News Article: Andlauer sells the Bulldogs to the Habs. Team moves to St. John for 2 years.

[crystal ball]

I read this today about the Habs AHL team relocating to St.John's, Newfoundland. Thought I'd pass it on.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sp...-20-in-the-works-295455711.html?device=mobile

Click to read more...

 

[Redux91]

I read this today about the Habs AHL team relocating to St.John's, Newfoundland. Thought I'd pass it on.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sp...-20-in-the-works-295455711.html?device=mobile

nuts, was really hoping for Laval..

but at least st johns wont scare the bazeesus ouuta our prospects lol

 

[the]

Pretty sure they are moving to Laval.

 

[crystal ball]

nuts, was really hoping for Laval..

but at least st johns wont scare the bazeesus ouuta our prospects lol

Might be hard to keep them sober, though.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Don't they still have one year left in Hamilton?

 

[AntonCH]

From an emergency point of view this may be a mistake
from a business point of view it's probably for the best

 

[JLP]

Never understood why the Dogs were not closer to Montreal. Laval or even Quebec City.

 

[Habsawce]

Damn, that sucks. I live 30 minutes from the Copps right now, although I don't go often.

 

[DAChampion]

nuts, was really hoping for Laval..

but at least st johns wont scare the bazeesus ouuta our prospects lol

The prospects will scare the bejeezus out of St-John's.

 

[Team_Spirit]

it sounds like a rumor...

I hope they are moved to Laval.

 

[bcv]

The dogs can move to St Johns, it doesn't mean they'll still be the Habs affiliate.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

The people who run cops has made alot of fans in Hamilton pissed today... The only thing bigger that i could see happen is either a) NHL which i dont think will happen, b) another AHL which i dont think either because i mean which team is close, Toronto but they already have the marlies in Toronto so no other team would come here.. or c) a OHL team which it is already said that Plymouth is moving to Flint so i dont know any other OHL team that would be coming to Hamilton

SO pretty much Cops will be used as a concert place thats about it which I think is a waste... Just my two cents on the article.

 

[Brainiac]

Wââââ? Poor prospects. Especially those who are called up 43 times a year to play in 2 or 3 games.

Take a kayak, esti.

 

[Turtleneck Plek]

The dogs can move to St Johns, it doesn't mean they'll still be the Habs affiliate.

"The St. John’s group is believed to have struck an arrangement with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, who currently operate their AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ont."

Sounds like it's the Habs moving their farm team and not the Dogs changing cities.

I'm guessing it's probably a temporary solution until the arena in Laval is completed.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

"The St. John’s group is believed to have struck an arrangement with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, who currently operate their AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ont."

Sounds like it's the Habs moving their farm team and not the Dogs changing cities.

I'm guessing it's probably a temporary solution until the arena in Laval is completed.

So say the Habs move their team to st. John's to become St. John's Canadiens for decision sake. Which NHL who are close would move their team to Hamilton to become the Dogs because whom ever moves their team to Hamilton i dont see them changing names too much history with the name

 

[Turtleneck Plek]

So say the Habs move their team to st. John's to become St. John's Canadiens for decision sake. Which NHL who are close would move their team to Hamilton to become the Dogs because whom ever moves their team to Hamilton i dont see them changing names too much history with the name

Good question. I think all we can do for now is speculate. I think it's a case where the Ice Caps will become the Habs' farm team, and the Dogs will (hopefully) become the AHL affiliate for another NHL team, just like it happened when they transitioned from the Oilers to the Habs (if I remember correctly). I don't know what other teams are considering a farm team change, so it's hard to say who could end up in Hamilton.

 

[Scintillating10]

From an emergency point of view this may be a mistake
from a business point of view it's probably for the best

I think the move is all financial. Laval makes much more sense but I heard St.John's really cut them a sweet deal. I heard rumours about it near a year ago, so negotiation must been happening for a bit.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

St. John's IceCaps Chief Operating Officer Glenn Stanford — formerly the president of the Bulldogs – would not comment on the story or any parts of it. Bulldogs' current president Steven Ostaszewicz said this was news to him.

