Junior Hockey Expansion & Contraction Thread: 2021-22

BOS358

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But as of right now pending further announcements they have Dallas, Bellingham, Seattle, Fraser Valley, BC, Barhead Bombers, Hinton Wildcats, Cold Lake Hornets, and Edson Aeros.

So the WSHL is down to nine teams, pretty much all of them on islands? This doesn't look promising.
 

JMCx4

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Sep 3, 2017
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So the WSHL is down to nine teams, pretty much all of them on islands? This doesn't look promising.
I guess the remaining members could hope for another COVID wave, and play an NWHL-style 2021-22 season in a bubble. :help:
 
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PCSPounder

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So the WSHL is down to nine teams, pretty much all of them on islands? This doesn't look promising.

Hey, don’t knock that Edson-Hinton rivalry!

Seattle-Bellingham-Fraser Valley is kind of a troika if the border reopens.

Yet I’d set over/under day on any official notice of Dallas pulling out at Labor Day, with the league “suspending operations” the following Friday.
 

mk80

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Seems like the WSHL could use a good media guy to keep things up-to-date. Know anybody? :o
I know a media guy, but I think he prefers to watch how this plays out from the sidelines :popcorn:

So the WSHL is down to nine teams, pretty much all of them on islands? This doesn't look promising.

As it stands right now, who knows how many of them there actually are considering the teams list on the website still shows El Paso and others. But the press release does indicate they will have some new teams to announce some this summer. But we'll see.
 

BOS358

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I know a media guy, but I think he prefers to watch how this plays out from the sidelines :popcorn:

I know one as well, but he stepped out of the junior hockey swamp in 2017 and doesn't have any plans to get back in.

As it stands right now, who knows how many of them there actually are considering the teams list on the website still shows El Paso and others. But the press release does indicate they will have some new teams to announce some this summer. But we'll see.

Great point, but take the press release with a grain of salt. I can't think of any league that would admit that the ride is over and wave the white flag. Remember, even the USACHL was supposed to regroup and start off their second season with a bang despite, well, reality.
 
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PCSPounder

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I know one as well, but he stepped out of the junior hockey swamp in 2017 and doesn't have any plans to get back in.



Great point, but take the press release with a grain of salt. I can't think of any league that would admit that the ride is over and wave the white flag. Remember, even the USACHL was supposed to regroup and start off their second season with a bang despite, well, reality.

So are you going to take the “over” on my “Friday after Labor Day newsdump” call?
 

BOS358

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So are you going to take the “over” on my “Friday after Labor Day newsdump” call?

Not sure which is the "over," so I'll take "after." The 2018-19 season kicked off on September 27, so I can't see any announcement made prior to Labor Day. Of course, I could be wrong...wouldn't be the first time.
 

mk80

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Well in a surprising move, KC is moving to Amarillo, Amarillo is moving to North Iowa



Strange when considering a reason why the Bulls are moving is due to being unable to negotiate a lease, and the city is/was working with the owners of the AA baseball franchise in town to renovate the arena and according to this article bring an ECHL team to town Plans to update Amarillo civic center continue after voters denied original proposition

Going back to Bulls letter to the fans: A LETTER TO AMARILLO BULLS FANS
"The Bulls organization worked hard to avoid this outcome. In order to operate a sustainable business, we sought from the City of Amarillo a long-term commitment with reasonable terms to let us play out of the Amarillo Civic Center and continue to manage the ice for community events and recreation. However, we were unable to secure a partnership with the city to keep the Bulls in Amarillo. Nonetheless, we thank the City for all it has done for Bulls hockey over the years."
 
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Barclay Donaldson

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Well in a surprising move, KC is moving to Amarillo, Amarillo is moving to North Iowa



Strange when considering a reason why the Bulls are moving is due to being unable to negotiate a lease, and the city is/was working with the owners of the AA baseball franchise in town to renovate the arena and according to this article bring an ECHL team to town Plans to update Amarillo civic center continue after voters denied original proposition

Going back to Bulls letter to the fans: A LETTER TO AMARILLO BULLS FANS
"The Bulls organization worked hard to avoid this outcome. In order to operate a sustainable business, we sought from the City of Amarillo a long-term commitment with reasonable terms to let us play out of the Amarillo Civic Center and continue to manage the ice for community events and recreation. However, we were unable to secure a partnership with the city to keep the Bulls in Amarillo. Nonetheless, we thank the City for all it has done for Bulls hockey over the years."


Amarillo was a great NAHL market for the Bulls. How will they take losing their team and then having a new team come in?
 
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mk80

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Amarillo was a great NAHL market for the Bulls. How will they take losing their team and then having a new team come in?
The local ownership of the new Wranglers, and the history of that name in Amarillo hockey will likely help. I think the fans will respond well, but I'm more concerned/questioning the arena/city/ECHL plans, if they were just going to have an NAHL team come into town, why not negotiate a lease with the Bulls? or did the Bulls just demand too much?
 

Barclay Donaldson

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The local ownership of the new Wranglers, and the history of that name in Amarillo hockey will likely help. I think the fans will respond well, but I'm more concerned/questioning the arena/city/ECHL plans, if they were just going to have an NAHL team come into town, why not negotiate a lease with the Bulls? or did the Bulls just demand too much?

