Speculation: Expansion Draft

[obey86]

I don't know guys. Sure Id leave Ericsson unprotected but the other two?

I see no reason why an expansion team, needing to reach the Salary floor wouldn't want players with a proven work ethic, leadership, skill and the experience of leading a team to a championship.

Z and kronner would be scooped up in a New York minute if they are available in an expansion draft.

If they want work ethic, leadership, skill, and experience of leading a team to a championship they could just sign someone like Brad Richards for 1 year/$3M instead of taking on a 4 or 5 year/$6M contract for Zetterberg.

"Leadership" and "work ethic" for bad and old players aren't worth long term/big money deals.

Name me the last 36+ year old free agent to switch teams and sign a 4 or 5 year big money (5+ million/year) contract? Is there anyone who fits that criteria? Serious question.

Say the Wings sign Eric Staal (and he will only be 32 years old next season) to a 5 year/$6M contract this offseason....do you think that's a good deal?

 

[obey86]

Again, I would say that the chances that either are picked up would be minuscule, because neither are on friendly contracts, neither are capable of playing up to their contracts and they are likely to finish their careers on the IR. I didn't move the target because the thesis, which you ignored, is that new organizations historically don't operate on the basis of spending extra money. No matter what Kronwall and Z might bring, I seriously doubt that a new team would want over 10 million in spare parts.

Yeah, i'd be very surprised if any of Ericsson, Kronwall, or Z got taken in an expansion draft. There are much better ways to spend money on long term deals than on old, slow, and fast declining players.

 

[avssuc]

So with NHL expansion, does that imply AHL expansion? I ask because I live near New Orleans and would love for the sin cities to team up here. There was a pretty vibrant hockey community in NOLA until their ECHL team was forced out by the NBA garbage. Hockey survived in Biloxi with the SPCHL, but it recently left too.

I've posted a thread in the AHL section about this with more information I've been able to dig up. If anyone has any input, it would be much appreciated.

I need a place to watch hockey and play beer league! We only get ice in Biloxi from November to mid January and it's killing me. Help a brother out!



http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=117838401#post117838401

 

[Retire91]

Expose Ericsson, Kronwall, Zetterberg, Howard, Abby. Its a win win, if they don't get picked they successfully defended a youngner asset to the team, if they do get picked it gets rid of a bad contract. Zetts would break my heart but it is what it is at this point.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Expose Ericsson, Kronwall, Zetterberg, Howard, Abby. Its a win win, if they don't get picked they successfully defended a youngner asset to the team, if they do get picked it gets rid of a bad contract. Zetts would break my heart but it is what it is at this point.

Abdelkader gets picked out of that group, depending on the GM I guess.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

So with NHL expansion, does that imply AHL expansion? I ask because I live near New Orleans and would love for the sin cities to team up here. There was a pretty vibrant hockey community in NOLA until their ECHL team was forced out by the NBA garbage. Hockey survived in Biloxi with the SPCHL, but it recently left too.

I've posted a thread in the AHL section about this with more information I've been able to dig up. If anyone has any input, it would be much appreciated.

I need a place to watch hockey and play beer league! We only get ice in Biloxi from November to mid January and it's killing me. Help a brother out!



http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=117838401#post117838401

I believe so

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

So with NHL expansion, does that imply AHL expansion? I ask because I live near New Orleans and would love for the sin cities to team up here. There was a pretty vibrant hockey community in NOLA until their ECHL team was forced out by the NBA garbage. Hockey survived in Biloxi with the SPCHL, but it recently left too.

I've posted a thread in the AHL section about this with more information I've been able to dig up. If anyone has any input, it would be much appreciated.

I need a place to watch hockey and play beer league! We only get ice in Biloxi from November to mid January and it's killing me. Help a brother out!



http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=117838401#post117838401

It would probably improve your odds at an ECHL team. A Houston NHL team could look heavily at the New Orleans area, though with two AHL teams in Texas that might not work out. The NHL now has controlling interest in terms of the AHL. 16 to 14 in terms of votes in the room as the NHL has bought out that many franchises.

The NHL is also prioritizing the placement of their AHL teams in terms of their NHL team. Eventually if they get this in order I could see the restrictions on practice callups or things of this nature coming into play.

My opinion is the AHL is on a collision course for realignment in terms of the NHL interests. Like you I would love to see that happen for me locally because it involves potential for me seeing a level I am more interested in. I think in the not too distant future both Orlando and Ft. Myers will elevate from the ECHL as the preferences of both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers franchises come to the forefront.

Grand Rapids with their partnership in Detroit are probably not seriously freaked out about this but others should be. If the NHL continues this investment in their minor league affiliates I see it as only a matter of time before they restructure the league and drop the games played to foster better development like you see the Western Conference teams doing. But this will also impact the Eastern seaboard at some point with substantial movement in my opinion.

 

[The Zermanator]

Someone take Jonathan Ericsson and you will be my 2nd favorite team.

Your 2nd favourite team will be Ericsson's new team?!? A closet fan, eh?

