Could you help with a QMJHL Expansion Idea?
- Thread starter BigMac1212
- Start date
None really knows you have some say yes its Ohl territory but many make the claim no its QMJHL that in large part no Ohl team has moved there is there is a fear there would be a huge legal battle.
It's OHL territory now, as in midget players in the area are eligible for the O draft, but I agree with Jason - Cornwall should be a potential Q market. The Royals had success in the Q, and there is still a strong connection. Plus, travel would actually be easier for them in the Q (if you look at the distance to their 5 closest rivals).
I think the O would put up a fight, which is sad but I'm sure some compromise could be reached.
cmcneil02
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I don't think the Q is anywhere near Expansion at this point. They need to sadly focus on relocating. I think the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are a wonderful team but they've been losing fans and money over the years and there has been games where they didn't get over 1000 fans. I think the best relocation for them would be Edmundston, New Brunswick. They have a beautiful venue and a bigger population then Bathurst. The arena holds 3,700 people. Its right off the Border to Quebec which is pretty good for teams coming into the province. The team got a crazy 2,115 average fans who come in to the games in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. With a QMJHL Team that attendance record has a possibility of getting higher. But if the league we're to expand I think Laval would be the best choice. Laval currently has an AHL team but if the team ever gets relocated the QMJHL should take action and get that 19th team. They have a beautiful rink and pull a great crowd. For that 20th team I highly doubt they will ever try to go up to Newfoundland again though I wish they could St John's apparently getting a ECHL Team. And financially I don't think a QMJHL team would thrive in the United States. The QMJHL once had a team in Cornwall, Ontario. Cornwall is right off the border to Quebec and currently does not have a professional team. The Cornwall Civic Complex is better then many rinks in the Q but still has that old look to it. But that's no big deal! The Arena holds 5,000 fans. I think a team would do very well there. I hate the OHL Territory rule. If OHL and WHL can go into the USA . Why can't the QMJHL take a city right off the border? Why does the Q host Gatineau vs Ottawa games every year? I don't get it. But anyways that would expand the league to 20 teams! A relocation to Edmundston, and expansions to Laval and Cornwall. I think we're getting somewhere. Hopefully the QMJHL thinks about this someday! Oh and one more thing... GO MOOSE GO! Thanks for reading, - Connor
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EnglishJet
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Hey, fellow Moosehead's fan coming in peace. I'm not calling you out or anything like that some please don't take it that way (I'm fascinated by Q expansion also) but I'm curious if you are still in support of moving Bathurst after the season they just had?
I’ve seen CHL games from BC to Nova Scotia. I’ve been to a game in Bathurst and, quite frankly, it’s mystifying to me how a CHL team can survive in such a small, economically depressed community. I’ve been to Swift Current too and was equally surprised (although the economy seemed much more solid there). I guess what it shows is that, as long as there is a viable arena, a CHL team can probably work in some smaller communities that we may not have even considered. Edmunston is good example.
If any city gets a new team, whether through relocation or expansion, it's 100% Trois-Rivieres. They're building a brand new 56+ million dollar arena which should be done by the dawn of 2020. The headline reads "There will be a hockey team (at the arena)" This leads me to believe they're pursuing a QMJHL team because the LNAH isn't so lucrative.
Colisée de Trois-Rivières : « Il y aura une équipe de hockey », dit le maire | ICI.Radio-Canada.ca
Colisée de Trois-Rivières : « Il y aura une équipe de hockey », dit le maire | ICI.Radio-Canada.ca
I'm sorry to tell you that, but as of 2018, if anything, the QMJHL should shrink its size. The depth of the league is definitely lacking. Q teams aren't as good as OHL or WHL teams. The league overall isn't that strong. The talent pool is too thinly spread, and pretty much always was. We are at 18 teams for the moment, but we should definitely be at a lower amount, OR make sure we get more Americans to join, and less Canadian players to leave for US colleges.
It is absolutely embarrassing that the QMJHL has to pick players that went undrafted and/or cut from OHL teams to fill up their rosters. The Charlottetown Islanders had a total of TEN players coming over from either Ontario or Alberta. Many teams had less, but guys like Kolby Johnson (from SJHL to Sherbrooke), Stephen Templeton (from OHL to Chicoutimi), Luke Kirwan (from OHL to Quebec City), Dylan Seitz (from OHL to Moncton) are a plenty in the QMJHL.
