Consider Houston for AHL affiliate/AHL Location speculation.

[BattleBorn]

All these places are going to have ECHL teams for the most part. That's not a huge issue.

I don't think Fresno has an active team now, though.

 

[segelrj]

Doesn't Fresno have an ECHL team too? I distinctly remember chanting "Hey Fresnooooo, YOU SUCK" at a Wranglers game.

Fresno (along with Augusta) folded mid-season in December 2008, the only hockey they have now is the junior team, the Monsters.

 

[HanSolo]

Ah. That makes sense as to why they're in the AHL discussion now.

 

[willy702]

Reno has no hockey infrastructure, none. They had been guaranteed an ECHL team for years if only they had an arena. They did nothing, preferring to start up a D League team and of course building a nice baseball stadium. If they saw no interest in spending the money to put ice into one of their arenas before, why do it now?

 

[HanSolo]

Truth be told I never followed Reno's attempts or lack thereof to get hockey.

I figured Reno AHL would be a nice placeholder for those that don't want to drive to Vegas to see the hockey team play and would be in-state.

Looks like Fresno isn't much closer to Vegas driving-wise than Reno. EDIT: check that it's an hour less.

Google maps fastest routes

Fresno to LV: 5h 52m
Reno to LV: 6h 56m
SLC to LV: 6h 7m

by comparison:

Los Angeles to LV: 4h 52m
Anaheim to LV: 4h 40m
Houston to LV: 21h 15m (this would require flight for sure)
Boise to LV: 9h 34m

 

[Hoodaha]

Truth be told I never followed Reno's attempts or lack thereof to get hockey.

I figured Reno AHL would be a nice placeholder for those that don't want to drive to Vegas to see the hockey team play and would be in-state.

Looks like Fresno isn't much closer to Vegas driving-wise than Reno. EDIT: check that it's an hour less.

Google maps fastest routes

Fresno to LV: 5h 52m
Reno to LV: 6h 56m
SLC to LV: 6h 7m

by comparison:

Los Angeles to LV: 4h 52m
Anaheim to LV: 4h 40m
Houston to LV: 21h 15m (this would require flight for sure)
Boise to LV: 9h 34m

Reno briefly had a WCHL team , but didn't have a real arena. They later were granted an expansion franchise but still no ice. The WCHL expansion franchise carried over to the ECHL when the WCHL merged with them, still no ice. I don't believe Reno is a viable option because this talk has gone on for a decade or more.

 

[Hoodaha]

Truth be told I never followed Reno's attempts or lack thereof to get hockey.

I figured Reno AHL would be a nice placeholder for those that don't want to drive to Vegas to see the hockey team play and would be in-state.

Looks like Fresno isn't much closer to Vegas driving-wise than Reno. EDIT: check that it's an hour less.

Google maps fastest routes

Fresno to LV: 5h 52m
Reno to LV: 6h 56m
SLC to LV: 6h 7m

by comparison:

Los Angeles to LV: 4h 52m
Anaheim to LV: 4h 40m
Houston to LV: 21h 15m (this would require flight for sure)
Boise to LV: 9h 34m

Another thing to consider is that Fresno is closer to LA, San Jose, and Anaheim for divisional road call-ups.

 

[HanSolo]

That's true. Didn't consider that.

 

[nobody important]

St John's NFLD is actively trying to replace their departing AHL team. Great fans, and so what if they're in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? It's only 9-12 hours away, depending on connections.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

all the Pacific teams that have eastern affiliates now should eventually land theirs on the West coast, with California proving especially fertile

Fresno and Sacramento are the two metro areas in California that could land AHL teams in the future. Sacramento is building a new arena that should not be unable to host AHL hockey. Fresno already has an arena.

 

[Hoodaha]

all the Pacific teams that have eastern affiliates now should eventually land theirs on the West coast, with California proving especially fertile

Fresno and Sacramento are the two metro areas in California that could land AHL teams in the future. Sacramento is building a new arena that should not be unable to host AHL hockey. Fresno already has an arena.

Both would be great AHL locations.