"I don't know anything about that," Ostaszewicz said.

Several other questions about more-specific parts of the story — including a suggestion that a special meeting of the AHL board of governors was being convened next week to vote on the move — were all answered with, "I'm not aware."

Bulldogs' owner Michael Andlauer could not be immediately reached for comment. Nor could AHL president Dave Andrews.

As for Hamilton, it is widely believed an Ontario Hockey League team will ultimately land at FirstOntario Centre. Rumours have been swirling in Erie that Andlauer is about to buy the Otters which have been for sale for some time and whose owner, Sherry Bassin, is motivated to sell.

Bassin is presently being sued for $4.5 million by the owners of the Edmonton Oilers who loaned him the money with a plan to eventually buy the team and move it here, court documents filed in Pennsylvania show.

However, Bassin flatly denies there's anything to the rumours that he's about to sell to Andlauer.

"I've had no negotiations with him," he said Saturday.

Andlauer has long said that he will have a hockey team playing out of the downtown arena, whether it's AHL or OHL. And he's insisted that it will be called the Hamilton Bulldogs. He owns the franchise, the brand and the arena lease.

http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/5465396-bulldogs-may-be-leaving-hamilton-report/

 

[Devourers]

Good question. I think all we can do for now is speculate. I think it's a case where the Ice Caps will become the Habs' farm team, and the Dogs will (hopefully) become the AHL affiliate for another NHL team, just like it happened when they transitioned from the Oilers to the Habs (if I remember correctly). I don't know what other teams are considering a farm team change, so it's hard to say who could end up in Hamilton.

I think the Dogs were offered to be moved to Laval at a high price and their management/owner group refused. So this may very well be the Habs management doing whatever they can to pressure them or simply they've already given them the ultimatum and Hamilton refused to move, so we're moving to St-John's temporarily until Laval is good to go.

I have to say I felt it was stupid of Hamilton not to agree to move in the first place, I guarantee their owner would've been paid well. They could've always made a new team in Hamilton a few years later anyways even after taking a pay day.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

atleast we know from the spec article that the Dogs owner will have a hockey team in Hamilton just not sure if it will be AHL or OHL

 

[Devourers]

atleast we know from the spec article that the Dogs owner will have a hockey team in Hamilton just not sure if it will be AHL or OHL

Pretty sure no matter what happens, there would've been at bare minimum an OHL team line up to filled the arena.

 

[Team_Spirit]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...-from-hamilton-to-st-john-s-reports-1.2985748

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, there's a "strong chance" that the Winnipeg Jets will move its AHL affiliate team, the St. John's IceCaps, to the MTS Centre this fall — and that a deal has been struck for the Montreal Canadiens' farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs, to take the IceCaps' place in Newfoundland.

Donald Beauchamp, the Montreal Canadiens' senior vice-president of communications, also said he couldn't comment.

"We’re aware of the reports that are out there and we cannot confirm anything," he said.

"Until there is more information, we cannot make any further comment."

Keep in mind it's a 3h20 flight from MTL or a 30h car ride

Hamilton is close to Toronto and the flight is only 1 hour.

Makes no sense for the Habs imo.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

It definitely sound like a temp solution until Laval is ready, with St-John getting another affiliate at that point. It'll mean a bit more travel for the players but at least it gets them away from all those hoodlums and rapist in that pit of scum and villainy that is apparently Hamilton

 

[McGuires Corndog]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...-from-hamilton-to-st-john-s-reports-1.2985748






Keep in mind it's a 3h20 flight from MTL or a 30h car ride

Hamilton is close to Toronto and the flight is only 1 hour.

Makes no sense for the Habs imo.

Agreed. Unless there is something behind the scenes we don't know about.

Moving to Laval makes all the sense in the world when that time comes though, although I'm not remotely convinced that they would out draw Hamilton AND your exposing young guys to the Montreal night life.

 

[Spectaculard]

st jhons is not a 30hr car ride lol. More like 10-12.