Canucks purchase the Peoria Rivermen (Post #162)

[Lindgren]

I no nothing about the reliability of the source, and the story seems to contradict what we know about the contract the Heat have with Abbotsford, but they seem pretty certain:

http://m.uticaod.com/observerdis/pm_29400/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ghYDy3Vi

Obviously, it would be good news for Canucks fans in the Valley if the Heat go and the Canucks AHL club takes their place.

Click to read more...

 

[Bleach Clean]

I no nothing about the reliability of the source, and the story seems to contradict what we know about the contract the Heat have with Abbotsford, but they seem pretty certain:

http://m.uticaod.com/observerdis/pm_29400/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ghYDy3Vi

Obviously, it would be good news for Canucks fans in the Valley if the Heat go and the Canucks AHL club takes their place.

That would be excellent if it came to fruition. Doubt it though, but it would be great.

 

[Lindgren]

That would be excellent if it came to fruition. Doubt it though, but it would be great.

I'm also skeptical. At the same time, it's interesting that we've heard nothing since word of the "state of the union" meeting between Gillis and Wolves management.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Why they thought a rival team's farm club would succeed here, I'll never know.

The club's affiliate makes so much more sense...people who can't afford Canucks games will go see the farm team instead.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I'm also skeptical. At the same time, it's interesting that we've heard nothing since word of the "state of the union" meeting between Gillis and Wolves management.

The info in the link is also unclear about timing. It says the affiliate will be operational next year, but that the flames farm team cannot be relocated until 2014-2015 due to scheduling. So the Utica team will be filled with just AHL vets for one year?

Maybe Gillis could arrange an agreement with Utica for next year as a transition year, and then the team swap AHL teams.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Why they thought a rival team's farm club would succeed here, I'll never know.

The club's affiliate makes so much more sense...people who can't afford Canucks games will go see the farm team instead.

It also allows Gillis to micro-manage his farm team. By way of the new GM placed there.

 

[Taelin]

I would love for this to happen! Would finally be able to go to a Canucks game, even if it's just the baby-Nucks.

 

[Lindgren]

Does The Team watch these boards? The story is being discussed at this moment. Blake Price says he's been on the story for 6 or 7 minutes.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Watch those games be a sell out each night if that happened. Would be an ideal situation if it can be worked out.

 

[Barney Gumble]

Weird about the Flames re-locating the team.

1) Why move the team all the way across the continent from where they are right now? Easier bring in a player in the case of an emergency (injuries).
2) Abbotsford subsidizes the team; Flames got a sweartheart deal to help cover the losses (re: attendance) - so that more than offsets I think the higher travel expenses in having a AHL affiliate in the west vs the east coast.

 

[opendoor]

The travel sucks for an Abbotsford team though:

http://www.sportmapworld.com/map/ice-hockey/north-america/ahl/


IIRC Abbotsford spends twice as many nights on the road as a team like Chicago.

 

[Crows*]

The travel sucks for an Abbotsford team though:

http://www.sportmapworld.com/map/ice-hockey/north-america/ahl/


IIRC Abbotsford spends twice as many nights on the road as a team like Chicago.

Gets them used to what playing for the canucks will be like.

 

[Barney Gumble]

The travel sucks for an Abbotsford team though:

http://www.sportmapworld.com/map/ice-hockey/north-america/ahl/


IIRC Abbotsford spends twice as many nights on the road as a team like Chicago.

That's a plus for potential Canuck prospects - they'd get used to the travel!

 

[Tiranis]

The travel sucks for an Abbotsford team though:

http://www.sportmapworld.com/map/ice-hockey/north-america/ahl/


IIRC Abbotsford spends twice as many nights on the road as a team like Chicago.

I think they want to have access to the prospects on a daily basis and give them access to all the same developmental tools that our pros get. Wouldn't surprise me if Gillis' long-term plan with Abbotsford is to transition it into a non-AHL team. I know at one point he talked about creating a separate developmental league for the Pacific teams (I'm guessing similar to the NBA D-League). Obviously just speculation at this point...

 

[mrbitterguy]

was abbottsford going to renegotiate the flames deal? heard they were losing a lot of money with the poor attendance to heat games. if the flames have to pony up the full cost of the team i could see why they'd want to move.

i could also see aquillini greasing the skids to see them move. paying off the flames to give up abbottsford would be something in the canucks interest in the long run, if they wind up owning their own affiliate in a friendly market.