You're the insider in the league, MK. I would think you could make a phone call?
 

kij

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Jan 31, 2016
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I'll say my speculation and leave it at that, speculation. However, I do play adult league with some people who built the rink in North Iowa. When the Amarillo Bulls and North Iowa Bulls came under the same ownership and plans were put forth to build the new rink in Mason City, the plan was put in place to move Amarillo to North Iowa. The owners wanted to confirm they could sell out the MC Arena for a full season (which they did to the maximum capacity allowed and had waiting lists for most games). In the end, I think the letter about negotiating a lease was theater and that the owners negotiated against the deal they had in Mason City already and when Amarillo wasn't willing to make major concessions, they bolted as per the plan.

I recall conversations being had here where the rink in Amarillo wouldn't stay empty for long and here we are. Good for the city of Amarillo but damn were some of you prophetic when discussing Lamar Hunt Jr's ownership outlook.

Additionally, unless Rocky Russo already has a job, I'd love to see him stay in Amarillo to coach the Wranglers
 
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JMCx4

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The local ownership of the new Wranglers, and the history of that name in Amarillo hockey will likely help. I think the fans will respond well, but I'm more concerned/questioning the arena/city/ECHL plans, if they were just going to have an NAHL team come into town, why not negotiate a lease with the Bulls? or did the Bulls just demand too much?
Collocating the two Bulls franchises in one spot made sound business sense to me. So maybe the team owners took the opportunity of a lease renewal to make the move, while getting their final digs in with the city before they left.
 
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mk80

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Collocating the two Bulls franchises in one spot made sound business sense to me. So maybe the team owners took the opportunity of a lease renewal to make the move, while getting their final digs in with the city before they left.
Good point
 

kij

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Collocating the two Bulls franchises in one spot made sound business sense to me. So maybe the team owners took the opportunity of a lease renewal to make the move, while getting their final digs in with the city before they left.
The NA3HL Bulls are to be relocated or go dormant. There isn't enough ice to go around given the size of the youth program and figure skating in the area (and the dearth of available ice in the area).
 
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JMCx4

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The NA3HL Bulls are to be relocated or go dormant. There isn't enough ice to go around given the size of the youth program and figure skating in the area (and the dearth of available ice in the area).
Thanks for clarifying that. The whole "North Iowa Bulls are moving up to the NAHL" language always had me baffled. I guess the "North Iowa" part of the organization is what gets to stay in Mason City.
 

kij

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Thanks for clarifying that. The whole "North Iowa Bulls are moving up to the NAHL" language always had me baffled. I guess the "North Iowa" part of the organization is what gets to stay in Mason City.
Honestly, nothing regarding the NA3 team is clear. They took part in the draft and will still be hosting the tryout camp in Mason City but have no coach or staff for that team. It is known that the rink cannot support both and there isn't even a locker room available for that second team nor is there room for renovation (being placed in an old concrete department store is incredibly limiting). Still waiting for the shoe to drop on an announcement, which may or may not ever come. Honestly would not be surprised if it were to go dormant. Tier 3 juniors have burned so many arenas that it probably is getting difficult to find a facility willing to accept a team, especially one that will be playing second fiddle to ownership.
Plans always change but that arena has so much going on with just hockey and they are starting to book concerts year round on Bulls road weekends. I personally hope the Bulls don't keep the 3 team in town, that'll cut into my rec league time.
 

Captain Crash

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Honestly, nothing regarding the NA3 team is clear. They took part in the draft and will still be hosting the tryout camp in Mason City but have no coach or staff for that team. It is known that the rink cannot support both and there isn't even a locker room available for that second team nor is there room for renovation (being placed in an old concrete department store is incredibly limiting). Still waiting for the shoe to drop on an announcement, which may or may not ever come. Honestly would not be surprised if it were to go dormant. Tier 3 juniors have burned so many arenas that it probably is getting difficult to find a facility willing to accept a team, especially one that will be playing second fiddle to ownership.
Plans always change but that arena has so much going on with just hockey and they are starting to book concerts year round on Bulls road weekends. I personally hope the Bulls don't keep the 3 team in town, that'll cut into my rec league time.

Is their old rink at the rodeo barn still an option?
 

kij

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Jan 31, 2016
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Is their old rink at the rodeo barn still an option?
Not to my knowledge. Everything that was still useful in the barn was moved to the mall (Zamboni and spare panes of glass for the most part) and the rest, including the ice plant, were sold. The ice plant was nearly dead to begin with.
 

Barclay Donaldson

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Interesting wording of this sentence:

Interesting. They could follow the precedence set by Austin Bruins/Rochester Grizzlies, Chippewa Steel/New Ulm Steel (formerly, I believe they were taken over), and St. Cloud Blizzard/Alexandria Blizzard/Willmar WarHawks partnerships with shared ownership and nearby locations rather than sharing the same facility.
 
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kij

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Jan 31, 2016
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Interesting wording of this sentence:
Given the change in plans with keeping the team in town instead of relocating as was previously believed, I get the feeling that their relocation arena fell through. I just hope that having the second team doesn't mess with my men's league all too much. Ice time was tight as it was.
 
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JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
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Given the change in plans with keeping the team in town instead of relocating as was previously believed, I get the feeling that their relocation arena fell through. I just hope that having the second team doesn't mess with my men's league all too much. Ice time was tight as it was.
Maybe they'll just shorten your games by 5 minutes and give you guys shovels & squeegies to clean up afterward. :wg:
 

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