I wouldnt necessarily write Albany off as a bad AHL city. While I dont consider Albany a "traditional" northeast hockey loving market , its location and decent arena makes it an ideal spot. Have relatives up that way and that area is probably only going to grow due to the nano technology hub thats groing there so the sports entertainment climate should improve but they love their mid major college basketabll and have quite an impressive NCAA college hockey following. The fact the Devils organization has only made the AHL playoffs once in Albany over the last fifteen years and the fact Albany still has a solid fanbase of over 3000 indicates Albany probably would be more solid with a better affiliation, keep in mind thats where the Rangers AHL club should be, not over in New England. Any fans care to comment on how your own AHL city would support a team having not made the playoffs only one time in the same city for 15 seasons??? Hershey, Syracuse, Binghamton, Cleveland, Providence, Chicago????
Here's how I think the AHL should be aligned for next year
- Thread starter Big Z Man 1990
- Start date
I wouldnt necessarily write Albany off as a bad AHL city. While I dont consider Albany a "traditional" northeast hockey loving market , its location and decent arena makes it an ideal spot. Have relatives up that way and that area is probably only going to grow due to the nano technology hub thats groing there so the sports entertainment climate should improve but they love their mid major college basketabll and have quite an impressive NCAA college hockey following. The fact the Devils organization has only made the AHL playoffs once in Albany over the last fifteen years and the fact Albany still has a solid fanbase of over 3000 indicates Albany probably would be more solid with a better affiliation, keep in mind thats where the Rangers AHL club should be, not over in New England. Any fans care to comment on how your own AHL city would support a team having not made the playoffs only one time in the same city for 15 seasons??? Hershey, Syracuse, Binghamton, Cleveland, Providence, Chicago????
I agree with you NIght. When the Sens missed the playoffs those 5 years in a row it destroyed the fan base here. Still recovering from it to be honest, even with a calder cup after.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
As a Timbers fan... MLS opened the door to most teams either having an affiliation with a USL team, or owning a USL team outright. The Timbers chose to own a team. They play in the same city on the U. of Portland campus. They're followed by core fans of the Timbers... who understand how "the world" works, and for the most part, EXPECT to see the kinds of things you complain about re: the Devils. Not that the Timbers are actually doing that. There's a couple MLS veterans getting regular time, and most of us are not sure this is a good thing.
So the Devils should really be following San Jose's lead.
However, USL isn't married to "20-20" like AHL/NHL is for 30-30. There are independent teams... and I'm not sure that this, in the end, won't be the better way to develop North American talent. A full reserve league was already tried by MLS and wasn't taken as seriously. Putting kids against other people playing more for a title isn't the worst thing. Most coaches should be able to take into account that there's more value in working youth to the high level as opposed to taking players with the best stats.
Or maybe the NHL going in this direction enables the need for an independent league. A "second chance option" isn't the worst idea. At least I believe that.
The problem: your local politician is virtually married to AAA/AA/A and is primarily concerned about thinking that way when arena politics becomes an issue. That was no less true in Portland until the last AAA baseball entry bombed, plus the politicians here actually gave a damn about what's actually happening as opposed to just propping up attendance for the sake of keeping around what wasn't working. If anything, anymore, AAA baseball is the reserve league (depending on the internal politics of each major league team, and that's not that consistent) and often the future stars are elevated straight from AA.
OK, end rant. But I'm still miffed that nobody has raised an eyebrow to Pahrump.
Theoriginalalex
@3in3hockey
You pretty much nailed it, I think. I played around in Google Maps and came up with the same thing. Some of the other ideas, I really don't know if people have checked the geography.
The only thing I could possibly see different is a 3-way swap of Albany, Bridgeport, and St. John's.
Or, the league could always surprise and revert back to 4 divisions.
DudeWhereIsMakar
Bergevin sent me an offer sheet
I hate the devils and their pathetic style of play so much, I hope the are not in our division....
Vancouvers Trevor linden recently said that they will be in Utica for two more seasons at least.
Peter6625
Registered User
I'm hoping that if Quebec gets an NHL team they put an AHL team in Manchester. It's only a 4 and a half hour ride, plus NH is filled with French Canadians. They all come down this way to vacation, even in the winter because it's tax free shopping. We don't like Montreal, but we definitely would cheer for a QC team. Look at Manchesters attendance history it's pretty good.
