2021 Memorial Cup

[EvenSteven]

It takes a ton of planning to do a tournament like this. You can't just drop it on someone 2 weeks before the tournament and get anything but a disaster

In my opinion, there is no fairer way to do this than how the 1987 host was decided. It wasn’t about money back then. It was about the hockey. I doubt the 1987 Memorial Cup in Oshawa was a disaster.

Of course, it couldn’t really be done today because we don’t have a bye any more. But for me, at the end of the day, it’s all about the hockey. All the rest is just fluff. We hosted in 2008 and sure there was prep time needed but most of the reason for that prep time was for the fluff.

Fireworks. Alumni game. CHL team displays. Etc etc etc. All nice ideas but at the end of the day, all fluff. I’d trade the fluff in to make sure we have a competitive host every time.

 

[Generalsupdates]

In my opinion, there is no fairer way to do this than how the 1987 host was decided. It wasn’t about money back then. It was about the hockey. I doubt the 1987 Memorial Cup in Oshawa was a disaster.

Of course, it couldn’t really be done today because we don’t have a bye any more. But for me, at the end of the day, it’s all about the hockey. All the rest is just fluff. We hosted in 2008 and sure there was prep time needed but most of the reason for that prep time was for the fluff.

Fireworks. Alumni game. CHL team displays. Etc etc etc. All nice ideas but at the end of the day, all fluff. I’d trade the fluff in to make sure we have a competitive host every time.

it’s about the hockey if it ends up in a nice arena who does it well. If a small market team who isn’t ready to handle a tournament of that magnitude gets it, it’s embarrassing for them and the entire league on the national stage. And they didn’t ask for that pressure, their team was just good that year

 

[EvenSteven]

it’s about the hockey if it ends up in a nice arena who does it well. If a small market team who isn’t ready to handle a tournament of that magnitude gets it, it’s embarrassing for them and the entire league on the national stage. And they didn’t ask for that pressure, their team was just good that year

So, the hockey comes second then. As long as we all understand that going in.

Just sayin.

 

[Generalsupdates]

So, the hockey comes second then. As long as we all understand that going in.

Just sayin.

making a good product means the hockey comes second? The 3 league champions are all there and it’s up to the chl to pick a team who’s going to be good

To have 4 teams means you have 1 team who “doesn’t deserve to be there”. So why have a good regular season team who choked in the playoffs go and have it somewhere who isn’t prepared to host it, when you could reward a good franchise for being a good franchise and that team will also be good, that’s the CHLs job to pick a good host and then you have a team hosting it who’s ready to host it and the best candidate in the whole league

 

[EvenSteven]

making a good product means the hockey comes second? The 3 league champions are all there and it’s up to the chl to pick a team who’s going to be good

To have 4 teams means you have 1 team who “doesn’t deserve to be there”. So why have a good regular season team who choked in the playoffs go and have it somewhere who isn’t prepared to host it, when you could reward a good franchise for being a good franchise and that team will also be good, that’s the CHLs job to pick a good host and then you have a team hosting it who’s ready to host it and the best candidate in the whole league

You said it yourself in your first sentence:

“It’s about the hockey if it winds up in a nice arena who does it well.”

When London hosted in 2014, it was hosted in probably the best city possible in the OHL. That came first. Obviously the hockey came second that year because London didn’t have the assets to put a high end team on the ice due to playoff runs in ‘12 and ‘13. This was known going in.

All I’m saying is that I want the best two teams from the host league in the tourney period. But that can only happen in a perfect world. I understand and accept they can’t put it in a some sub standard barn somewhere.

And this is not a CHL thing. It’s an OHL thing. The Q has hosted in cities that wouldn’t get a sniff in the OHL.

 

[Generalsupdates]

You said it yourself in your first sentence:

“It’s about the hockey if it winds up in a nice arena who does it well.”

When London hosted in 2014, it was hosted in probably the best city possible in the OHL. That came first. Obviously the hockey came second that year because London didn’t have the assets to put a high end team on the ice due to playoff runs in ‘12 and ‘13. This was known going in.

All I’m saying is that I want the best two teams from the host league in the tourney period. But that can only happen in a perfect world. I understand and accept they can’t put it in a some sub standard barn somewhere.

And this is not a CHL thing. It’s an OHL thing. The Q has hosted in cities that wouldn’t get a sniff in the OHL.

