Hope for the A-Devils?

[Disengage]

It's amazing how much time someone will spend to convince us that he doesn't care about something.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

So you are implying that you could care much less than you currently do...or in other words, you care a lot - which is obvious, since you post frequently.

Mostly I'm just bored...but let's get technical. This was botched from the get go. The Leafs as it stands at the moment are an AHL team pretty much. So there's 3!

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

It's amazing how much time someone will spend to convince us that he doesn't care about something.

I have spent very little time saying how much I don't care about the NHL. Now I have spent a fair amount of time saying how they have helped ruin minor league hockey.

 

[Disengage]

I have spent very little time saying how much I don't care about the NHL. Now I have spent a fair amount of time saying how they have helped ruin minor league hockey.

I hate how they act like the NHL's sock puppet. I don't watch or care for the NHL but this isn't the NHL. Like 5% of these guys are NHL bound.

So wait....it's a TOUCH icing now?

Not big into the NHL but I know they beat the Islanders opening night(passed the game on the tube)so the Panthers are atleast @ .500

I wanna see San Antonio make the Playofs and rochester miss, would be funny IMO.

5 minute search.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

So, the hope for the A-Devils must be much higher than the hope for the Marlies!!! No wonder their coaches didn't accept other positions within the organization.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

So, the hope for the A-Devils must be much higher than the hope for the Marlies!!! No wonder their coaches didn't accept other positions within the organization.

Neither team seems promising. However the Marlies being better than the Leafs wouldn't be earth shattering. They have atleast made the Finals this century.

 

[Sports Enthusiast]

5 minute search.

What's your point? Doesn't take watching games of the NHL to know that more AHL teams it seems are becoming NHL owned thus having the NHL team nickname. Lacking in creativity or having their own identity. Small things like that.

 

[go comets]

I can still see the devils returning to utica when the canucks leave.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

I can still see the devils returning to utica when the canucks leave.

God I hope not.

 

[zetajerk]

God I hope not.

What if there's no other option? Few affiliations last forever anymore. I don't expect them to stay here in Albany until the end of time.

FWIW, I'm glad the Devils are here. Any hockey to see is better than none.

 

[Nightsquad]

I can still see the devils returning to utica when the canucks leave.

I think the Devils will end up in Utica to after next season. Albany is putting in a good plan to get the Rangers AHL team after this season. With the new leadership for the NHL Devils and the arena management, city of Albany Mayor, and local development people in Albany are pushing the importance of AHL hockey to the business community and they are responding. For the first time in years the city government itself is calloborating with county government to increase season tickets for the up comming season and it looks as though they are going to lobby the state politicians with making Albany the AHL home for the Rangers. Good move oin Albany's part. Should be interesting to see how the Devils philosiphy is regarding their AHL success, and what the results for Albany are.

 

[Clinton Comets EHL]

I think the Devils will end up in Utica to after next season. Albany is putting in a good plan to get the Rangers AHL team after this season. With the new leadership for the NHL Devils and the arena management, city of Albany Mayor, and local development people in Albany are pushing the importance of AHL hockey to the business community and they are responding. For the first time in years the city government itself is calloborating with county government to increase season tickets for the up comming season and it looks as though they are going to lobby the state politicians with making Albany the AHL home for the Rangers. Good move oin Albany's part. Should be interesting to see how the Devils philosiphy is regarding their AHL success, and what the results for Albany are.

Do you have a source for this?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I think the Devils will end up in Utica to after next season. Albany is putting in a good plan to get the Rangers AHL team after this season. With the new leadership for the NHL Devils and the arena management, city of Albany Mayor, and local development people in Albany are pushing the importance of AHL hockey to the business community and they are responding. For the first time in years the city government itself is calloborating with county government to increase season tickets for the up comming season and it looks as though they are going to lobby the state politicians with making Albany the AHL home for the Rangers. Good move oin Albany's part. Should be interesting to see how the Devils philosiphy is regarding their AHL success, and what the results for Albany are.

bet Hartford will fight tht, NS, Especially if CT SPENDS Efforts to either upgrade or replace XL, just as they did by luring the NB Rock Cats into becoming the Hartford YARD Goats for 2016.

