OT: Winnipeg Ice Thread

[Daximus]

Kind of sucks for the people of Cranbrook. Maybe give them a warning and see if they can drum up some support.

 

[Wolf357]

With the whole legal weed thing nowYou would probably have a pretty good catchment across the border as well. Lots of fracking workers.

as a sidenote is that fried chicken roadhouse still across the line?

No Jacks Bar is gone (Maida ND) U.S homeland security did a study of how much trafic was crossing at the border there.. they found that the bar (which was literally right in the border) was too close to a busy port so they expropriated the land the bar was on to expand the border crossing. Guess what happened when the bar was gone? Literally the only reason anyone crossed there was because the bar was there.

 

[BigZ65]

There are a lot of TNSE connections with this Kootenay Ice franchise.

 

[voyageur]

How many young guys are there that are making the W. "To keep them at home?" It's not like any other industry like building an electronic plant so there are local opportunities.

There's always a MB kid on every team. Several of them in some cases. Can't deny MB is a hockey hotbed. It's good for the kids to keep playing close to home. Good for an inter-province rivalry.

The Moose is a family friendly setting, affordable too. I think it's good to keep the players close. But MB is really in the middle of nowhere in the A. Closest teams are Rockford, Milwaukee. With the Texas teams, a team in Iowa, I think a team in Tulsa, which is a big market, would grow the hockey brand. And save in travel expenses.

 

[Adam da bomb]

There's always a MB kid on every team. Several of them in some cases. Can't deny MB is a hockey hotbed. It's good for the kids to keep playing close to home. Good for an inter-province rivalry.

The Moose is a family friendly setting, affordable too. I think it's good to keep the players close. But MB is really in the middle of nowhere in the A. Closest teams are Rockford, Milwaukee. With the Texas teams, a team in Iowa, I think a team in Tulsa, which is a big market, would grow the hockey brand. And save in travel expenses.

Why are you worried your child will have to move to play hockey? To me it doesn't make any difference at all.

 

[snowkiddin]

Would be interesting to see if Winnipeg could support it. I love junior hockey but I’m a big Wheat Kings fan, so they would probably stay number one, this team would be my number two. I’d go to a few games when the Wheaties are in town

 

[wasup]

There has been a rumour for a few years that Winkler/Morden was being considered to get a WHL team... but an Arena would have to be built . By Boundry Trails between Winkler /Morden would be ideal.. but that is in The RM of Stanley not in Winkler or Morden and is Dry meaning you can get a beer...
The Pembina Valley is booming and hockey mad... it would do well..

Winkler is building a new rink starting this fall . Problem is it was to be a 2200 seat facility but at last min changed it to 400 seat capacity . It ain't coming to Winkler or Morden but Steinbach needs a new arena so there's another idea .

 

[lanky]

Winkler is building a new rink starting this fall . Problem is it was to be a 2200 seat facility but at last min changed it to 400 seat capacity . It ain't coming to Winkler or Morden but Steinbach needs a new arena so there's another idea .

That's disappointing. You could plop a WHL team in Winkler-Morden and never have to worry about attendance, community support or corporate sponsorship. Steinbach is smaller in population and is further East, making team travel a bit rougher.

 

[sipowicz]

3 teams in town is a lot.

I am still surprised we have our farm team the Moose here.

Attendance keeps dropping for the Moose, how in the hell do even think of bringing the WHL here?

Winkler-Morden 23K, Steinbach 16K both too small for the WHL?

 

[Guardian17]

Here's a link for info on the new rink and potential home of the Winnipeg WHL franchise.

The Rink will offer hockey training and education in southwest Winnipeg in a complex nearly the size of two football fields.

It will house three ice rinks — including an NHL-sized rink that can accommodate 700 spectators — as well as an off-ice training centre and retail outlets for clothing, hockey gear, and skate and nutrition-related services.

The facility will also feature a gym, an indoor track, specialized training ice and a goalie-specific rink, along with spaces for research and lectures.

Winnipeg scores new $20M, 3-rink hockey training centre | CBC News

 

[Wolf357]

Attendance keeps dropping for the Moose, how in the hell do even think of bringing the WHL here?

Winkler-Morden 23K, Steinbach 16K both too small for the WHL?

You can’t just put Winkler - Moden in the population... you pretty much have to put in The Pembina valley region in there.. Altona (4123) , Carman (3027), and every town, village and farmyard inbetween... The Pembina valley is the fastest growing region in Manitoba and well above the national average...with over 60,000 inhabitants (as of 2001 the population was 51,000 and it would easily surpass that in 2018

Pembina Valley Region - Wikipedia

 

[DowntownBooster]

Three teams seems like a lot, and I don't really want the Moose to leave

I wouldn't want to see the Moose leave either. It's an ideal situation to have both the Jets and Moose in Winnipeg. The Moose players don't have to find a different place to live when called up to the Jets. If the Moose are drawing less fans, maybe they should consider reducing the price of tickets. If you get more fans in the door there will also be more fans buying merchandise and concessions. I also don't think we need a WHL team as it would not benefit the Jets in any way.

