Trois-Rivières Lions 2021-22 Lions de Trois-Rivières

[ahmedou]

And if there is good university player at UQTR, they might get an ECHL shot after university

That sounds like a win-win situation.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Seems like a pretty easy decision to make for the city council, to me at least. You get to partner up with the top pro sports organization in your province visibility wise AND your arena gets booked for 40-ish home games from the ECHL team alone. What's not to like about that ?

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

Could they not share the venu between QMJHL and ECHL? I don't know the regulation for boards, ice, etc.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Seems like a pretty easy decision to make for the city council, to me at least. You get to partner up with the top pro sports organization in your province visibility wise AND your arena gets booked for 40-ish home games from the ECHL team alone. What's not to like about that ?

I agree. Not to mention MacDonald has been open this entire time in sharing the building. He is not opposed to having the University team play there during the season. So the city can have both.

I have been critical of the mayor because whenever there was a report coming out, it was clear he wasn't for an ECHL team.

Recent reports seem to indicate that he wasn't sure the Habs were interested. So he was probably hesitant in giving MacDonald a team without a clear idea. Once they received a letter of intent and confirmation that Habs were in on an affiliation with MacDonald's team, his tune seems to have changed.

And the fact that they pushed the date back to February 7th, it shows that the council is taking this seriously and want to give MacDonald a chance to share his plan and vision. They see the benefits of having the Habs involved here.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Could they not share the venu between QMJHL and ECHL? I don't know the regulation for boards, ice, etc.

QMJHL is pretty much out of the question. They would infringe on Shawnigan's territory and they would veto it. Not to mention the commissioner has confirmed that they are not looking at explanation or relocation. So for now, the QMJHL team will not happen.

The other bid for the arena is the university team. And MacDonald has been open in sharing the arena. He is not looking to have it exclusively.

MacDonald, who owns the Newfound Growlers, shares the arena in St. John's with the local pro basketball team, St. John's Edge. So he knows how it can work sharing an arena with another team.

 

[Pouchkine]

The level of play will be very bad but at least it can't be worst than having a QMJHL team playing 68 meaningless games with 16/18 teams making the playoffs!!!!

 

[pepperMonkey]

Umm...what possible reasons were there for the Mayor to not want the ECHL team to play there? Especially when they were told that the ECHL team wanted to share, not take over? Was it that important for the University to get the new arena just for themselves? (i.e. leave it empty for the grand majority of the time). How does that even work financially? And how could the mayor not know about the Canadiens wants? Even if someone says so, you would think they would get headwinds about it from someone else...

 

[montreal]

Hopefully this goes our way, we need an ECHL club of our own. We could fill it with undrafted FA's from the Q and wherever else so that maybe you could uncover someone as there likely won't be any room in Laval depending of course on who is re-signed, who's not re-signed and who is signed. I wonder if someone like Simon Bourque would play there since he's in LNAH and doing well while just turning 23.

 

[Adam Michaels]

For anyone interested, the mayor will be on 91.9 Sports FM tomorrow morning at 7:30 to talk about the Habs/ECHL project. It will be interesting to finally get a chance to listen to him rather than read his statements. Especially since he will be talking specifically about the ECHL. And with recent developments with the Habs reiterating their interest, it should be a good interview.

As Zadarnowski also Tweets, he will interview MacDonald for a piece for EOTP.

I'm looking forward to hear/read interviews from the two main figures of this saga.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Some news:

Yesterday, the Patriotes revealed their plans to the city council. Some of the events we learned of:

- Obviously, the home games of the university team. They play about 18-20 home games. So already there, they won't be occupying it much.

- Preseason games that would also include games against NCAA teams. Those are just a few games.

- The Canadian University hockey tournament that IF they get selected, they can host it for the next two years. Again, a short tournament and it wouldn't be long-term as it would only be for the next two years.

- They also want to host a few exhibition games during the holidays against NCAA teams when the regular seasons are on holiday breaks.

