Andrews on SXM: 31st AHL team coming 2018-19

UticaHockey

Registered User
Feb 27, 2013
3,419
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Utica, NY
And the AHL contracts paid under the "umbrella" of Vancouver don't count toward the NHL contract limit, right? Thus showing that an NHL team can pay for players on an AHL contract. Is this correct?

AHL contracts don't count towards the 50 NHL contract limit and they are not directly with the NHL team but rather some other legal entity underneath the NHL team.
 

axecrew

Registered User
Feb 6, 2007
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Everyone is right to some degree...let me try to explain...an NHL owned affiliate in the AHL is set up as it's own company so to speak...I'll use Chicago as an example for clarification because I can make it make sense.

Don Levin owns the Wolves...He also owns DRL Enterprises...He doesn't use the money he makes from DRL to finance the Wolves...they are their own separate entity sink or swim...he's not mortgaging the one to save or help the other.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are at 49 contracts and Columbus is interested in player X but has no contract room, they asked the Monsters to sign player X to an AHL deal. That player is paid by the Monsters...his paycheck on the 1st and 15th is paid for by the Monsters and is cut by the Monsters on their bank. If he is on an NHL contract with Columbus then his paycheck is cut by the Blue Jackets at the agreed AHL rate. Same with the Wolves...If the Blues or Knights want a player in their system but have no contract room or just want to check him out for future reference...they ask The Wolves to sign said player so as not to count against the 50...BUT He is paid by the Wolves and not the NHL team.

It's all done for accounting purposes and tax purposes along with other reasons as well.
 

Coach Nate

Angry Rampage Expat
Aug 17, 2008
2,044
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San Antonio
All of this depends on the affiliation agreement. I can say with 100% certainty that SSE pays zero dollars to any players no matter what kind of contract they are signed to.
 

210

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Mar 5, 2003
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210sportsblog.com
All of this depends on the affiliation agreement. I can say with 100% certainty that SSE pays zero dollars to any players no matter what kind of contract they are signed to.

As of last season the only two AHL teams that paid any players of their own were Chicago and Hershey. Every other AHL team had their salaries covered 100% by the NHL club.
 

aparch

Registered User
Apr 3, 2008
442
10
As of last season the only two AHL teams that paid any players of their own were Chicago and Hershey. Every other AHL team had their salaries covered 100% by the NHL club.

Really? 28 clubs have negotiated with their NHL affiliate to reimburse the costs of AHL only contracts?
 

Jackets Woodchuck

Registered User
Dec 27, 2010
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Is there any chance that hockey could adopt the baseball system of teams officially signing their minor league contracts with the parent club?
 

royals119

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Jun 12, 2006
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West Lawn, PA
Is there any chance that hockey could adopt the baseball system of teams officially signing their minor league contracts with the parent club?
It would require a change in the NHL CBA to achieve that. That means whichever side proposes that change will likely have to make some concession on another point in order to get it. Does either side care enough about the issue to give up something else to get it? Probably not. Even if both sides actually want it, the side that didn't bring it up is going to use it to try to get something else. These negotiations have been very antagonistic and I wouldn't expect that to change.
 

lifelonghockeyfan

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
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Lake Huron
Maybe the Avalanche are joining the AHL next year. Like European soccer, the dregs get demoted to the lower league.
But seriously, if the 31st team is for Vegas AHL affiliate it has be a located in the western US. Salt Lake?
 

axecrew

Registered User
Feb 6, 2007
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Maybe the Avalanche are joining the AHL next year. Like European soccer, the dregs get demoted to the lower league.
But seriously, if the 31st team is for Vegas AHL affiliate it has be a located in the western US. Salt Lake?

Not a chance...if you've been paying attention since last january...I've been telling people that this is simply the colorado avelanche buying the 31st franchise and moving it to loveland to house their AHL players starting in 18-19. Leaving San Antonio for st. louis and vegas with chicago.
 

Jackets Woodchuck

Registered User
Dec 27, 2010
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68 or 76-game team?

I'm guessing 68. That way, they can put all the 68-game teams in a seven-team Pacific Division (San Jose, Stockton, Bakersfield, Ontario, San Diego, Tucson, Colorado) and move San Antonio and Texas to the Central. Then they could play the regular season and first two rounds of the playoffs without needing to use points percentage (would still be necessary for Western Conference Final home ice and Calder Cup Final home ice if the Pacific Division champion wins the Western Conference).
 

adsfan

#164303
May 31, 2008
12,621
3,665
Milwaukee
68 or 76-game team?

I'm guessing 68. That way, they can put all the 68-game teams in a seven-team Pacific Division (San Jose, Stockton, Bakersfield, Ontario, San Diego, Tucson, Colorado) and move San Antonio and Texas to the Central. Then they could play the regular season and first two rounds of the playoffs without needing to use points percentage (would still be necessary for Western Conference Final home ice and Calder Cup Final home ice if the Pacific Division champion wins the Western Conference).
If SA and Texas move to the Central Division, that gives them 9 teams. Does Cleveland or Manitoba move to the North Division so that both have 8 teams?
 

axecrew

Registered User
Feb 6, 2007
2,284
593
Just saw on twitter that they've made the announcement....San Antonio signs 5 year agreement with St. Louis and Colorado Eagles will join the AHL next season as the affiliate of the Avs...anymore questions??
 

Avsrule2022

"No more rats"
Apr 4, 2012
683
247
Longmont, CO
Eagles owner Martin Lind purchased the 31st AHL franchise, and signed a 10 year affiliation agreement with the Avs. Avs run hockey ops, Eagles run front office. I was really hoping it would work out that way. Win/win for Eagles fans.
 

AdmiralsFan24

Registered User
Mar 22, 2011
14,979
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Wisconsin
Manitoba wouldn't even be a horrible idea since they're on an island and have to fly everywhere anyways. It's probably between them and Cleveland and I could make arguments for both. Whichever one moves goes to the North Division (it's probably easier travel wise for Manitoba to be in a division with 3 Canadian teams), the two Texas teams move to the Central, Colorado goes to the Pacific.
 

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