Another thing that makes me think we have too many teams for our talent pool is the fact that Quebec Junior AAA Hockey is the crappiest second-tier Junior league in the whole country. They simply don't have enough players.
The league should either be shrinked in number of teams, or should have players coming from a greater area. I would plead, for instance, that the QMJHL should be able to draft players from Eastern Ontario (Hawkesbury, Cornwall) which is vastly French speaking, and/or from North Ontario (Hearst, Timmins) which are also mainly French. This would also give them a chance to play and study in their own language. It's either we get these players, or we shrink the league.
And to shrink the league, I'd look at places who have a hard time with their bottom-line. A team like Acadie-Bathurst might have won the Memorial Cup and see a resurgence in attendance next year, but this team chronically suffers financially and the small town of Bathurst probably isn't a fit for a QMJHL team.
It is absolutely embarrassing that the QMJHL has to pick players that went undrafted and/or cut from OHL teams to fill up their rosters. The Charlottetown Islanders had a total of TEN players coming over from either Ontario or Alberta. Many teams had less, but guys like Kolby Johnson (from SJHL to Sherbrooke), Stephen Templeton (from OHL to Chicoutimi), Luke Kirwan (from OHL to Quebec City), Dylan Seitz (from OHL to Moncton) are a plenty in the QMJHL.
Another thing that makes me think we have too many teams for our talent pool is the fact that Quebec Junior AAA Hockey is the crappiest second-tier Junior league in the whole country. They simply don't have enough players.
The league should either be shrinked in number of teams, or should have players coming from a greater area. I would plead, for instance, that the QMJHL should be able to draft players from Eastern Ontario (Hawkesbury, Cornwall) which is vastly French speaking, and/or from North Ontario (Hearst, Timmins) which are also mainly French. This would also give them a chance to play and study in their own language. It's either we get these players, or we shrink the league.
And to shrink the league, I'd look at places who have a hard time with their bottom-line. A team like Acadie-Bathurst might have won the Memorial Cup and see a resurgence in attendance next year, but this team chronically suffers financially and the small town of Bathurst probably isn't a fit for a QMJHL team.
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Prince Pasta
ANTHONY!
There was a QMJHL Team in Maine for a while, Lewiston, never really did well. Only New England City I can see working well is Burlington Vermont since there is only a D1 college team to compete with. Plattsburgh NY would be a good option as well
cmcneil02
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razor ray
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Interesting. I try to follow the Q and have a friend of mine who is a Q zealot. He mentioned to me that, even though it would be painful, the league should operate around 16 teams....maybe even 12. He mentioned for fans it would be a much better product (in turn higher ticket sales), rosters loaded with more local kids, and better overall perception of the league. He mentioned that right now the Q is a very "watered down" product.
St. John's is a flat out no.... Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL) and that whole sidebar over the Edge SPLITTING dates at Mile One...
Bangor is too close to Orono, which is the State University and Alfond Arena, Cross Insurance Center splits dates otherwise....
to those asking about the Colisee, and the MAINEiacs, that originally was the T-R Draveurs, and was dissolved by Courteau, when the Phoenix resurfaced back in Sherbrooke.....
the Nordiques have done quite well since their arrival from Berlin, and are owned outright by the operators of the Colisee, so much so, that the Twin City Thunder have filled the other equation in the market, and they're stepping up in the next year by expanding their offerings to be part of the NCDC.
Most of the viable places population-wise have other issues that would be difficult to deal with. Fredericton has university hockey to compete with to the point of needing to be allowed to use UNB’s arena. St. John’s would once again be a major travel burden & there’s the Growlers there as well. I can’t speak to Trois Rivière, so maybe that’s an option but the imbalance is more in the Martimes. Some US cities that may sound good like Bangor & Burlington have college hockey to compete with Portland has an ECHL team. Lewiston was tried and didn’t work out as the only show in town. That leaves maybe Augusta & Montpelier as far as sizeable cities. Some of the other towns I’ve seen mentioned like Yarmouth & Amherst are Jr A size towns.