So all in all, they would need the arena for a total of about 35-40 games, give or take.

Now the city will wait to meet with MacDonald to share his plan. Again, the fact the Habs made it official that they want to get involved, has changed some of the narrative.

The man who is heading the Patriotes is Daniel McMahon, spoke after the meeting and said that he is not opposed to sharing the arena.

However, another member part of the Patriotes group, Jean Lamarre of Cirque du Soleil, said that he doesn't think sharing is a possibility at the moment. He explained that the arena is made for one major team and isn't built for sharing. He mentioned that to accomodate two teams, they would need to make certain renovations in the facility, particularly regarding dressing rooms. And he estimates it would cost about 2-million$.

He did say that he does a lot of business with the Groupe CH as they rent the Bell Center for Cirque du Soleil about 21 dates a year. And that if they were interested and the city voted for it, he wouldn't stand in the way. He thinks highly of the organization. He just shared his belief that modifications will need to be made to the facility to accomodate both.

Council members also gave statements and they pretty much echoed that their priority is to find a way to have both teams share the facility.

They said they were impressed with the Patriotes vision and plan. And they believe they will be equally impressed with MacDonald's, but that they will need to hear his proposal first before making their final decision on February 7th.


Regarding the ECHL, I remember reading that the real deadline the league gives a team is mid-March. So if that is true, then if the ECHL there becomes a reality, then chances are they'll be ready to start playing next season.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I wish the ECHL would be gone. Spread the talent between CHL, AHL, and University. CHL would gain if they allowed more overage players and become a better development league like the trends happening in NCAA and in Europe. Allow each team to have 6 players from 20-23 range. This means less 16 year olds which is a good thing cause if you are not good enough, you develop in Midget AAA. Rest of the surplus of talent plays University. Teams with a full AHL roster can loan players to University hockey for example.

Not a fan of the ECHL. And I think the CHL needs to open up a bit more with players from 20-23 range. Prospects in the 17-19 range would benefit more from playing against men

 

[Adam Michaels]

I wish the ECHL would be gone. Spread the talent between CHL, AHL, and University. CHL would gain if they allowed more overage players and become a better development league like the trends happening in NCAA and in Europe. Allow each team to have 6 players from 20-23 range. This means less 16 year olds which is a good thing cause if you are not good enough, you develop in Midget AAA. Rest of the surplus of talent plays University. Teams with a full AHL roster can loan players to University hockey for example.

Not a fan of the ECHL. And I think the CHL needs to open up a bit more with players from 20-23 range. Prospects in the 17-19 range would benefit more from playing against men

So what do you do with players under an AHL contract with the organization like LaCouvee and Culkin, who are 25 and 26 years old, respectively?

Or where would they get guys like Joe Cox and Cuddemi for a PTO. When Cox was signed to a PTO last year, he was the top scorer of the ECHL at 25 years old. Cuddemi this year is 26 and was one of the top scorers there.

Where would Laval go get those guys if they have injuries and call ups if not for a league like the ECHL? None of them would be eligible for the idea you laid out.

What the ECHL really needs is to improve their marketing and making sure the people are aware of it. But you can't really just say it's them because in a lot of places, even the AHL is relatively in obscurity.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I remember reading somewhere that mid-March was the deadline to grant an expansion team in the ECHL.

However, Andrew Zadarnowski had an interview with MacDonald that will be up in the next day or two, and MacDonald confirmed that the deadline for an expansion team has passed. So it wouldn't be for next year:

 

[Habs Halifax]

So what do you do with players under an AHL contract with the organization like LaCouvee and Culkin, who are 25 and 26 years old, respectively?

Or where would they get guys like Joe Cox and Cuddemi for a PTO. When Cox was signed to a PTO last year, he was the top scorer of the ECHL at 25 years old. Cuddemi this year is 26 and was one of the top scorers there.

Where would Laval go get those guys if they have injuries and call ups if not for a league like the ECHL? None of them would be eligible for the idea you laid out.

