New cities 2017-2018

[royals119]

Got it. Thank you. This is probably a question for its own thread, but if Las Vegas has an AHL affiliate for their first year, won't that AHL team have to meet the roster requirements of x amount of development guys and x amount of AHL-only contracts?

There is no max limit for veterans, once they pass 260 AHL/NHL/"Elite euro" games they're considered an AHL vet. It's that one player you correctly mention later that caps at 320. Goaltenders used to be exempt from the rule, and I think still are.

But yeah, if you could get 20 guys on NHL contracts that match the AHL roster rules a team could do that...

The roster rule is:

Of the 18 skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a game, at least 13 must be qualified as “development players.†Of those 13, 12 must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.

So the max limit is 5 vets, one "tweener". You could have a roster comprised of exclusively "developmental players". There is no minimum requirement for vets. There is no limit on AHL vs NHL contracts. You could have an entire team on NHL contracts or an entire team on AHL contracts.

The biggest issue Vegas will have if they choose to split an affiliation, or send players to multiple teams, is that every NHL team has at least four goaltenders under contract, and most have more than that. That means all the AHL goaltender spots are already accounted for and Vegas would have no place to place their third and fourth goaltenders. They could try to find slots in the ECHL for them, but most ECHL teams are contractually obligated to give preference to their NHL/AHL affiliate for 2 goalie spots also. They could find spots for them with independent ECHL teams, but that isn't going to be ideal. I would be surprised if there isn't a 31st AHL team announced for 2017-2018. Looks more and more like that might be Binghamton, with possibly some affiliations shifting around.

 

[210]

The roster rule is:


So the max limit is 5 vets, one "tweener". You could have a roster comprised of exclusively "developmental players". There is no minimum requirement for vets. There is no limit on AHL vs NHL contracts. You could have an entire team on NHL contracts or an entire team on AHL contracts.

The biggest issue Vegas will have if they choose to split an affiliation, or send players to multiple teams, is that every NHL team has at least four goaltenders under contract, and most have more than that. That means all the AHL goaltender spots are already accounted for and Vegas would have no place to place their third and fourth goaltenders. They could try to find slots in the ECHL for them, but most ECHL teams are contractually obligated to give preference to their NHL/AHL affiliate for 2 goalie spots also. They could find spots for them with independent ECHL teams, but that isn't going to be ideal. I would be surprised if there isn't a 31st AHL team announced for 2017-2018. Looks more and more like that might be Binghamton, with possibly some affiliations shifting around.

Please read the part I quoted and put in bold font as that is what my comment addresses.

 

[royals119]

Please read the part I quoted and put in bold font as that is what my comment addresses.

OK, had to read it a couple times to realize that you meant there is no max limit to the number of games played to be considered a veteran. Both posts were a little confusing, that's why I put the rule in there, so anyone else reading the thread could understand. Didn't mean to offend.

 

[HRAds]

Both the teams you mention would have to be up for sale...both are privately owned the San Antonio Rampage are owned by the San Antonio Spurs group and the Wolves are owned by 2 business men here in Chicago. Neither are up for sale that we know of.

Would they though? Clearly the AHL has zero problem forcing franchise sales when they want something to happen. See the OG Ads moving to San Diego as a prime example of that.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

Would they though? Clearly the AHL has zero problem forcing franchise sales when they want something to happen. See the OG Ads moving to San Diego as a prime example of that.

The Chicago ownership group is the type that would sue the AHL if they tried to do that. Axe will back that up.

 

[210]

The Chicago ownership group is the type that would sue the AHL if they tried to do that. Axe will back that up.

Plus the AHL doesn't force franchises to sell anyway; or maybe more correctly I've never heard one single legitimate source even indicate that's the case. NHL teams certainly do, and that's something the AHL can't really control.

 

[adsfan]

Milwaukee's owner died just before the 2001-02 season began. She left money to run the team for a while. It was almost 3 years before the current ownership group took over. I thought that the team was going to fold.

The AHL certainly wasn't forcing a sale in those days. If they did, that would have been the time to step in and do so and not lose a franchise.

 

[HRAds]

Plus the AHL doesn't force franchises to sell anyway; or maybe more correctly I've never heard one single legitimate source even indicate that's the case. NHL teams certainly do, and that's something the AHL can't really control.

