AHL West Part II - ADK, MAN, NOR, OKC, & WOR

[Theoriginalalex]

Ah, good point. I wonder how the schedule will be structured, though. Will the Pacific teams even visit those on the East Coast, and vice versa?

It's been reported that it'll be similar to how it is currently, with a home-and-home against the other divisions in your conference, and little or no inter-conference play. Manitoba and Texas have said they expect to play the Pacific Teams, Hershey has said they don't.

I see what you mean, but I would think at least the independent AHL owners might have some objections.

You'd think, but the indepent owners also appear to be ok with the idea of giving the Pacific teams an 8-game advantage and pro-rated playoff spots.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

It's been reported that it'll be similar to how it is currently, with a home-and-home against the other divisions in your conference, and little or no inter-conference play. Manitoba and Texas have said they expect to play the Pacific Teams, Hershey has said they don't.



You'd think, but the indepent owners also appear to be ok with the idea of giving the Pacific teams an 8-game advantage and pro-rated playoff spots.

There is no way ANY of the Eastern Conf teams will play the Pacific teams.

The independent owners don't care what the NHL owned teams do....they are out numbered now 16-14 and may as well be 29-1.

The fact that any pro sports teams, hockey or otherwise, plays a different number of games is beyond comprehension. This, even if he doesn't think so, will be Dave Andrews legacy.

 

[Ahl comets]

There is no way ANY of the Eastern Conf teams will play the Pacific teams.

The independent owners don't care what the NHL owned teams do....they are out numbered now 16-14 and may as well be 29-1.

The fact that any pro sports teams, hockey or otherwise, plays a different number of games is beyond comprehension. This, even if he doesn't think so, will be Dave Andrews legacy.

I agree... The eastern conferance teams will not travel to the west coast. I would imagine that was a stipulation of the Western movement. The California teams will have to subsidise the Midwest teams travel expenses. I wonder how long it will take before the ahl hears the western teams say we are sick of playing the same 4 teams 60 games a year!!! Should be real good for attendance after the novalty wears off!!!!!!!!

 

[Peter6625]

I just hope this AHL west movement fails. I started off a Lowell Lock Monster fan, than a Lowell Devils fan. After the Devils burned Lowell I became a Manchester Monarchs season ticket holder, and they burn me. Any city building an arena for minor league hockey needs to have there head examined. Minor league hockey is the biggest cut throat racket. It should be interesting to see how the ECHL will do in New England. Do they realize that we are covered with a better product in Hockey East? It's going to be an easy choice for many people. Would you rather pay $20 a ticket to see guys trying to make the AHL, or pay $10 to see players like Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau?

 

[Ahl comets]

I just hope this AHL west movement fails. I started off a Lowell Lock Monster fan, than a Lowell Devils fan. After the Devils burned Lowell I became a Manchester Monarchs season ticket holder, and they burn me. Any city building an arena for minor league hockey needs to have there head examined. Minor league hockey is the biggest cut throat racket. It should be interesting to see how the ECHL will do in New England. Do they realize that we are covered with a better product in Hockey East? It's going to be an easy choice for many people. Would you rather pay $20 a ticket to see guys trying to make the AHL, or pay $10 to see players like Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau?

It will become a convenient issue.... If it is more convenient to go to a echl game than college game, then that's where people will go and vice versa.... Others will choose the college route....

 

[Avsrule2022]

If Colorado in the ECHL can make 2 or 3 5 hour flights to Alaska a year, I don't see why a few East coast AHL teams couldn't fly West on occasion. Toronto to San Diego by air is only 10 minutes farther than CO to AK.
I believe 2 or 3 years ago in the E Florida traveled to Alaska.
Not to mention the West teams could reciprocate every other year if they wanted to.
If independent ECHL teams can do it, there is no reason Eastern AHL teams (independent or otherwise) can't.
Except for stubbornness.

 

[IceCapsFanNL]

With all of the college hockey in New England, I foresee the discriminating fans in the area finding the ECHL lacking.

 

[Ahl comets]

If Colorado in the ECHL can make 2 or 3 5 hour flights to Alaska a year, I don't see why a few East coast AHL teams couldn't fly West on occasion. Toronto to San Diego by air is only 10 minutes farther than CO to AK.
I believe 2 or 3 years ago in the E Florida traveled to Alaska.
Not to mention the West teams could reciprocate every other year if they wanted to.
If independent ECHL teams can do it, there is no reason Eastern AHL teams (independent or otherwise) can't.
Except for stubbornness.