But your solution to getting rid of "a team who doesn't deserve to be there" is also adding just a different team who doesn't deserve to be there. By your definition, anything but a 3 team tournament would be "hockey coming second". I don't agree

 

[rangersblues]

You said it yourself in your first sentence:

“It’s about the hockey if it winds up in a nice arena who does it well.”

When London hosted in 2014, it was hosted in probably the best city possible in the OHL. That came first. Obviously the hockey came second that year because London didn’t have the assets to put a high end team on the ice due to playoff runs in ‘12 and ‘13. This was known going in.

All I’m saying is that I want the best two teams from the host league in the tourney period. But that can only happen in a perfect world. I understand and accept they can’t put it in a some sub standard barn somewhere.

And this is not a CHL thing. It’s an OHL thing. The Q has hosted in cities that wouldn’t get a sniff in the OHL.

That's pretty unfair. London had a pretty good team that ran into Guelph who had a very good team early that year in the OHL playoffs. Couple that with a few injuries and things didn't break London's way. London was preseason favourite to win the OHL that year - they won the previous 2 seasons. This could also have contributed to them underachieving. Possibly a little over confident, possibly a little Memorial Cup hangover, possibly just worn out from a lot of hockey the past 2 seasons (Memorial Cup and WJC for a lot of players).

Not having a host team participate is out of the question. The first time Kitchener hosted in 1975, I was amongst a whopping 3000 fans that witnessed the Toronto Marlies defeat the New Westminster Bruins. The turnout that week was less than overwhelming. A few years later the CHL went to a host team which has for the most part been successful. The problem may have been it was too successful and now the CHL feels they can extort what amounts to the cost of a season ticket for 10 days of albeit very good hockey. If they cut the cost of tickets to where the average CHL fan could afford them again, we wouldn't be having this conversation imo. More teams would be bidding.

 

[EvenSteven]

That's pretty unfair. London had a pretty good team that ran into Guelph who had a very good team early that year in the OHL playoffs. Couple that with a few injuries and things didn't break London's way. London was preseason favourite to win the OHL that year - they won the previous 2 seasons. This could also have contributed to them underachieving. Possibly a little over confident, possibly a little Memorial Cup hangover, possibly just worn out from a lot of hockey the past 2 seasons (Memorial Cup and WJC for a lot of players).

Not having a host team participate is out of the question. The first time Kitchener hosted in 1975, I was amongst a whopping 3000 fans that witnessed the Toronto Marlies defeat the New Westminster Bruins. The turnout that week was less than overwhelming. A few years later the CHL went to a host team which has for the most part been successful. The problem may have been it was too successful and now the CHL feels they can extort what amounts to the cost of a season ticket for 10 days of albeit very good hockey. If they cut the cost of tickets to where the average CHL fan could afford them again, we wouldn't be having this conversation imo. More teams would be bidding.

Ask any London fan. The 2014 team didn’t have the assets needed to build a powerhouse. Those assets were used up the previous two seasons.

My point was that the venue came first in that case. Part of having a quality on ice product in order to host is having a deep team along with a deep asset base to make the team even better. London was good that year, but they did not have that.

 

[rangersblues]

Ask any London fan. The 2014 team didn’t have the assets needed to build a powerhouse. Those assets were used up the previous two seasons.

No it was not obvious to everyone London didn't have the assets. They were the preseason favourite. They finished 5 points behind Guelph. First Olli Maata was unexpectedly kept in the NHL. Then they ran into a lot of injuries to their defense, then their idiot of a number 1 goalie Stolarz got suspended for clubbing a player over the head with his stick and they got put out 2nd round in the playoffs and never regained momentum.

Was it obvious Windsor didn't have the talent two years ago when under much the same circumstances they got put out in the first round but managed to right their ship and win the Memorial Cup?

 

[Otto]

I refer you back to post #23 in this thread for what i feel would be the best solution.. haven't come across anything better.. although i am once again increasing my salary demands.. I'll be looking for $100,000 annually plus benefits and travel expenses for both myself and my wife.

2021 Memorial Cup

 

[Generalsupdates]

I refer you back to post #23 in this thread for what i feel would be the best solution.. haven't come across anything better.. although i am once again increasing my salary demands.. I'll be looking for $100,000 annually plus benefits and travel expenses for both myself and my wife.

2021 Memorial Cup

The way it currently is would be far better than the winner the previous year to host it IMO.

