MiamiHockey
Registered User
- Sep 12, 2012
- 2,087
- 187
It is pretty sad that so many cities have had hockey ripped from them simply because of a loophole/design flaw in the NHL's collective bargaining agreement. It seems like it would have been easier to amend/clarify that clause than to move almost a dozen teams around in the course of three years.
That's one factor.
A second, critical factor is that the salary cap has magnified the importance of player development. Teams can no longer buy their way out of poor drafting/development. They need a steady stream of young, inexpensive players who can step in either during the season, or in the offseason when more expensive veterans move out.
Teams are taking greater interest in developing their own players and their coaching staff. That process is much easier to manage when the AHL franchise is located close to the NHL franchise. In the case of teams such as the Leafs, Sharks (and, soon, Habs) they can use the same practice facility. It's much easier for the NHL team to monitor prospects, for the specialist coaches to work with both teams (e.g., goaltending coach, skating coach), and for the coaching staffs to work closely together.
Here's some comments on that topic ... note what Rob Blake says:
https://frozenroyalty.net/2016/06/18/ontario-first-season-in-ahl-part-2/
Simply put, it's a better model to have the AHL franchise within a short drive of the NHL franchise. Salary cap issues are but one part of that model.