Future of minor league hockey & the echl

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,476
8,328
St. Louis, MO
I was unaware anyone stole the IceCats other than the St Louis Blues...they're the ones who claimed they searched for local owners here when they didn't. There's no blame at all to Saurs/Griffith.
Both ownership groups mentioned are no longer around. This minor pro hockey world sure does get complicated. :huh:
 

CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
35,232
4,218
Auburn, Maine
I hope some day the Kentucky Thoroughblades would be in ECHL.
Kentucky probably was a good idea at the time it was done, but if USA Hockey wasn't involved in Kentucky's franchise ops would it have lasted as long as it did, IDK, and that's not COUNTING Louisville and deep inter-city rivalry the two have either....

I'M not so sure Lexington and Louisville, esp Louisville can respond or rebound from that hockey experience they went through
 

GindyDraws

I will not disable my Adblock, HF
Mar 13, 2014
2,835
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Indianapolis
I am a seasn ticket holder to the Huntsville Havoc and that has been my question for three years now. They have led the league in attendance and with all the transplants that have moved in with government jobs I would think that the ECHL has looked at or might have given a call to the Havoc front office

Huntsville is in the Mississippi Delta. Even though Huntsville would be currently 10th in the ECHL attendance report, which I'll be directing below, I don't know if they would want to go back to that region, nor would the ownership afford the increase in player salaries or revenue.

ECHL 2019-02-27
 

SemireliableSource

Liter-a-cola
Sep 30, 2006
1,904
210
HSV
Huntsville is in the north end of the state. They are nowhere near the Mississippi Delta.

Huntsville is about 3.5 hours from Atlanta, less than 6 from Cincinnati, about 5.25 from Greenville, 6.25 from Indy, less than 8 from South Carolina, 8.25 from Jacksonville, about 8 from Fort Wayne, 9 from Toledo, as well as roughly 10ish from Orlando, Kansas City, Wheeling, and Tulsa. It's not a terrible location for the ECHL. That said, the Havoc have no intentions to move up to the Coast.
 

GindyDraws

I will not disable my Adblock, HF
Mar 13, 2014
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Indianapolis
I'm not at all surprised about Wheeling; they've been on borrowed time for years. Manchester does, although I think that could be attributed to people rejecting the ECHL product and hoping and wishing that the AHL returns.

The problem with that logic is that; let's say Ottawa moves to Quebec City because Eugene Melnyk fails at life. Belleville is the lowest-drawing AHL team, as it is, so they would likely move, as well, considering Belleville struggled to support the OHL (which is a similar issue we see with Brampton, another team always on shaky ground). People in Manchester would be delighted at the proposition of the AHL moving back to Manchester, given the close proximity of Manchester to Quebec City, and the fact that there are no open markets in the province of Quebec with a suitable arena that could support an AHL team. That being said, unlike in Montreal, which deals with a tenuous mixture of French and English speaking Quebecois, the people of Quebec City are, by and large, Francophones, and would likely have their AHL team be similar to Rocket de Laval, even if it means they share the same arena as the NHL team and the Remparts.

I've heard from a few people tell me they prefer the AHL product, citing that ECHL is better for the uninitiated or those who want a slower product with fighting and gimmicks, but if a few years go by and the AHL doesn't return to Manchester... how will they be feeling then?

I'm now curious if the ECHL goes with 25 teams next year, rearranging the divisions once more, or if they've had expansion offers under wraps to make at least an even 26 teams.
 

Centrum Hockey

Registered User
Aug 2, 2018
2,089
727
I'm not at all surprised about Wheeling; they've been on borrowed time for years. Manchester does, although I think that could be attributed to people rejecting the ECHL product and hoping and wishing that the AHL returns.

The problem with that logic is that; let's say Ottawa moves to Quebec City because Eugene Melnyk fails at life. Belleville is the lowest-drawing AHL team, as it is, so they would likely move, as well, considering Belleville struggled to support the OHL (which is a similar issue we see with Brampton, another team always on shaky ground). People in Manchester would be delighted at the proposition of the AHL moving back to Manchester, given the close proximity of Manchester to Quebec City, and the fact that there are no open markets in the province of Quebec with a suitable arena that could support an AHL team. That being said, unlike in Montreal, which deals with a tenuous mixture of French and English speaking Quebecois, the people of Quebec City are, by and large, Francophones, and would likely have their AHL team be similar to Rocket de Laval, even if it means they share the same arena as the NHL team and the Remparts.

I've heard from a few people tell me they prefer the AHL product, citing that ECHL is better for the uninitiated or those who want a slower product with fighting and gimmicks, but if a few years go by and the AHL doesn't return to Manchester... how will they be feeling then?