And have you seen the ticket prices of these echl teams???? The fans are the ones who ultimately pay for all this travel. The California teams already will have to subsidise the mid west teams travel to California. Utica's ticket prices are less than the new echl team in Adirondack...why??? Because the echl travels way too much and the east coast Ahl teams know how to run their businesses.....

 

[UticaHockey]

We won't know until next summer when the schedule comes out but it would not surprise me if the Pacific Division only plays games within the division. They are going it alone by playing fewer games. All are NHL owned and are emphasizing development first with the ratio of practice to games.

Just a hunch but if those five teams never leave the state of California I would not be shocked.

 

[aparch]

If Colorado in the ECHL can make 2 or 3 5 hour flights to Alaska a year, I don't see why a few East coast AHL teams couldn't fly West on occasion. Toronto to San Diego by air is only 10 minutes farther than CO to AK.
I believe 2 or 3 years ago in the E Florida traveled to Alaska.
...

Alaska pays/reimburses teams to fly in. Abbotsford did the same in the A.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

If Colorado in the ECHL can make 2 or 3 5 hour flights to Alaska a year, I don't see why a few East coast AHL teams couldn't fly West on occasion. Toronto to San Diego by air is only 10 minutes farther than CO to AK.
I believe 2 or 3 years ago in the E Florida traveled to Alaska.
Not to mention the West teams could reciprocate every other year if they wanted to.
If independent ECHL teams can do it, there is no reason Eastern AHL teams (independent or otherwise) can't.
Except for stubbornness.

Ummmmm. It's called money. Planes are expensive. Busses aren't as much. Rochester didn't go to Milwaukee for 7 years and they are in the same conference. Let the western teams play each other 17 times each. The pacific teams don't want to go east any more than the eastern teams will resist going west.

And have you seen the ticket prices of these echl teams???? The fans are the ones who ultimately pay for all this travel. The California teams already will have to subsidise the mid west teams travel to California. Utica's ticket prices are less than the new echl team in Adirondack...why??? Because the echl travels way too much and the east coast Ahl teams know how to run their businesses.....

Exactly. I hope the pacific teams have to subsidize the west conf Midwest and Texas teams.

Exactly. I hope the pacific teams have to subsidize the west conf Midwest and Texas teams.

The ECHL will do much better NOT having teams in the Pacific region. Hope Alaska survives but it will depend solely on subsidizing teams coming in, which they do anyway.

If Colorado in the ECHL can make 2 or 3 5 hour flights to Alaska a year, I don't see why a few East coast AHL teams couldn't fly West on occasion. Toronto to San Diego by air is only 10 minutes farther than CO to AK.
I believe 2 or 3 years ago in the E Florida traveled to Alaska.
Not to mention the West teams could reciprocate every other year if they wanted to.
If independent ECHL teams can do it, there is no reason Eastern AHL teams (independent or otherwise) can't.
Except for stubbornness.

The Eastern teams have intelligence. I feel badly for the FANS in the new cities out west watching glorified practices against each other.

 

[Avsrule2022]

The Eastern teams have intelligence. I feel badly for the FANS in the new cities out west watching glorified practices against each other.

And Western teams dont? That's ludicrous.
And yes, I have seen the ticket prices. My season tickets cost 760 each. For the second cheapest seating area. But somehow we have over 3500 season ticket holders. Not to mention with these so called "expensive" tickets in the ECHL, Ontario averages 7800, Bako 4780 and Stockton 4488. More than quite a few AHL teams.
If the owners of AHL teams weren't so cheap, they could pay for the travel. Is a 25K West coast trip going to break the bank for an AHL team every other year or 3? NO. The West teams can help pay if that makes the East teams happy. I'm not saying it has to happen, just that some teams could easily do it. People act like it's impossible for teams to travel that far, yet many teams and leagues do it all the time.
Ask a player if he would rather ride the bus or fly, and see what they say. Granted, short bus trips are great. But if your team has nothing but short bus trips, even more reason to make a trip out West when your travel budget is (supposedly) minimal.
I'm not an AHL fan, so I have no dog in this fight. I just think travel is not as big a deal as people make it out to be, but whatever.