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
Sports Enthusiast
Not Here To Be Liked
The AHL has slowly been becoming that for 10-15 years. More NHL owned teams sharing the parent club name and all. All the AHL team is, is a tax write off for those guys. They don't care as much as a local owner would. I don't see the old AHL ever coming back and that's unfortunate. The ECHL is also starting to lose that...though maybe not to the extreme because not many teams are NHL owned but teams now only serve the purpose of catering to the AHL. They way oversell the whole big picture dream. Minor league hockey used to be great. Teams would stay together for years. Rivalries would be built. Now its all about the dream and your teams results mean nothing at all. All only on development
Would the Comets 0-6 record against the Devils have anything to do with this.
Thats funny you mentioned that. Albany was hot late season, beating very good teams down the stretch. Utica has not been able to beat Albany either. I think Utica is a good team but not necessarily has been tested enough against the stronger eastern based clubs such as Manchester, Hartford, and even Albany. I was listening to games around the league and both Hartford and Worcester broadcasters had made comments about Albany being the most dangerous team should they qualify. The one said the best scenario would be for Albany to be eliminated in the numbers (which they were) or the second best sceanrio would be to hopefully have Albany face the Manchester Monarchs first round. The Albany-Utica rivalry hopefully next season will get a chance to grow. It would be good for Albany to play more NYS teams other then Syracuse, the number of games against Adirondack was absurd. I am all for keeping rivalries special but at least play your neighboring team 4 times home & away for at least 8 games.
IceCapsFanNL
Registered User
Not going to disclose my source, (I don't want him to get into trouble), but amongst some other tidbits expect to see St. John's in a division with the Marlies, Rochester, etc.
Without a source this isn't worth much, put I'm confident he is connected enough to know.
Without a source this isn't worth much, put I'm confident he is connected enough to know.
This is exactly what I came up with. The west is self explanatory, just put Manitoba in with Iowa,Charlotte and the texas teams.
Disengage
Registered User
- Nov 11, 2007
- 931
- 10
Doesn't surprise me one bit. I assume it will be Toronto, Rochester, St. John's, with Syracuse and Utica. It will keep the Habs prospects close for recalls when they play most of their divisional games.
also St.John's has 2 years left that takes them to the end of 2016-2017. Rumor has it that Montreal may keep them here for 3 years, as construction in Laval is behind, most media here is saying good possibility for 3 years
Well Hutch, I was pretty darn close. I felt pretty confident on that prediction once you said 'not happening'.
Welp, guess they should start flipping out now, eh?
If I were them, I wouldn't be happy. But I don't really care one way or the other, TBH.
Coach Nate
Angry Rampage Expat
They have to fly everywhere anyway. There's not much of a difference between flying to Chicago and busing all over the midwest and flying to LA and busing all over California.
Once Houston and OKC left, we were screwed either way.
Yep, it'll likely be long road trips in CA for the Texas teams, but ultimately, they were flying either way. At least there are 5 CA teams to bus to once they get off of the plane in LAX or SFO.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
A little surprised... but the next issue sets up rather obviously.
Las Vegas has been told that 2016-17 won't be their first season.
Trevor Linden says the Canucks are staying in Utica until at least 2017.
So it looks like it stays this way for 2 years, then there's a lot of possible changes. OR... maybe hold another year depending on the Seattle situation?
Too much pointing to 2017-18 to think otherwise.
Las Vegas has been told that 2016-17 won't be their first season.
Trevor Linden says the Canucks are staying in Utica until at least 2017.
So it looks like it stays this way for 2 years, then there's a lot of possible changes. OR... maybe hold another year depending on the Seattle situation?
Too much pointing to 2017-18 to think otherwise.
Possible that Colorado or Arizona get an AHL team and move them West in the next year or two. Both have been mentioned in rumors that they want to have a Western AHL team.
Tommy Hawk
Registered User
- May 27, 2006
- 4,223
- 104
Colorado, maybe. Arizona, never. AZ has already hit 50 mil in losses in just two years. Where do you think they will get the money to buy a team and move it and then pay all the travel when they are losing that kind of money with no end in site? They will be gone from AZ as soon as they can opt out of the lease.
the only issue there is San Antonio cannot be moved, Hoodaha, it has nothing to do w/ NHL Expansion, this is what you have through 2017, and even then, will Arizona be there in 2017, and they haven't said whether owning a franchise is something they're even comtemplating.
