS probably means even more coverage again.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Have you seen our media, I wouldn't count on it. They don't even acknowledge the existence of the echl team. CS is losing their AAA baseball team to San Antonio, ironically. I could see something insane happen like Kroenke take the expansion franchise and try to put it in Seattle, I think there's a reason why they are waiting for full control.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Have you seen our media, I wouldn't count on it. They don't even acknowledge the existence of the echl team. CS is losing their AAA baseball team to San Antonio, ironically. I could see something insane happen like Kroenke take the expansion franchise and try to put it in Seattle, I think there's a reason why they are waiting for full control.

Funny enough, I didn't even know CS had a AAA basketball team, and I lived there for four years lol. Although I'm not a huge basketball fan.

I think if they really focused hard on the military community in CS, a AHL team would have success there though. Military people love violent sports lol. I never had a hard time getting friends of mine to watch Hockey who had never bothered with it as long as I was willing to answer questions about the game.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Have you seen our media, I wouldn't count on it. They don't even acknowledge the existence of the echl team. CS is losing their AAA baseball team to San Antonio, ironically. I could see something insane happen like Kroenke take the expansion franchise and try to put it in Seattle, I think there's a reason why they are waiting for full control.

I mean from fan groups and potentially some local CS people. Trust me, I'm not talking about Chambers and Frei lol. I appreciate far more of what we received from BSN this year than DP.

I know HF is just a group of fans posting on the internet but I really use this site for real information too. There's some great posters both on here and on the main boards who provide great recaps and inside info. You have to filter through a lot of crap to see what you want to see but it's here and I think there would be more exposure of our AHL team if they were in Colorado Springs.

 

[Metallo]

I believe Mayor is just guessing. There's a lot of issues there. First, Colorado Springs isn't suitable for the AHL and they have an international size sheet. Second, the expansion team doesn't want to manage an expansion AHL franchise as well. I believe that the Avs will wait until Vegas gets the expansion franchise and hope to purchase the expansion AHL team, then Vegas can slide over to San Antonio, which with the NBA ownership would minimize their hassles. There aren't a lot of existing AHL franchises that aren't team owned at this point and we know they aren't going to purchase San Antonio so its going to be very difficult to somehow buy another team from underneath another NHL team's occupancy. I don't know that they want their AHL team on a complete island up here, its nice for callups but they then have zero teams they can bus to for games. That's why they play Texas 14x a year, its so they can get in a quick road game and go back home.

I don't think the Komets are an option, they do have a nice fanbase but they can't turn a ECHL franchise into an AHL one. There are 30 AHL franchises, you have to buy one is the first step, then you can decide where you want to locate it. If they wanted FW then they'd have to buy FW too, make the swap and then put the Komets somewhere. Its not going to happen when the Komets probably don't even want to be bought, they barely want to be affiliated to begin with, and its not going to do the Avs much good to have their AHL operations in Indiana.

FW used to play in the IHL in the 90's and they had good crowds. They could be an AHL town.

 

[BaconNater]

Just talked to a player from MTU today that played on an ATO with the Iowa Wild over the last few weeks which they played the Rampage and he said that Rantanen was nasty.

Not that we didn't know that already but it was still cool hearing from someone who played against him.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Looks like Noreau signed in Switzerland. The exodus begins.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Just talked to a player from MTU today that played on an ATO with the Iowa Wild over the last few weeks which they played the Rampage and he said that Rantanen was nasty.

Not that we didn't know that already but it was still cool hearing from someone who played against him.

Thats a great compliment for a 4th line centreman.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

So will San Antonio be a bad team or the worst team next season? Feel like they're going to get gutted and filled with AHL "vets"

 

[tigervixxxen]

AHL vets can make a big difference if they get the good ones in, Street is the AHL version of Patrick Kane. But, that's trusting this org to find more of those and not more Gervais and Labries. Really, this team won't be decent until they can get in several strong draft classes to help. The 2015 class might be a start.

 

[Coach Nate]

We will be having our 2nd annual Herdies Awards on our season finale of Running With the Herd Live. We decided to let the fans have a vote on our ballot. You can vote on twitter or facebook. We've already started the voting for 6 categories, with 3 left to go. Check us out on twitter @RwtHLive or @RampageNate to vote.

 

[Bender]

We will be having our 2nd annual Herdies Awards on our season finale of Running With the Herd Live. We decided to let the fans have a vote on our ballot. You can vote on twitter or facebook. We've already started the voting for 6 categories, with 3 left to go. Check us out on twitter @RwtHLive or @RampageNate to vote.

Hey I think Rantanen has a decent shot at one of these awards...

 

[RockLobster]

Dean is GONE

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Man, who's going to be our new head coach once they fire Roy now?

Thanks, Borna?

 

[CobraAcesS]

Should be very interesting to see who they bring in. Very good news IMO.

 

[dahrougem2]

Man, who's going to be our new head coach once they fire Roy now?

Thanks, Borna?

He'll be coaching

 

[Avs_19]

Good to hear. Took too long and might have hurt the development of certain players because of it but I'm glad they're moving in a different direction now.

It's still not all on Dean though. Avs have done a pretty terrible job with their AHL team for years now, that applies to both the previous regime and the current one. I don't think a coaching change alone will get the team back on track but it's a start.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Benoit Groulx interviewed for the Assistant job with Roy last year, and he's made it known he wants to move to the Pro's. I could see the Avs talking to him again. A lot of folks in Ottawa are trying to link him to the Binghamton job.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Benoit Groulx interviewed for the Assistant job with Roy last year, and he's made it known he wants to move to the Pro's. I could see the Avs talking to him again.

I asked you on twitter, but do you think the Avs relationship with Andre Tourigny is completely done?

I'd probably prefer Groulx as an assistant if they can convince him this year.

Although my dream of Guy Boucher signing with us as an assistant is something weird I'm holding onto lol.

 

[RockLobster]

Benoit Groulx interviewed for the Assistant job with Roy last year, and he's made it known he wants to move to the Pro's. I could see the Avs talking to him again. A lot of folks in Ottawa are trying to link him to the Binghamton job.

I believe there was also some scuttle that he may take a job with the Canadiens (with MT's job likely being on thin-ice and he could be let go if the team starts slow)? Don't know how true that is though.

I wonder if the Avs end up just promoting Lacouceur or if they do bring in someone else (who would, in turn, bring in his own staff).

 

[The Kingslayer]

Haha Borna interview and now good ole Dean gets fired.

 

[RockLobster]

Haha Borna interview and now good ole Dean gets fired.

No doubt that the timing of the two events makes for an odd look, but I would suspect that this move was coming down the pipeline long before Borna's interview with Eurolanche (if anything, that probably just re-affirmed their decision). The Avs were making Organizational Evaluations, and I have no doubt that extended to the AHL as well.

The hope here is that they hire someone that has a strength in the developmental aspect of coaching as well.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Holy ****, it never clicked that it had been that long.