 

[RowdyFan42]

Do you have a source for this?

The part about all of the disparate parties coming together to renew the community's support for the AHL in Albany is indeed true; there were a few stories in the Albany media, and one of those was posted a bit upthread. The idea that this is all being done with a eye toward wooing the Rangers, though, is pure speculation on his part. Whether or not it would be a good idea for the Rangers to move their AHL club to Albany has no bearing at this moment; anyone who is saying anything in public right now is giving no indication that the Devils intend to do anything other than renegotiate their lease at the conclusion of this season.

 

[zetajerk]

The part about all of the disparate parties coming together to renew the community's support for the AHL in Albany is indeed true; there were a few stories in the Albany media, and one of those was posted a bit upthread. The idea that this is all being done with a eye toward wooing the Rangers, though, is pure speculation on his part. Whether or not it would be a good idea for the Rangers to move their AHL club to Albany has no bearing at this moment; anyone who is saying anything in public right now is giving no indication that the Devils intend to do anything other than renegotiate their lease at the conclusion of this season.

Yeah, it's really encouraging to see. I'm excited for this season. I won't be living in Albany anymore soon, but I plan on making the hour drive to see plenty of games. I don't want to see the AHL leave the capital region.

 

[go comets]

Can not see anyone wanting to go into Albany. The numbers are just not there......

 

[Timl2009]

Can not see anyone wanting to go into Albany. The numbers are just not there......

Nor are they there for Utica either really..3720 Avg. vs Albany's 3323. If it's AHL it doesn't really matter where I see a game but I would take Albany over Utica if I had a choice..Larger city, more to do before/after a game, etc. I would think anyway..

 

[Nightsquad]

Can not see anyone wanting to go into Albany. The numbers are just not there......

Compaing Albany and Utica though really doesnt tell much about Albany's viability as a market. Utica has advantages Albany doesnt, big one being the Comets are ran by local ownership who have a vested stake in the team success. Albany has been plagued by an organization who has had no interest in putting together a team at the AHL level to win games but more for the development of prospects and their respective roles. Albany has been plauged by playoffless hockey for well over a decade. I doubt Utica would be happy to support a team year in year out if they knew they were more likely then not to make the playoffs and be close to the bottom in standings. Utica was riding pretty high after last seasons run, Albany was fighting yet again to just try and squeeze into the playoffs. The Albany Devils also have to compete with two nearby DI basketball teams, and two DI hockey teams, all of which are located no more then twenty minutes away from the Albany Devils. Thats quite alot of sports for a city which is just a little bit bigger the Utica but not nearly as big as Syracuse or Rochester. It will be very interesting to see how the new Devils ownership and leadership will have an impact on Albany this season. My relatives live up that way and they said if the NY Rangers AHL club land in Albany they would buy season tickets and know many friends who would flock to downtown Albany for games. Sometimes its not the city but the team. Had the Lowell AHL team been affiliated with the Bruins nobody other then season ticket holders probably wouldnt get into the Tsongas Arena in Lowell Mass. Same could probably be said for Worcester or Springfield. Albany being too close to NYC probably has a long established connection to New York City or maybe an inferiority identity complex.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

Nor are they there for Utica either really..3720 Avg. vs Albany's 3323. If it's AHL it doesn't really matter where I see a game but I would take Albany over Utica if I had a choice..Larger city, more to do before/after a game, etc. I would think anyway..

Utica only seats about 4k, Albany about 14k.

 

[Nightsquad]

0

Nor are they there for Utica either really..3720 Avg. vs Albany's 3323. If it's AHL it doesn't really matter where I see a game but I would take Albany over Utica if I had a choice..Larger city, more to do before/after a game, etc. I would think anyway..

Albany is also set to renovate their arena big time. Also read a story how downtown Albany is starting to see influx of residents downtown in new loft style urban aprtments being built, a new Mariott hotel is going in near the arena which will be connected by elevated walkway to a brandnew convention center being built behind the arena. I dont think Albany will ever average 6101 fans per game again like they did in 95-96 but I dont think Albany they couldnt draw around 4000 to 5000 which would be respectable for a market that size and considering the nearby winter NCAA sports competition. UAlbany has built quite the mid major DI basketball program, and Union College has built a very solid DI hockey program. With better then 30% of NHL players now coming from the college ranks NCAA is forcing the AHLs hand to focus on development.

