Abbotsford Flames to Utica?

[go_leafs_go02]

https://twitter.com/passittobulis/status/313761517294198784

There's traction, and trust me... The Canucks want to get their team into Abbotsford, and Aquilini wants to buy the arena in town as a secondary venue to Rogers Arena.

https://twitter.com/TheSportMarket/status/313760763615518721

Still lots of moving parts b4 March 23rd timeline but watch for Calgary Flames to take on Utica for their AHL affiliation while...(Cont'd)

https://twitter.com/TheSportMarket/status/313761147507580928

(Part 2)...St. Louis Blues to affiliate with Chicago Wolves and @VanCanucks to buy Peoria to move to Abbotsford. #ahlcarousel @TEAM1040

March 23 is FRIDAY.

 

[Frank Booth]

If all these things do happen, I have two thoughts about this:
1. The Flames are taking a page out of San Jose's book, in that neither team has ever had any clue at all about running an AHL team, so just move the team to the conjested Northeast, keeping travel costs, and losses, to a minimum.
2. Losing Peoria would also mean losing the Peoria Star Journal and it's "ace" reporter Dave Eminian. He is the AHL's journalistic equivalent to TMZ. Perhaps the Blues may be wanting to sell the team because they can't afford the catering costs for the media room at the Carver Arena anymore.

 

[axecrew]

I find it hard to conceive Peoria being sold as they're owned by the Blues, just so STL can be affiliiated with the Wolves who historically try to win now than being interested in developing palyers for parent club.

Unless, Levin does buy the Yotes to move the Seattle and sells the Wolves to Stillman's group making it the Blues affiliate.

This league may not look the same in 3 months!

Don has been quoted multiple times saying he will not sell the Wolves. Told me the chance of the NHL in Seattle is about 10%

 

[Mightygoose]

Don has been quoted multiple times saying he will not sell the Wolves. Told me the chance of the NHL in Seattle is about 10%

Makes sense Levin not selling the Wolves. Though Stillman and co. selling the Rivermen and affiliating with the Wolves seems like a big step backwards for STL's player development

 

[HamiltonOHL]

Heat to move to Utica, New York.

St. Louis Blues to affiliate with Chicago Wolves

Vancouver Canucks purchase Peoria Rivermen and relocate them to Abbotsford.

Looks like this will all become public & official by the end of this week.

seen this over on WHL main forum... dont shoot the messenger

edit: never mind didnt see the top message

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

If all these things do happen, I have two thoughts about this:
1. The Flames are taking a page out of San Jose's book, in that neither team has ever had any clue at all about running an AHL team, so just move the team to the conjested Northeast, keeping travel costs, and losses, to a minimum.
2. Losing Peoria would also mean losing the Peoria Star Journal and it's "ace" reporter Dave Eminian. He is the AHL's journalistic equivalent to TMZ. Perhaps the Blues may be wanting to sell the team because they can't afford the catering costs for the media room at the Carver Arena anymore.

just makes up for the PSJ being gung ho about taking the Ice Cats away from Worcester.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I find it hard to conceive Peoria being sold as they're owned by the Blues, just so STL can be affiliiated with the Wolves who historically try to win now than being interested in developing palyers for parent club.

Unless, Levin does buy the Yotes to move the Seattle and sells the Wolves to Stillman's group making it the Blues affiliate.

This league may not look the same in 3 months!

the league is fine, mightygoose, the one thing losercrew forgets is Portland remains w/ the Coyotes, whether or not they go to Seattle, and I'm betting it's 75-25 Seattle, by at least 2014.

 

[wildcat48]

More fuel for the fire....

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1522341785/Eminian-Rumor-mill-talks-of-Rivermen-move

 

[MM658]

It seems that the CGY/Utica, VAN/Abbotsford, STL/ChiWolves is one potential carousel.

The other, separate change that's been mentioned here recently is MIN/Iowa (leaving Houston). Any ideas how, if at all, that potential move would impact the Iowa Stars franchise situation, which last I knew, was tied up in court? The Texas Stars have operated for their entire existence without an official AHL franchise. That was supposed to be a temporary situation, but here we are in year 4 with no change, AFAIK. Unless that legal issue was quietly resolved with no fanfare.

Anyone know any more about that franchise in limbo?

 

[210]

It seems that the CGY/Utica, VAN/Abbotsford, STL/ChiWolves is one potential carousel.

The other, separate change that's been mentioned here recently is MIN/Iowa (leaving Houston). Any ideas how, if at all, that potential move would impact the Iowa Stars franchise situation, which last I knew, was tied up in court? The Texas Stars have operated for their entire existence without an official AHL franchise. That was supposed to be a temporary situation, but here we are in year 4 with no change, AFAIK. Unless that legal issue was quietly resolved with no fanfare.