What the ECHL really needs is to improve their marketing and making sure the people are aware of it. But you can't really just say it's them because in a lot of places, even the AHL is relatively in obscurity.

Players who don't fit the CHL or AHL can be loan to university hockey teams. My approach with getting rid of the ECHL would be to improve the CHL.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Players who don't fit the CHL or AHL can be loan to university hockey teams. My approach with getting rid of the ECHL would be to improve the CHL.

You can't play for a university if you don't attend the school for classes. And you also can't play for a college/university team if you have a pro contract.

And you may improve the CHL when you push the age limit to 23, but you don't solve the issue for players in the ECHL who are older than 23.

 

[Habs Halifax]

You can't play for a university if you don't attend the school for classes. And you also can't play for a college/university team if you have a pro contract.

And you may improve the CHL when you push the age limit to 23, but you don't solve the issue for players in the ECHL who are older than 23.

Players older than 23 who are ECHL talent are the least of my worries to be honest

 

[Adam Michaels]

Players older than 23 who are ECHL talent are the least of my worries to be honest

Maybe the least of yours. But the organizations need them. This is where they go when AHL teams have injuries and call ups.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Maybe the least of yours. But the organizations need them. This is where they go when AHL teams have injuries and call ups.

I understand there would be challenges. But my main focus would be to improve the CHL. Where there is a will, there is a way.

 

[Treb]

I understand there would be challenges. But my main focus would be to improve the CHL. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Most guys over 21 would go University, AHL, Europe or retire. Not enough financial incentives to stay in the CHL.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Most guys over 21 would go University, AHL, Europe or retire. Not enough financial incentives to stay in the CHL.

I didn't reveal my entire plan. With all the talk about not paying CHL players to play over the last few years, I'd open this up to each team having 6 players from 20-23 range and are required to be paid. Some teams would have problems with that but I do believe the product on the ice is better and they can raise ticket prices slightly to help out in that area. Lets say you have 6 players making $50k. That's $300k per year. Take that and divide that into 34 home games a year... An extra $4 per ticket. Can this work for the lower market teams? Not sure but if they can make it work, I'd like to see it.

CHL is a decent development league but other leagues have become better cause they have more men. A guy like Drouin puts up those kinds of numbers in the Q and it's flawed to some degree most often than not cause there are too many 16 and 17 year olds.

Players in the CHL struggle more than players in other leagues when they turn pro.

 

[Adam Michaels]

MacDonald en ville au début février

So MacDonald confirmed to Turcotte that it is too late now to have the ECHL team ready for next season. He said that if the city was able to give him an answer sooner, he may have been able to convince the ECHL to extend the window before he had to give them a final answer.

He is still very much interested in this project and is willing to wait another year for it.

With the ECHL Board of Governors meetings now over, he and his team will start working on their presentation. The city has given them three dates to choose from to meet with them, all of them early February.

At the meeting will be him, his partner Glenn Stanford. Also to be there will be Marc-André Bergeron, who will be in charge of the team (like Briere is with Maine). He also said that someone from the Habs will be at that meeting with them.

He said that it's no secret the Habs and his team need to finalize a few details and agree on things. He said it's part of the normal progression of the process, saying it was the same thing with the Growlers and the Leafs.

 

[wildD]

Bad news for an ECHL team next year
"We lost the ability to ice a team next year": The status of the bid for an ECHL team in Trois-Rivières

 

[Fixxer]

Was hoping the proximity of the Habs, Rocket and T-R City team for player's movement.

 

[Adam Michaels]

QMJHL's commissioner has told the mayor that they should have an ECHL team. He also echoes what everyone says, that the facility is ready for the ECHL team and Patriotes to share it.

 

[Not The One]

Was hoping the proximity of the Habs, Rocket and T-R City team for player's movement.

I haven't really followed this story, but wouldn't an ECHL team in TR have a major advantage because it could recruit undrafted overagers from the Q who can't or won't go to Europe or the US?

Can ECHL teams sign whoever they want like soccer teams?