 

[Nightsquad]

Utica only seats about 4k, Albany about 14k.

Ummm so Albany overbuilds the arena (original plans called for 7500 seats) yet its supposed to fill 14,000 seats for minor league hockey lol???? No AHL team draws even close to 14,000 on an average basis, some low rung NHL teams are lucky to be able to draw just over 14,000 lol. Albany, like Worcester, like Hartford,like Hamilton Ont, and the Philly Spectrum during the Phantoms years all had curtains for the upper levels. Residents of Albany during the arena planning were sold a bill of goods from the corrupt politicians in power who were trying to get the aren a built. Albany until 1990 did not even have an arena, yet is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The tax payers of Albany County were told the Quebec Nordiques were going to be relocated to Albany, and the NBA was considering an expansion team should the county expand the arena and increase the original size. Albany seems to do quite well with big time concerts and NCAA events, even more so then Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse which seem to get bypassed by music artists opting for Albany due to its location near NYC, Boston, and to Montreal. Albany can do better for sure but to be fair the lower level with curtains in place on the upper level put the capacity for AHL hockey at around 6500 which is better then what most average AHL teams currently draw. We will have to see how the Pacific teams do, and how they effect the average AHL attendance this season.

 

[zetajerk]

Can not see anyone wanting to go into Albany. The numbers are just not there......

And Utica is the Toronto of minor league hockey, right?

I live in CNY and I wish Comets fans would get off their high horse. They've had the team for two seasons, one which included a first place finish and a run to the finals. They've had ownership who cares. The fanbase has not been tested at all.

But keep going on about how crappy Albany is.

 

[Nightsquad]

And Utica is the Toronto of minor league hockey, right?

I live in CNY and I wish Comets fans would get off their high horse. They've had the team for two seasons, one which included a first place finish and a run to the finals. They've had ownership who cares. The fanbase has not been tested at all.

But keep going on about how crappy Albany is.

I think many thought the Utica area had no chance of ever landing an ECHL team let alone an AHL ever again but the fans have done right and doing their part. Then again I think a little too much arrogance is coming from that fan base prematurely. They are so very fortunate to have energetic strong local leadership in Eshe and DuRoss. They started a new AHL era off right bringing in the Hanson Brothers, Geordie Howe, rock band night Ranger, and nice fireworks display which got the ball rolling for year number one. Year two was amazing, going all the way. This fanbase which is very limited due to small arena capacity cannot be grown anymore then it is, nor is it likely to see the success of last season anytime soon. The AHL has changed dramatically since the 1990s and locally owned and operated franchises are quickly becoming a thing of the past. What Albany has had to endure for over a decade is a trend which many other AHL markets will have to start getting used to. Let's see how Utica would do at $20 to $25 per ticket for the game and almost knowing the team has only a slim chance at playoff qualification. Utica has not been battle tested, they are just fortunate to have the have solid local ownership who cares, and had a heck of a team put together by Vancouver which can make all the difference.

 

[go comets]

And Utica is the Toronto of minor league hockey, right?

I live in CNY and I wish Comets fans would get off their high horse. They've had the team for two seasons, one which included a first place finish and a run to the finals. They've had ownership who cares. The fanbase has not been tested at all.

But keep going on about how crappy Albany is.

No one said Albany was crappy. All I stated is that I can't see any team wanting to go there with the numbers. There is a huge difference between playing in a 14,000 seat building that is less than half full and a small venue that is 3/4 or more full. In Utica, its all about the comets, a ton of media attention. in Albany 90% of the people don't even know about the team and little media attention. The Utica fans will be tested this winter as this team will be lucky if it makes the playoffs.....for me, I will still be at almost every game. They put on a great game day experience in Utica.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

Albany has drawn nothing but about 1/4 capacity. Even though Utica draws 90% capacity their capacity sucks (3,815). Could Utica draw more than that? Who knows. You can't compare the two locations really well because it could be Utica would draw the same amount if they had a 14k seat arena or they may draw more.