 

[Rumblick]

If the money wasn't that big a deal, more teams would travel further. I think when you're a minor league owner, money is ALWAYS an issue at some point.


Look at what it might take for a western trip. You'd need to allot about 8-10 days to get all 5 games in, if you went that way. Airfare is a big expense, and it's not air OR bus, because once you land at the airport, you need a mode of transportation to get you from game to game, to practice and to each city. That requires a bus. Airfare isn't an "either - or", it's an additional expense.

Also, from many of the articles I see, the western owners want no part of a big travel schedule. They WANT to play each other 17 times a year (that's what it'll take to run a 68-game slate). The East, which everyone seems to be concerned about travel wise, will have 15 teams next year. That's plenty to run a fairly diverse schedule with. It seems the Midwest clubs (and Charlotte) will be the ones putting the heaviest miles on.

It will be interesting to see the 2015-16 schedule when it comes out.

 

[randyc]

Money Talks

Seems the Western NHL teams complained about the cost and time lost to recall players from their Eastern affiliates. I don't think those that stayed behind in the East will want to commit money to flying out West.

So unless some of your Midwest teams are persueded that they need to travel, those Western teams will be exclusively playing each other. And that will get real old for the fans out there after a while. Less games and less variety of opponents is not a good inducement to purchase tickets.

 

[Avsrule2022]

If the money wasn't that big a deal, more teams would travel further. I think when you're a minor league owner, money is ALWAYS an issue at some point.


Look at what it might take for a western trip. You'd need to allot about 8-10 days to get all 5 games in, if you went that way. Airfare is a big expense, and it's not air OR bus, because once you land at the airport, you need a mode of transportation to get you from game to game, to practice and to each city. That requires a bus. Airfare isn't an "either - or", it's an additional expense.

Also, from many of the articles I see, the western owners want no part of a big travel schedule. They WANT to play each other 17 times a year (that's what it'll take to run a 68-game slate). The East, which everyone seems to be concerned about travel wise, will have 15 teams next year. That's plenty to run a fairly diverse schedule with. It seems the Midwest clubs (and Charlotte) will be the ones putting the heaviest miles on.

It will be interesting to see the 2015-16 schedule when it comes out.

I guess my point is, if ECHL teams can do it, AHL teams can too. And I wouldn't expect a 5 team West road trip, maybe a 1 ot 2 team weekend trip. Just a once in a while thing. From a fan perspective, it's nice to see different teams once in a while. If a team in the East and a team in the West wanted to make a deal where they travel East one year, and the other team travels West the next year, it's a wash and the fans get to see different teams. It happens in the E where budgets are much tighter than the A.

 

[axecrew]

I guess my point is, if ECHL teams can do it, AHL teams can too. And I wouldn't expect a 5 team West road trip, maybe a 1 ot 2 team weekend trip. Just a once in a while thing. From a fan perspective, it's nice to see different teams once in a while. If a team in the East and a team in the West wanted to make a deal where they travel East one year, and the other team travels West the next year, it's a wash and the fans get to see different teams. It happens in the E where budgets are much tighter than the A.

I'm on your side and have been saying this for years....BUT one thing you have wrong is that it can't be a stand alone trip like you mentioned between just 1 team per conference. it has to include multiple teams to make it financially feasable. I know here in chicago a team can fly into O'Hare and take hotel transportation to hotel by the rink thus eliminating the need to charter a bus for that portion of the trip.They would need a bus to go to milwaukee and or rockford but both are short rides 1.5 hours from chicago thus they could either stay in same hotel and bus back and forth or go to rockford and then after game go to milwaukee thus eliminating 1 hotel from the trip because you know you're going to get better rates for multiple nights stays...especially for that large of a block of rooms...then you bus back after game to chicago and back to hotel or you bus back next morning to O'hare and leave, depending on if you use chicago as a hub or not.

It can be done if the willingness to do it is there...and traditionally it's been the eastern teams who have been against it.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

I guess my point is, if ECHL teams can do it, AHL teams can too. And I wouldn't expect a 5 team West road trip, maybe a 1 ot 2 team weekend trip. Just a once in a while thing. From a fan perspective, it's nice to see different teams once in a while. If a team in the East and a team in the West wanted to make a deal where they travel East one year, and the other team travels West the next year, it's a wash and the fans get to see different teams. It happens in the E where budgets are much tighter than the A.