 

[TBIF]

I've never understood why we don't have an AHL team in Van play out of the coliseum, to hard to schuedule AHL/WHL games?

 

[Barney Gumble]

I've never understood why we don't have an AHL team in Van play out of the coliseum, to hard to schuedule AHL/WHL games?

With respect to an AHL affiliate - cost. Not just the cost to us - but the other affiliates likely don't want to travel all the way out here either (might be against letting us have an affiliate here without subsidizing those teams to come here).

 

[haldrich1]

I Live in Utica,NY

i'm from Utica,NY and i don't believe the team is moving, but i'll give you the latest info i found locally.

the Syracuse Crunch owner made comment on the report of Utica getting a team.
http://blog.syracuse.com/crunch/2013..._to_utica.html

also found this Rob Esche who played for the Philadelphia Flyers and lives locally has registered the name UticaFlames
http://www.whois.com/whois/uticaflames.com

also the guy who wrote the blog post has a history in professional wrestling, nobody around here really takes him seriously.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

With respect to an AHL affiliate - cost. Not just the cost to us - but the other affiliates likely don't want to travel all the way out here either (might be against letting us have an affiliate here without subsidizing those teams to come here).

That theory doesn't hold water when you consider that Abbotsford has an nhl team.

 

[Lunatik]

Weird about the Flames re-locating the team.

1) Why move the team all the way across the continent from where they are right now? Easier bring in a player in the case of an emergency (injuries).
2) Abbotsford subsidizes the team; Flames got a sweartheart deal to help cover the losses (re: attendance) - so that more than offsets I think the higher travel expenses in having a AHL affiliate in the west vs the east coast.

This is my reply on the Calgary boards

Why would the Heat go from Abby - a drivable distance from Calgary - to New York state?

First I'm hearing of it, but it just doesn't make sense. At all.

I would hate to see Abbotsford lose the Heat, but you have to think logically here.

Since the Heat moved to Abbotsford we have led or at least been near the top in injuries, this is often attributed to travel and scheduling since Abbotsford rarely plays weekday games at home and are forced into back to back, if not back to back to back games on a regular basis. 62 of our 76 games are part of a back to back (or b2b2b) situation! That's over 80% of our schedule!

this map sums up the Heats problems perfectly.

They need to move out east, it will give them more time to practice, travel will not wear them down like it is currently and I hate to take this shot at my hometown but at least people will show up to the damn games if they move to Utica.

I'm not sure if Utica is the answer for the Flames, but I think moving east and being no further west than the Central time zone would be a smart move.

 

[Fat Tony]

1) Why move the team all the way across the continent from where they are right now? Easier bring in a player in the case of an emergency (injuries).

Other than a goalie, how urgent is it to get a player to the main team quickly?

 

[Nuckles]

This is my reply on the Calgary boards


I'm not sure if Utica is the answer for the Flames, but I think moving east and being no further west than the Central time zone would be a smart move.

Yeah, I completely agree.

This image is old (hey look, the Moose!), but it shows that there needs to be more teams in the West if you want a team in Abbotsford.

 

[Hodgy]

People need to remember that Acquillini owns Rogers Arena and that the Canucks are currently the only tenant. They rent it out for concerts and other events, but it sits empty for a lot of the year. As a result, in the long term it is likely that the Canucks would much prefer to have their AHL affiliate playing out of Rogers Arena, and not Abbotsford.

 

[Seattle Totems]

Do the Canucks want to develop players or spread their AHL brand to Abbotsford?

If they want to develop players they should stay the hell away from Abbotsford. Like others have mentioned the Heat have the worst travel schedule, the most injuries, and probably one of the worst farm systems in the league. I think it would be absolutely moronic to put the Canucks farm club there just so a few fans can watch their AHL hockey affiliate.

And you have to ask yourself: why would the Flames move their farm team to the east coast when they have a sweet heart deal with the city of Abbotsford to underwrite their losses?

Clearly there are consequences to putting an AHL club in Abbotsford.

 

[Lunatik]

Yeah, I completely agree.

This image is old (hey look, the Moose!), but it shows that there needs to be more teams in the West if you want a team in Abbotsford.

I would love to see the Alaska Aces and Utah Grizzlies "move" to the AHL, maybe even a place like Saskatoon if they were willing to give up the Blades and have a western division form that would reduce some of the travel. But that is a pipe dream.