Anyone know any more about that franchise in limbo?

That was settled a long time ago. The Texas Stars ownership group bought the Iowa Chops franchise at the end of the 2009-10 season.

 

[MM658]

That was settled a long time ago. The Texas Stars ownership group bought the Iowa Chops franchise at the end of the 2009-10 season.

Embarrassed to say that I missed that! Thanks for enlightening me, 210.

 

[JB51Hockey]

More fuel for the fire....

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1522341785/Eminian-Rumor-mill-talks-of-Rivermen-move

Tulsa is a new one.... I personally think Calgary should stick it out in Abbotsford for one year and then head to Glens Falls when the Phantoms move to Allentown. I know the B-Sens wanted to go up in the Adirondacks so if they beat the Flames maybe Fort Wayne? That'd be awesome!

EDIT: Been to the Utica Aud, and it is a dump. Too old and small and will never be able to generate revenue. A sellout season would be 4th last in the league!

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Honestly a bit shocked at the prospect. Will be sad to see the Rivermen leave Illinois if true.

That being said, I'd be cool with the Wolves changing affiliates, even if to a different rival.

 

[Mightygoose]

Honestly a bit shocked at the prospect. Will be sad to see the Rivermen leave Illinois if true.

That being said, I'd be cool with the Wolves changing affiliates, even if to a different rival.

Agreed, the fans in Peoria will really be the ones losing out with this shuffle.

Don't know how Blues fans feel with the prospect of having thier affiliation with the Wolves, as I understand they focus more on the win now as opposed to player developement.

If MLSE did the same thing with the Marlies, I wouldn't be too pleased.

 

[OKHoosier41218]

More fuel for the fire....

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1522341785/Eminian-Rumor-mill-talks-of-Rivermen-move

Wow... This caught me completely offguard when I saw it posted tonight. Both Tulsa and Indianapolis mentioned as possibilities? Tulsa would have an in-state rivalry with OKC. I'm about the same distance away (2.5-3 hours) from both cities.

However, being an Indy native and a Blues fan, I'd be all over it if they end up putting an affiliation in Indy. I was crushed when the Ice left the IHL after the Blackhawks pulled their affiliation in 1999. I've never given up hope that Indy would be the home of an NHL team's affiliate again someday. When I lived up there, I had heard rumors that Columbus and Ottawa had both explored Indy as a possibility for an AHL affiliation.

With that being said, I've always liked the Peoria Rivermen, and I'd hate to see their fans lose their team. Especially with as long as the Rivermen have been around.

Plus it all seems like speculation at this point...

 

[wildthing202]

With that being said, I've always liked the Peoria Rivermen, and I'd hate to see their fans lose their team. Especially with as long as the Rivermen have been around.

Plus it all seems like speculation at this point...

Such a shame if they lose their team after stealing another city's team.....

 

[HansH]

More fuel for the fire....

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1522341785/Eminian-Rumor-mill-talks-of-Rivermen-move

No one seems to be picking up on this piece of the article, though:

Said Affleck: “This all stems from the rumors about Calgary’s intentions to move from Abbotsford. That’s generated a lot of (rumor) and there’s been as many as five teams named in it. Our understanding that the Calgary and Vancouver things fell apart.â€

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.d...LUMN21&source=rss&CSProduct=wtg&CSProduct=wtg

From the Worcester beat writer

Things have quieted down, at least publicly, since reports surfaced that Utica was going to have an AHL team for the next 10 years. No one has yet confirmed that under oath, though, and it seems as though Utica’s AHL return would be more along the lines of a rest stop than a decade.

There will be some affiliate musical chairs stuff going on, with Vancouver said to be heading to Abbotsford and Calgary somewhere. Houston is having lease issues and, perhaps, Des Moines could be back in the league.

One of the more interesting topics is the future of the former IceCats franchise, currently in Peoria. The Blues could move their affiliation to Chicago to replace the Canucks there. However, St. Louis owns the Peoria franchise — perhaps the Flames could buy it — and, as Virgil Tibbs said during “In the Heat of the Night†while exonerating a suspect — Sam couldn’t have driven two cars. Or two AHL teams. One possible catch — the Wolves would like John Anderson back as coach no matter who they are affiliated with

 

[beenhereandthere]

It's been argued/rumored for at least a decade that (especially California) NHL teams have considered relocating their AHL franchises "closer" to their NHL parent.