Except in the case of Norfolk they did. http://wavy.com/2015/01/23/norfolk-admirals-owner-forced-to-sell-team/

I realize the AHL really wanted a California division so it's kind of a special circumstance and the Ads were holding up the critical mass. Basically the same quote from Ken was in the Virginian-Pilot about the same time but a Google search didn't pull it. The entire affair was shady from the league and Anaheim prospective. The aftermath has been worse than the Tampa Bay shenanigans.

 

[210]

Except in the case of Norfolk they did. http://wavy.com/2015/01/23/norfolk-admirals-owner-forced-to-sell-team/

I realize the AHL really wanted a California division so it's kind of a special circumstance and the Ads were holding up the critical mass. Basically the same quote from Ken was in the Virginian-Pilot about the same time but a Google search didn't pull it. The entire affair was shady from the league and Anaheim prospective. The aftermath has been worse than the Tampa Bay shenanigans.

They were forced by the Ducks, not by the AHL.

 

[HRAds]

They were forced by the Ducks, not by the AHL.

It's a semantics case. The affiliation agreement was up. The Ducks were not going to reup in Norfolk. The AHL said to Ken Young you can keep your team but your not going to get any dates. They may not have said the words "sell the team to Anaheim" but they strong armed the sale. I really wish he had told them to get bent and sued.

 

[210]

It's a semantics case. The affiliation agreement was up. The Ducks were not going to reup in Norfolk. The AHL said to Ken Young you can keep your team but your not going to get any dates. They may not have said the words "sell the team to Anaheim" but they strong armed the sale. I really wish he had told them to get bent and sued.

The AHL did nothing to force Ken Young to do anything. The Ducks, knowing the situation, placed Young in a position where his only good option was to sell the team.

That's not semantics, that's a fact.

Norfolk was an outpost franchise no NHL team really wanted to affiliate with. The Ducks took advantage and then forced a sale. I predicted the exact same thing was going to happen to Portland as they were in the same boat Norfolk was. But before an NHL team could put the squeeze on the Pirates a group from Springfield bought the team.

 

[HRAds]

The AHL did nothing to force Ken Young to do anything. The Ducks, knowing the situation, placed Young in a position where his only good option was to sell the team.

That's not semantics, that's a fact.

Norfolk was an outpost franchise no NHL team really wanted to affiliate with. The Ducks took advantage and then forced a sale. I predicted the exact same thing was going to happen to Portland as they were in the same boat Norfolk was. But before an NHL team could put the squeeze on the Pirates a group from Springfield bought the team.

That is compleatly contrary to everything that was been in the local media or I have been told by friends that were in the Ads organization at the time. No matter. The damage has been done locally now.

 

[GareFan18]

The rumor is that Lamar Hunt Jr. owner of the Missouri Mavericks was/is (whichever it may be) purchasing the AHL franchise rights, along with a former Blues player. The second half was that Lamar Hunt Jr. would also receive a minority stake in the Blues ownership group.

None of us can say whether or not its happening or not happening. Just because one Islanders scout says it is dead doesn't mean he truly knows, as that kind of dealing would not be really discussed with his department at this point in time much. But it doesn't mean that the rumors are true and KC is getting a team wither.

All we know is that the Blues don't own their affiliate now, over the summer the Blues and Wolves renewed their affiliation for one season (2016-17) only and the articles mentioned that the Wolves would look elsewhere after this season. (Most likely Vegas). So that would leave the Blues without the Wolves. We know Lamar Hunt Jr. since buying the Mavericks has stated he wants to grow hockey in KC, and he is starting up a USHL franchise once an arena project in the Kansas suburbs is completed. We also know that soon after the AHL rumors broke out the Mavericks posted a statement on Facebook which said they are committed to being the ECHL affiliate of the Islanders.

So is it possible the AHL could come to KC next season? Yes. Is it guaranteed? Not at this point as far as anyone knows.

It is too early before silly season to completely rule it out or confirm it.

Good post. All correct.
However, the bolded part isn't what the previous post said. He said he also talked to long-time KC resident Ken Morrow. Kenny would know. While his "job" is Director of Pro Scouting, he's also Lamar Hunt Jr.'s adviser/confidant. If Kenny said it, I'd believe him.