2023-24 Junior Hockey Expansion, Relocation, and Retraction

[tank44]

You mean the BCHL would expand to Seattle in a 500-seat arena? Or do you mean they're just trying to get a toehold in the Seattle market in perhaps another rink? The sense I get from this league - having been around it for close to 30 years, is they take themselves too seriously for a rink that small. Never mind that some of the teams struggle to draw actual crowds (Langley, Merritt) the league has in the past called for a minimum capacity of 1,500. (Merritt's rink probably only fits 1,500 if fans fill the neutral zone.)

So, maybe. Is there room in Seattle for yet another hockey team?

There is the Seattle Totems who play in the SPHL and some other minor junior leagues. Perhaps we're looking at the elevation of them to BCHL. They play out of Olympic View Arena just north of Seattle. It's an Olympic sized sheet with cement bleachers that can at best can seat 1,000.

 

[mk80]

There is the Seattle Totems who play in the SPHL and some other minor junior leagues. Perhaps we're looking at the elevation of them to BCHL. They play out of Olympic View Arena just north of Seattle. It's an Olympic sized sheet with cement bleachers that can at best can seat 1,000.

USPHL

SPHL is the minor pro league in the Southeast U.S./ now Midwest

 

[mk80]

New Hampshire to the NAHL is official

 

[MeHateHe]

It's an Olympic sized sheet with cement bleachers that can at best can seat 1,000.

Again, going off old information, but about 10 years ago the NAHL franchise in Dawson Creek BC was trying to get into the BCHL and were suggesting they needed an arena with a minimum of 1,500 seats. Unless they've decided that getting a toehold in Seattle is more important than arena capacity - and knowing some of the personalities in ownership in the BCHL, my assertion is that the league is pretty snooty about that sort of thing - I don't think that kind of arena cuts it.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

New Hampshire to the NAHL is official

Not a big fan of the branding and wish they kept the New Hampshire Monarchs moniker and branding, but I guess they want to set it apart from anything to come before it.

Side note, the NCDC coach of the Northern Cyclones, who has forever been a direct rival of any Hooksett team, welcomed his new neighbors. I am guessing he is being sarcastic.

 

[JMCx4]

New Hampshire to the NAHL is official

If the team doesn't use this as their team intro music, they will have missed the opportunity to educate dozens of junior hockey fans (and players) ...

 

[tank44]

Again, going off old information, but about 10 years ago the NAHL franchise in Dawson Creek BC was trying to get into the BCHL and were suggesting they needed an arena with a minimum of 1,500 seats. Unless they've decided that getting a toehold in Seattle is more important than arena capacity - and knowing some of the personalities in ownership in the BCHL, my assertion is that the league is pretty snooty about that sort of thing - I don't think that kind of arena cuts it.

Right, and I'm just saying what is here. I assume BCHL would not go to the existing WHL arenas so after that it's the Kraken practice rink or this Olympic View arena but neither seat more than 1000. Since the Kraken have arrived, there's 6 new ice sheets in the metro area (50% increase) and there's already an ice shortage (again).

 

[MeHateHe]

Meanwhile, the remnants of the Western States Hockey League - now known as the Can-Am Junior Hockey League - is down to five teams in Alberta. (Maybe the "Am" stands for "I still AM a hockey league?") But, their website says they are planning expansion into BC for the 2023-2024 season. They will be competing for ice time, players and eyeballs with 5 WHL teams, 17 BCHL teams, 42 Junior B teams, 2 USports teams and 5 BCIHL teams.

News: CAJHL expanding to British Columbia - Canadian-American Junior Hockey League

www.cajhl.com

Expand or die, I guess?

 

[FrozenPonds]

New Hampshire to the NAHL is official

I might have missed it..but what then happens to the NCDC entry?? And is it true that the Maine Nordiques could be on the move?

 

[CANADIENSFAN90]

Where would Maine move to?

 

[JMCx4]

I might have missed it..but what then happens to the NCDC entry?? And is it true that the Maine Nordiques could be on the move?