Right now you're guaranteed to have a legit building hosting it and you're guaranteed to have a team that the CHL committee thinks is going to be good

History suggests in jr hockey to win it all means you gotta go all-in usually so not very often is that team among the 4 best in the country again the next year. More often than not everyone graduates after that and they're rebuilding

 

[AttackSound]

At this point in time it doesn't really matter who hosts the tournament. I've got to see the last three OHL hosted tournaments and can say that we can look at it hundreds of different ways to make the tournament as fair as it possibly could be but let's be honest there are only a few OHL markets that could host the tournament plain and simple.

London, Windsor, Kitchener in the west Ottawa, Mississauga, Oshawa maybe Hamilton depending upon building.

 

[Otto]

The way it currently is would be far better than the winner the previous year to host it IMO.

Right now you're guaranteed to have a legit building hosting it and you're guaranteed to have a team that the CHL committee thinks is going to be good

History suggests in jr hockey to win it all means you gotta go all-in usually so not very often is that team among the 4 best in the country again the next year. More often than not everyone graduates after that and they're rebuilding

Yes, teams would have to change the way they do things. But what team wouldn't want to be a three time host? We have seen teams have back to back appearances

 

[TuckerFan1]

Yes, teams would have to change the way they do things. But what team wouldn't want to be a three time host? We have seen teams have back to back appearances

Not a bad idea, but with the coverage from Sportsnet, they’re basically turning it into a week long hometown hockey. I would think they would want the tournament in a new city each year so they can showcase players and unique things from each city on their broadcasts.

 

[saska sault]

If only one team is putting in a bid it's pretty sad. The Sault doesn't have a great team this year but our recent track record should at least give us a shot.. But in reality only have 5k capacity in arena and being this far up north automatically give us no chance.

 

[Buttsy]

If only one team is putting in a bid it's pretty sad. The Sault doesn't have a great team this year but our recent track record should at least give us a shot.. But in reality only have 5k capacity in arena and being this far up north automatically give us no chance.

I agree saska sault the seating in the arena is a problem but I really don’t think the location of the Soo is an issue? You’re up their for sure but the Memorial Cup for the most part is a locally supported event. The Sault I would think would sell out a 6500- 7500 seat arena all week long? The Soo would be an awesome spot if the facility was worthy of holding it. Seats are one but also press boxes and camera setups etc. Hotels for the visitors etc...

 

[Otto]

Gotta figure, every WHL team's arena is further North than Sault Ste Marie

 

[HUSH10]

Any word on another team besides Oshawa submitting a bid? Deadline is the 10th and so far Oshawa is the only team I know for sure has and you know Branch is praying another team puts in a bid.

 

[dirty12]

If only one team is putting in a bid it's pretty sad. The Sault doesn't have a great team this year but our recent track record should at least give us a shot.. But in reality only have 5k capacity in arena and being this far up north automatically give us no chance.

no way does the SSM roster and potential to upgrade warrant confidence in being a possible 2021 tournament winner. That has to be the #1 consideration, imo; otherwise, give it to Kingston as it seems time for the east to host and Kingston can check off all other prerequisites.

 

[Naz]

no way does the SSM roster and potential to upgrade warrant confidence in being a possible 2021 tournament winner. That has to be the #1 consideration, imo; otherwise, give it to Kingston as it seems time for the east to host and Kingston can check off all other prerequisites.

 

[EvenSteven]

..... and you know Branch is praying another team puts in a bid.

Of course he is. But everyone knows Oshawa is a slam dunk so other teams aren’t going to piss away the non refundable $50,000 bid fee - this fee being the reason Branch wants more bids.

 

[three dog night]

Just saw on Facebook that Sault putting in a bid for the Memorial Cup

 

[three dog night]

Just saw on Facebook that Sault putting in a bid for the Memorial Cup

Soo Greyhounds to submit bid for 2021 Memorial Cup - SooToday.com

 

[HF92]

Of course he is. But everyone knows Oshawa is a slam dunk so other teams aren’t going to piss away the non refundable $50,000 bid fee - this fee being the reason Branch wants more bids.

SSM doesn't think Oshawa is much of a slam dunk, considering they'd been very conservative with bidding ( first time I can remember) they must have a lot of faith. Should be cool.

SSM fans deserves it but that's not to say Oshawa doesn't either.

 

[battfan888]

I would love to see the Soo get it but I'd be shocked if they get it over Oshawa.