There are 15 teams in the east, no one out here cares about seeing the pacific teams. Ever. Plenty of teams to play. Let the 5 Pacific teams play their glorified practices in front of paying fans and develop their players.

Are you an owner? How can you call any owner in the minor leagues cheap? Most are trying to survive, not spend tens of thousands so we can travel to California so you can watch someone from the east in addition to your practice games.

 

[Avsrule2022]

There are 15 teams in the east, no one out here cares about seeing the pacific teams. Ever. Plenty of teams to play. Let the 5 Pacific teams play their glorified practices in front of paying fans and develop their players.

Are you an owner? How can you call any owner in the minor leagues cheap? Most are trying to survive, not spend tens of thousands so we can travel to California so you can watch someone from the east in addition to your practice games.

If no one cares about this, then why do you have a problem with it? It's like some of you are against spreading the game of hockey. Everyone keeps stating how if AHL teams leave the East, the ECHL won't work there because there are so many other hockey teams to watch. Thats great, but West of the Mississippi, we don't have that option. There are few D1 teams in the West, none West of Denver. A tier 3 junior A league. WHL in the Northwest. A few ECHL and NHL teams. Most places in the East that lose hockey have another option just down the road. (Dont get me wrong, I hate to see ANY fans lose their team). We don't have that here. So we will rejoice and support any movement West.
If the owner of the Eagles can pay for a trip from Colorado to Florida like last year, an AHL owner can do the same. Are you saying a team like Hershey couldn't afford it? Come on now......
I don't get all the hatred. It's like a kid with a toybox full of toys that doesn't want to give a few away, wether he plays with them or not.
I'm done with this argument. I have just been stating my opinion. Movement West will continue. Wether it works or not, I don't know, but we will find out one way or another. Hockey is changing, you either change with it, or get left by the roadside.

Looking forward to the discussions (arguments) next year when a team from the Pacific plays a shorter schedule and wins the cup. Then you guys will have something real to complain about.

 

[randyc]

Not So In Norfolk

We didn't have another option just down the road here. What we got was an ECHL team looking for a home after being displaced by by its AHL parent club.

No one here believes we got a fair deal out of this from the Ducks. And you arer right, it stinks losing one's team.

 

[Lunatik]

Also, from many of the articles I see, the western owners want no part of a big travel schedule. They WANT to play each other 17 times a year (that's what it'll take to run a 68-game slate). The East, which everyone seems to be concerned about travel wise, will have 15 teams next year. That's plenty to run a fairly diverse schedule with. It seems the Midwest clubs (and Charlotte) will be the ones putting the heaviest miles on.

I have a feeling the West Division schedule will look like this:

12 vs other 4 Cali teams (48 games)
10 vs the Texas teams (20 games)

and for the Texas teams I can see

12 vs the other Texas team (12 games)
10 vs the Cali teams (50 games)
6 vs other Western Conference teams (6 games)

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

If no one cares about this, then why do you have a problem with it? It's like some of you are against spreading the game of hockey. Everyone keeps stating how if AHL teams leave the East, the ECHL won't work there because there are so many other hockey teams to watch. Thats great, but West of the Mississippi, we don't have that option. There are few D1 teams in the West, none West of Denver. A tier 3 junior A league. WHL in the Northwest. A few ECHL and NHL teams. Most places in the East that lose hockey have another option just down the road. (Dont get me wrong, I hate to see ANY fans lose their team). We don't have that here. So we will rejoice and support any movement West.
If the owner of the Eagles can pay for a trip from Colorado to Florida like last year, an AHL owner can do the same. Are you saying a team like Hershey couldn't afford it? Come on now......
I don't get all the hatred. It's like a kid with a toybox full of toys that doesn't want to give a few away, wether he plays with them or not.
I'm done with this argument. I have just been stating my opinion. Movement West will continue. Wether it works or not, I don't know, but we will find out one way or another. Hockey is changing, you either change with it, or get left by the roadside.

Looking forward to the discussions (arguments) next year when a team from the Pacific plays a shorter schedule and wins the cup. Then you guys will have something real to complain about.

Never said Hershey couldn't afford it...or anyone else. Vancouver owns the Comets, they are certainly rich. I understand Milwaukee and Chicago could certainly afford it...but.