Speaking for the Sharks and their franchise (owned by parent team, Kentucky, Ohio, and now Massachusetts), that one reason they selected New England was for the proximity to other teams (usually less than 2 hours travel time each way). This leads to lessened travel expenses AND sufficient time for practice.

Until and if other NHL western franchises **commit** to moving their franchises (lets say to Fresno, Reno, Portland OR, Seattle and/or Sacramento among the candidate cities) to get a reasonable grouping for bus travel, I just don't see it.

While it would be cool for at least a couple AHL teams to be out West, like even Utah again, seems to me, that it is actually less expensive for teams like the Sharks and the Kings to have their AHL teams close together in NE or NY or wherever back there, since, the travel cost within the league, is a lot less, often, unless they're playing back to back, teams from Rochester to Portland, will take a bus back home, instead of staying in hotel rooms. I don't know what % the NHL team, has to help $wise with the AHL team, but, that part, I'm sure is something that they keep in mind

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

While it would be cool for at least a couple AHL teams to be out West, like even Utah again, seems to me, that it is actually less expensive for teams like the Sharks and the Kings to have their AHL teams close together in NE or NY or wherever back there, since, the travel cost within the league, is a lot less, often, unless they're playing back to back, teams from Rochester to Portland, will take a bus back home, instead of staying in hotel rooms. I don't know what % the NHL team, has to help $wise with the AHL team, but, that part, I'm sure is something that they keep in mind

depends on each PDC, been, some affiliates had that right originally, but most have let that option be rewritten each time a PDC is either signed and/or extended as to what control the affiliate has in each case (mostly player signings).

 

[axecrew]

depends on each PDC, been, some affiliates had that right originally, but most have let that option be rewritten each time a PDC is either signed and/or extended as to what control the affiliate has in each case (mostly player signings).

What's PDC? MOD EDIT Ah, you mean a player development contract or even easier call it an affiliation agreement.

To answer that persons question in english......It depends on what the two teams agreed on when they signed their contract with each other.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Tulsa is a new one.... I personally think Calgary should stick it out in Abbotsford for one year and then head to Glens Falls when the Phantoms move to Allentown. I know the B-Sens wanted to go up in the Adirondacks so if they beat the Flames maybe Fort Wayne? That'd be awesome!

EDIT: Been to the Utica Aud, and it is a dump. Too old and small and will never be able to generate revenue. A sellout season would be 4th last in the league!

As a Canucks fan, I am really hoping we can gain control of a franchise in Abby. As I live close by Abbotsford.

Its really a failure, the only time they draw anything half decent is when the Wolves (or prior Moose) came to town.

I think the taxpayers in Abby aren't to happy about continuing to pour money into the thing, and the government has changed since the agreement to bring the team in was made, I'm pretty sure the new government isn't too thrilled about the situation either.

There seem to be alot of possibilities. Maybe the Flames take Chicago if St.Louis sticks it out in Peoria, although from there POV, I would think Chicago would be of interest to them seeing as it is one of the better franchises in the AHL, and they wouldn't have to own it.

That's really the issue for us, we want to own the team so the prospects can get more opportunity, aswell as being close, getting used to tough travel, and it being a good draw for fans in the lower mainland.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Ummm yeah, keep dreaming. They might crack the 4000 attendance mark with Van as their affiliate but that's a stretch judging by the fans' ambivalence.

I think they would.

It would skyrocket from what it is now though either way.

They have to sell tickets for the remainder of this year - so why say the team is on its way out now?

This is a rumour, a rumour that has legs. You'll see things ramp up in the next few weeks and months.

Go 20 min down the freeway to the east, go back in time 2 years, and I present to you the demise fiasco of the WHL Chilliwack Bruins.

http://gdrinnan.blogspot.ca/2011/04/saga-of-chilliwack-bruins-chronology.html
6 weeks from the rumours starting, to the Bruins disappearing. Fans were told season ticket renewal forms were at the print shop, as they started wondering what was going on, since it was early March.

The first chapter of the end of the Abbotsford Heat is just beginning.

End of the Heat. But if they "end". There will be another Abbotsford team affliated by Vancouver, so it will be a new beginning.

 

[MM658]

Such a shame if they lose their team after stealing another city's team.....

...that was stolen from another city, to begin with...

 

[LadyStanley]

http://bleedinblue.com/2013/03/21/s...rmen-and-begin-alignment-with-chicago-wolves/

Sounds like the new St Louis ownership is looking at making $$ so may sell off the AHL Peoria team. (FTR, there's still a couple of years on the lease, so the cost of breaking that lease might have to be negotiated as part of the sale price)