Lewiston nor Augusta will ever go pro, or major junior again with the USPHL at NSBA and now the return of the Maine Nordiques IN THE NAHL IN addition to the NA3EHL, Augusta has simply an Ice Vault, much like Portland does with the Troubh arena alongside Hadlock in addition to Cross, there are other options for hockey here in Maine
cmcneil02
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Fredericton, NB will be getting a Junior A team by next season. NB team will be relocating once season is complete.
As for a Q team in the atlantic region only thing i can see happening would be Bathurst relocating to Edmunston, fan base of 2500+ is great and also the passion that they show towards hockey is exceptional, fans will turn out for winning and losing seasons. Can't see anywhere else atlantic wise and don't know enough about quebec cities to comment on expansion.
As for a Q team in the atlantic region only thing i can see happening would be Bathurst relocating to Edmunston, fan base of 2500+ is great and also the passion that they show towards hockey is exceptional, fans will turn out for winning and losing seasons. Can't see anywhere else atlantic wise and don't know enough about quebec cities to comment on expansion.
Pond Hockey
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QMJHL commissioner says there are no immediate expansion plans | The Chronicle Herald
Regarding Fredericton...
Courteau said there have been discussions with Fredericton, N.B., but the city’s arena “is not up-to-par to get a major junior franchise.”
“I don’t see any other possibility beside St. John’s, N.L., for Atlantic Canada, unless Fredericton comes up with a plan to build a new rink or renew the (existing) one.”
No mention of Edmundston. Some discussion of a QMJHL presence south of the border, however.
Regarding Fredericton...
Courteau said there have been discussions with Fredericton, N.B., but the city’s arena “is not up-to-par to get a major junior franchise.”
“I don’t see any other possibility beside St. John’s, N.L., for Atlantic Canada, unless Fredericton comes up with a plan to build a new rink or renew the (existing) one.”
No mention of Edmundston. Some discussion of a QMJHL presence south of the border, however.
Barclay Donaldson
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I don't see any US markets they could break into. All of the usual suggestions are NCAA hockey hotbeds. The D1 programs at University of Vermont (3,500/game) and University of Maine (3,800/game) are still hot tickets despite poor on-ice performances, even if you gave a Q team a facility to play in they wouldn't draw anyone. D3 SUNY-Plattsburgh has a big and loyal fanbase, count them out, too.
If you're looking at open markets, there are none. Lewiston will be home to two Tier-2 junior teams both starting in 2019-2020, Manchester wouldn't even consider major junior if the Monarchs cease to exist, there's nothing else that could reasonably support even an American junior team let alone a Q team. Lake Placid works only geographically and arena-wise, town population isn't even 3,000 and maxes out at 10,000 during peak tourism months.
New England kids don't even want to play in the Q, I don't think you can get too much interest in major juniors from anywhere in the northeast.
Manchester is now available. Just out of curiosity, why do you think Manchester would not be interested in major junior? Due to the lack of American player interest and it being perceived as a french league? I seems like it would be a great location for the league to get back in to the US if they wanted. Which brings up another discussion, would the Q even be interested in operating in the US again? Manchester would be one of the biggest arenas in the league which could be troublesome but could open the door to further norteastern United States expansion later on.
Barclay Donaldson
Registered User
If Manchester were to go to the Q, they would not do well. There is a French-Canadian presence in Manchester, like Lewiston has, but New England has no interest in the QMJHL. College hockey is widely seen and accepted as being superior to the Q. The Eichels, Donatos, Veseys, Paciorettys, Mcavoys, and Gaudettes of New England always have and always will choose college hockey over the Q.
Marketing would be hard considering it's a French league, and it's easier to sell Americans on nearby teams coming to play like Worcester and Portland rather than Baie-Comeau and Charlottetown. It's a cavernous arena and tarping off the top doesn't look good. As for further Northeastern US expansion, it's not happening. There's absolutely no interest in junior hockey, let alone Quebec-based juniors. College hockey is a cheaper ticket and it's higher quality hockey.
Centrum Hockey
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La LHJMQ veut un club en Montérégie - La Presse+ The q reached out to Manchester
Do you think it'd make any difference if the team was in corner brook(western newfoundland)?