Don't let HUTCH hear you say that.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

I might have missed it..but what then happens to the NCDC entry?? And is it true that the Maine Nordiques could be on the move?

NCDC entry would likely be sold to some other organization or folded outright. That is the sort of the precedent set with the Philadelphia HC and Philadelphia Rebels.

Maine Nordiques on the move? That would be the first time I have heard of it. Their attendance is finally starting to pick up again and their owner also owns the arena.

 

[mk80]

The New Ulm Steel have been relocated

 

[JMCx4]

An awful lot of "Pinnacle" business entities involved in North American hockey & adjacent services. You'd think one or two of them would've opted for a synonym to stand out from the crowd.

ETA: The NA3 owners should pool some resources & hire a professional artist to design logos for new teams. The skills of the grade school art classes they've been employing have clearly suffered during the COVID Years.

 

[mk80]

I might have missed it..but what then happens to the NCDC entry?? And is it true that the Maine Nordiques could be on the move?

NCDC entry would likely be sold to some other organization or folded outright. That is the sort of the precedent set with the Philadelphia HC and Philadelphia Rebels.

Maine Nordiques on the move? That would be the first time I have heard of it. Their attendance is finally starting to pick up again and their owner also owns the arena.

Likely the Jr. Monarchs are going to be sold as Barclay said, or just folded either way they won't be sharing the market. Worth noting the new Mountain Kings did just hire the Jr. Monarchs Head Coach as their GM and Director of Operations 2022-2023 Staff | NH Jr. Monarchs

 

[Rbenj]

Same thing happened at Greeley Colorado. The NoCo Jr Eagles was supposed to be part of an inaugural NCDC-West division, but NAHL moved in, in the same rink, as Colorado Grit, and hired the Jr Eagles’ Head Coach. No announcement yet whether the NCDC team is going away, but it most likely will.

 

[mk80]

Same thing happened at Greeley Colorado. The NoCo Jr Eagles was supposed to be part of an inaugural NCDC-West division, but NAHL moved in, in the same rink, as Colorado Grit, and hired the Jr Eagles’ Head Coach. No announcement yet whether the NCDC team is going away, but it most likely will.

I think in both cases it's safe to assume that the NCDC teams at least won't be operating in the same place if they continue to exist at all. In both cases it's the same owners that have bought into the NAHL. In terms of the USA Hockey/NAHL vs NCDC turf war this has been a big year for the the USA Hockey side.

 

[mk80]

And we now have the NA3HL Mountain Kings

 

[JMCx4]

So when will the birth of "Mountain Kings the 3rd" be announced? It seems the Mountain Kings species has a gestation period of approx. one month. They must be descended from the Royal Rabbits.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

And we now have the NA3HL Mountain Kings

In the same article, it omits the Bay State Bobcats from divisional opponents

 

[JMCx4]

In the same article, it omits the Bay State Bobcats from divisional opponents

The devil is in the details. You're too observant to be a hockey board poster. Please leave the key in your room & depart via the back door (making sure it latches) before noon today. It's been a pleasure hosting you.

 

[mk80]

In the same article, it omits the Bay State Bobcats from divisional opponents

Interesting, admittedly I didn't get a chance to read it until now. Figured I'd just throw it here quickly when I scrolled past it last night.

 

[Rbenj]

Another NCDC-West team just got announced. Former BCHL Nainamo team ownership group purchases an existing USPHL Premier team, and moves it up to NCDC.

Rock Springs Franchise, Under New Ownership, Moves Up To NCDC West For 2023-24

www.usphlncdc.com

 

[PCSPounder]

Another NCDC-West team just got announced. Former BCHL Nainamo team ownership group purchases an existing USPHL Premier team, and moves it up to NCDC.

Rock Springs Franchise, Under New Ownership, Moves Up To NCDC West For 2023-24

www.usphlncdc.com

Which takes Rock Springs out of the division with the Northwest teams and Vernal. That really leaves Vernal on an island (smaller capacity rink) and three teams on northern I-5 shrugging again.

 

[Swayman]

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