You're missing the point. There will be, I guess, again 2 15 team divisions. Even if each team in the west and or east played in conference 5 games, that would be roughly 70 games. don't you want to play the teams in your division 8? Why do you have to play every team every game? Why cost teams money who don't want to travel? I don't own the teas...if they do they do...if they don't they don't.

of course a pacific team will likely win it after playing 8 fewer games and practicing whole year.

I have nothing against the fans of any city or team. For that matter, the teams themselves...only the NHL parents who now run this league.

Remember, the NHL western teams do not want their prospects traveling all the time, why put them on a plane east?

Like stated, I don't own the teams, I don't own the airlines. The west NHL teams created this mess along with the spineless twerp David Andrews. Must have slipped on the ice in Springfield and caught Bettmanism.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

I have a feeling the West Division schedule will look like this:

12 vs other 4 Cali teams (48 games)
10 vs the Texas teams (20 games)

and for the Texas teams I can see

12 vs the other Texas team (12 games)
10 vs the Cali teams (50 games)
6 vs other Western Conference teams (6 games)

This makes sense.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

I agree... The eastern conference teams will not travel to the west coast. I would imagine that was a stipulation of the Western movement. The California teams will have to subsidize the Midwest teams travel expenses. I wonder how long it will take before the ahl hears the western teams say we are sick of playing the same 4 teams 60 games a year!!! Should be real good for attendance after the novelty wears off!!!!!!!!

How is that different than the current AHL schedule?

If Colorado in the ECHL can make 2 or 3 5 hour flights to Alaska a year, I don't see why a few East coast AHL teams couldn't fly West on occasion. Toronto to San Diego by air is only 10 minutes farther than CO to AK.
I believe 2 or 3 years ago in the E Florida traveled to Alaska.
Not to mention the West teams could reciprocate every other year if they wanted to.
If independent ECHL teams can do it, there is no reason Eastern AHL teams (independent or otherwise) can't.
Except for stubbornness.

Exactly, especially from the teams owned by an NHL club.

The Eastern teams have intelligence. I feel badly for the FANS in the new cities out west watching glorified practices against each other.

They're smart, not dumb like people say. I's your older brother mikey and I got passed over. There was something in it for me.

What movie??

I'm on your side and have been saying this for years....BUT one thing you have wrong is that it can't be a stand alone trip like you mentioned between just 1 team per conference. it has to include multiple teams to make it financially feasible. I know here in chicago a team can fly into O'Hare and take hotel transportation to hotel by the rink thus eliminating the need to charter a bus for that portion of the trip.They would need a bus to go to milwaukee and or rockford but both are short rides 1.5 hours from chicago thus they could either stay in same hotel and bus back and forth or go to rockford and then after game go to milwaukee thus eliminating 1 hotel from the trip because you know you're going to get better rates for multiple nights stays...especially for that large of a block of rooms...then you bus back after game to chicago and back to hotel or you bus back next morning to O'hare and leave, depending on if you use chicago as a hub or not.

It can be done if the willingness to do it is there...and traditionally it's been the eastern teams who have been against it.

It can be easily done if there is a willingness. Heck, they can even bus here. Toronto buses here....

There are 15 teams in the east, no one out here cares about seeing the pacific teams. Ever. Plenty of teams to play. Let the 5 Pacific teams play their glorified practices in front of paying fans and develop their players.

Are you an owner? How can you call any owner in the minor leagues cheap? Most are trying to survive, not spend tens of thousands so we can travel to California so you can watch someone from the east in addition to your practice games.

But how do you explain all the AHL teams owned by the NHL teams? They can schedule their trip out to the midwest or cali when the parent club goes out there. Then recalls are still close.

 

[Avsrule2022]

We didn't have another option just down the road here. What we got was an ECHL team looking for a home after being displaced by by its AHL parent club.

No one here believes we got a fair deal out of this from the Ducks. And you arer right, it stinks losing one's team.

I'm sincerely sorry you guys lost your team. I don't want to lump you guys in there with other locations with other options.

 

[Avsrule2022]

But how do you explain all the AHL teams owned by the NHL teams? They can schedule their trip out to the midwest or cali when the parent club goes out there. Then recalls are still close.

That is a great idea.