I'm now curious if the ECHL goes with 25 teams next year, rearranging the divisions once more, or if they've had expansion offers under wraps to make at least an even 26 teams.
Manchester leaving the echl hurts Portland Worcester and to a lesser extent Newfoundland and Adirondack.The cost of a short bus trip or a short flight would have to be replaced with travel to and from another city like Norfolk or North Charleston the 2015-2016 monarchs played baseball like series against the same team multiple times in a row 2015-16 Manchester Monarchs Results and Schedule at hockeydb.com
 
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royals119

Registered User
Jun 12, 2006
1,457
1,139
West Lawn, PA
Manchester leaving the echl hurts Portland Worcester and to a lesser extent Newfoundland and Adirondack.The cost of a short bus trip or a short flight would have to be replaced with travel to and from another city like Norfolk or North Charleston the 2015-2016 monarchs played baseball like series against the same team multiple times in a row 2015-16 Manchester Monarchs Results and Schedule at hockeydb.com
Likely they would just play another couple games against each of their division foes. So 14 each vs division instead of 12, or whatever. Maybe add an extra game or two to a longer road trip to the south. It isn't good, but it isn't the end of the world.
 
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Centrum Hockey

Registered User
Aug 2, 2018
2,089
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Nailers already released Season Ticket Renewals for the 2019-2020 season and said it’s for the ECHL, so I wouldn’t trust this guy.
There have been team's that have done that before and relocated or folded after the season was over.I think the ahl pirates did that i would ask a Maine poster like wildcat48 though
 
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therealmvphaha

Registered User
Feb 28, 2019
4
2
There have been team's that have done that before and relocated or folded after the season was over.I think the ahl pirates did that i would ask a Maine poster like wildcat48 though
I understand that, but I read his basis and it’s based on a Nailer fan who always says this is the last year for the Nailers. Last year it was the last year for the Nailers and the year before that was the last year. They just spent $12 million in renovations. The Penguins invest a lot in the Nailers as well, so they are here for a few more years.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
35,232
4,218
Auburn, Maine
I tweeted at him. He said his Nailers info comes from Jim Hupp. Hupp has been saying the Nailers are leaving for years.
there is a report though, Wheeling was under consideration to be promoted up a level, if the contract collapses between Wilkes Barre Scranton, its arena, and Luzerne County, since the Penguins outright own that franchise
 

UNITEDINBLUE

Registered User
May 17, 2017
8
2
I highly doubt Wheeling is going anywhere. Every year some beat writer that knows next to nothing comes around and sees that Wheeling has extremely low attendance and thinks that they will fold in the next year or so. The Penguins have invested millions in the Nailers. Arena renovations, promotions, etc. They practically own the team. They aren't going to ditch all the money invested in that market. People speculate every year but in reality, know next to nothing. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but this guy is basing his claim purely off of speculation and attendance figures.
 

crimsonace

Registered User
Mar 7, 2010
2,160
1,563
Indianapolis, IN
Nailers already released Season Ticket Renewals for the 2019-2020 season and said it’s for the ECHL, so I wouldn’t trust this guy.

Evan is a high school-aged kid and it's clear he's speculating here. He's still learning the ropes as to how to develop sources and be a reporter.

Wheeling is municipally-owned, so as long as the city wants the team to be there, it will be there.
 

wildcat48

Registered User
Jul 16, 2005
4,273
300
Portland, Maine
Evan is a high school-aged kid and it's clear he's speculating here. He's still learning the ropes as to how to develop sources and be a reporter.

Wheeling is municipally-owned, so as long as the city wants the team to be there, it will be there.


This is 100% correct... Both the team and arena are municipally-owned so its unlikely they'd fold the team without a plan for the arena.
 
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Royalsflagrunner77

Registered User
Jul 26, 2013
245
67
Birdsboro PA
Not sure if this is the thread for it but is there any thoughts on who the flyers affiliate with next year do to their contract with the Royals being up. And the fact that Reading is owned by the previous owners before jack gulati . witch have direct ties to SMG.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
35,232
4,218
Auburn, Maine
Not sure if this is the thread for it but is there any thoughts on who the flyers affiliate with next year do to their contract with the Royals being up. And the fact that Reading is owned by the previous owners before jack gulati . witch have direct ties to SMG.
IT doesn't necessarily mean a change, and SMG may not exist if the merger with AEG goes through, how AEG handles that is unknown, since all decisions likely go through LA, NOT PA
 

crimsonace

Registered User
Mar 7, 2010
2,160
1,563
Indianapolis, IN
Not sure if this is the thread for it but is there any thoughts on who the flyers affiliate with next year do to their contract with the Royals being up. And the fact that Reading is owned by the previous owners before jack gulati . witch have direct ties to SMG.

For lots of reasons, I would be surprised if it's not the Flyers (even though there's an obvious tie with Maine). It's close to Philly, provides a lot of marketing options that are beneficial to the Royals. Reading is also the home of the Phillies' AA affiliate. From a hockey standpoint, proximity to both Lehigh Valley & Philadelphia would make continuing the relationship a natural fit.
 
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