 

[Vatican Roulette]

It would probably improve your odds at an ECHL team. A Houston NHL team could look heavily at the New Orleans area, though with two AHL teams in Texas that might not work out. The NHL now has controlling interest in terms of the AHL. 16 to 14 in terms of votes in the room as the NHL has bought out that many franchises.

The NHL is also prioritizing the placement of their AHL teams in terms of their NHL team. Eventually if they get this in order I could see the restrictions on practice callups or things of this nature coming into play.

My opinion is the AHL is on a collision course for realignment in terms of the NHL interests. Like you I would love to see that happen for me locally because it involves potential for me seeing a level I am more interested in. I think in the not too distant future both Orlando and Ft. Myers will elevate from the ECHL as the preferences of both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers franchises come to the forefront.

Grand Rapids with their partnership in Detroit are probably not seriously freaked out about this but others should be. If the NHL continues this investment in their minor league affiliates I see it as only a matter of time before they restructure the league and drop the games played to foster better development like you see the Western Conference teams doing. But this will also impact the Eastern seaboard at some point with substantial movement in my opinion.

Agreed. As far as Vegas goes, their affiliate would be Reno. Maybe Bakersfield if they want someone in California.

Actually, the New Orleans has a rink already. Maybe Vegas sets up shop there.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Your 2nd favourite team will be Ericsson's new team?!? A closet fan, eh?

I always knew frk it was trying to help ericsson

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Agreed. As far as Vegas goes, their affiliate would be Reno. Maybe Bakersfield if they want someone in California.

Actually, the New Orleans has a rink already. Maybe Vegas sets up shop there.

New Orleans in the southeast? I think it's gonna be California.

 

[sarcastro]

New Orleans in the southeast? I think it's gonna be California.

There have been weird, very long distance AHL affiliates in the past but the recent trend is to move affiliates as close to the big club as possible, and for good reason.

I doubt there would be a match between a Vegas NHL team and a NOLA AHL team.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

New Orleans in the southeast? I think it's gonna be California.

My bad, the Orleans is a casino in Las Vegas. They had the Wranglers there.

Even though it was one of my accounts, I always thought "New Orleans".


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orleans

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Agreed. As far as Vegas goes, their affiliate would be Reno. Maybe Bakersfield if they want someone in California.

Actually, the New Orleans has a rink already. Maybe Vegas sets up shop there.

I think it is more likely to wind up in California. Though central to this issue for me moving forward is how the NHL chooses to budget their AHL teams. I think they could setup in mid-major or major cities without hockey that are easy to get flights out from and rent buses for tighter trips within it. While being a short drive from or moderate drive from the big club.

It is hard to ignore the focus the league has taken in the level beneath it though. Which has impart became more important because of salary cap restrictions and the investment in development. Another key here could be years down the road but the use of the USHL to get to the AHL quicker where conditions are a little more in line with European accommodations.

The NHL will figure out the next two Western franchises at some point in my opinion. Vegas should be online before the end of the month. But I think the AHL is on the agenda over the next decade and I kind of look forward to infusing more money into that league. I think it helps the grassroots tremendously and grows the game as a whole. I know the minors don't necessarily move the needle, but you can get a lot of good will investing in that level and it isn't as expensive as some make it out to be, not cheap to be sure, but I think this is absolutely on the NHL's agenda.

 

[avssuc]

It would probably improve your odds at an ECHL team. A Houston NHL team could look heavily at the New Orleans area, though with two AHL teams in Texas that might not work out. The NHL now has controlling interest in terms of the AHL. 16 to 14 in terms of votes in the room as the NHL has bought out that many franchises.

The NHL is also prioritizing the placement of their AHL teams in terms of their NHL team. Eventually if they get this in order I could see the restrictions on practice callups or things of this nature coming into play.

My opinion is the AHL is on a collision course for realignment in terms of the NHL interests. Like you I would love to see that happen for me locally because it involves potential for me seeing a level I am more interested in. I think in the not too distant future both Orlando and Ft. Myers will elevate from the ECHL as the preferences of both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers franchises come to the forefront.

Grand Rapids with their partnership in Detroit are probably not seriously freaked out about this but others should be. If the NHL continues this investment in their minor league affiliates I see it as only a matter of time before they restructure the league and drop the games played to foster better development like you see the Western Conference teams doing. But this will also impact the Eastern seaboard at some point with substantial movement in my opinion.

Well, then I'm probably SOL with the AHL. Houston had an AHL team that just moved to Iowa. They had ECHL in spades on the Gulf Coast back in the late 90's and early 00's, but when the NBA killed NOLA's team, the rest of the Gulf Coast teams slowly followed (due to travel expenses).

We had SPHL hockey in Biloxi until the 14-15 season. It was garbage hockey, but it was still hockey. It meant I had a place to skate and take my boy skating.

I just got good news today though. Seems like one of the former ECHL owners down here has convinced Biloxi to give him a lease on the old roller hockey complex. We will have ice 9 out of 12 months, I'll take that over nothing. Plus, my kid turns 4 this year and will be able to start right where his dad did.

Thanks for the 411 on the AHL. Had no idea.