 

[VictoriaJetsFan]

As a pretty big junior hockey fan the WHL should ideally swallow its pride and contract a team. This will make it easier for when one of the Silvertips/Thunderbirds struggle to make a go of it when the NHL arrives in Seattle. The OHL and Q have less teams over a much larger population base.

 

[sipowicz]

You can’t just put Winkler - Moden in the population... you pretty much have to put in The Pembina valley region in there.. Altona (4123) , Carman (3027), and every town, village and farmyard inbetween... The Pembina valley is the fastest growing region in Manitoba and well above the national average...with over 60,000 inhabitants (as of 2001 the population was 51,000 and it would easily surpass that in 2018

Pembina Valley Region - Wikipedia

Swift Current and Kootenay both struggle as small market WHL teams, can't see the WHL working anywhere in Manitoba aside from where there is presently a team!

Does anyone think that True North would welcome a WHL team to compete with the Moose especially if they aren't involved, pretty certain Chipman could quash any WHL plans in short order!~

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Attendance keeps dropping for the Moose, how in the hell do even think of bringing the WHL here?

Winkler-Morden 23K, Steinbach 16K both too small for the WHL?

Well, apparently Cranbrook is too small with an area pop of 26k.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Swift Current and Kootenay both struggle as small market WHL teams, can't see the WHL working anywhere in Manitoba aside from where there is presently a team!

Does anyone think that True North would welcome a WHL team to compete with the Moose especially if they aren't involved, pretty certain Chipman could quash any WHL plans in short order!~

All the more reason why I hope another group brings the team here. Maybe it's time True North had some competition for the hockey entertainment dollars. Their monopoly has made them fat and lazy when it comes to satisfying their customers.

 

[robertocarlos]

I'm not up to date on prices. To me, 5 bucks is the right charge for a McD's meal. Except it costs 10 bucks now. Is it 20 bucks to go to a Moose game? TNSE probably thinks there is no point in giving tickets away, they have to charge something even if it's nominal.

Cilantro is a dollar for a bunch. I think that's the right price. I don't know though as I've never tried it.

 

[Trinity]

Traffic would be splendid around there!

Yep, I already avoid that area as much as possible, as it stands now.

 

[Dirty30]

I’d be okay with the Moose moving down to NorthDakota. It’s a lot closer to Winnipeg than ThunderBay.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

I’d be okay with the Moose moving down to NorthDakota. It’s a lot closer to Winnipeg than ThunderBay.

Flights are probably easier out of TB than ND. Just a guess, but I know there are at least two per day to/from Toronto through TB. Might actually be faster to get a call up to Winnipeg than from ND, thight I'll admit I haven't looked at ND flight options.

No customs either, though getting a player from ND to a US city would be easier.

 

[robertocarlos]

I’d be okay with the Moose moving down to NorthDakota. It’s a lot closer to Winnipeg than ThunderBay.

Would the Moose be welcome in ND? Who controls the rink? UND? They might not be happy. Same as a WHL team trying to move into BellMTS.

 

[Huffer]

My initial reaction is negative. The Moose being here has a huge positive impact on the Jets. I am skeptical of Winnipeg supporting 3 teams, and do not like anything that impacts the Moose/Jets synergy.

At any other time I would have been fully on board.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Last I heard (which was a few years ago), the Thunder Bay arena fell through due to funding

There has been a rumour for a few years that Winkler/Morden was being considered to get a WHL team... but an Arena would have to be built . By Boundry Trails between Winkler /Morden would be ideal.. but that is in The RM of Stanley not in Winkler or Morden and is Dry meaning you can get a beer...
The Pembina Valley is booming and hockey mad... it would do well..

IIRC if you combined winkler/Morden it would be the third biggest city in MB.

Also both cities are growing towards each other. Pretty much the entire highway is businesses.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

What? Max Bell? Are you wasted? Get this guy away from a key board. Problably the worst idea I heard all day!

I absolutely love Max Bell, but it only has a slightly better chance than the Gimli rec centre to host a CHL team.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Would the Moose be welcome in ND? Who controls the rink? UND? They might not be happy. Same as a WHL team trying to move into BellMTS.

The city of Grand Forks loves its UND hockey. I doubt there'd be any appetite for the AHL there.