New team in Trois-Rivières, Qc in 2020

[Major4Boarding]

Alright folks. Let's get this thing back on track here and enough with the snipes.

 

[royals119]

I cannot see the league allowing or approving an existing owner to own or operate more than one franchise, without endangering the existing franchise, knowing how hard it was for Deacon and MacDonald to establish the Growlers....

We've seen that scenario before, where the operator of one franchise then starts working for another franchise in the same league, notably Bridgeport and Worcester, that's why the Blues ended up defaulting to being an owner operator, instead of private ownership.

the other caveat would be is Toronto or Montreal willing to own an ECHL franchise if it comes to that crossroad where the ECHL says not allowed to own/operate franchises as we've seen in higher leagues, knowing the costs of establishing a franchise in a given league.

There have been plenty of instances where one person, or entity, owned multiple franchises. Very recently Jack Guilati owned the Royals and the Americans, but there have been many others. The league does have a rule that the two teams can't trade with each other under those circumstances, but there is no prohibition. MacDonald himself said in at least of the articles that was recently published that there is an economic advantage to him if he owns more than one team.

 

[210]

There have been plenty of instances where one person, or entity, owned multiple franchises. Very recently Jack Guilati owned the Royals and the Americans, but there have been many others. The league does have a rule that the two teams can't trade with each other under those circumstances, but there is no prohibition. MacDonald himself said in at least of the articles that was recently published that there is an economic advantage to him if he owns more than one team.

Just kind of guessing here, but owning two teams in Canada might make it more enticing to larger companies that might not be interesting in being involved with just one team to create sponsorships with both teams.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

There have been plenty of instances where one person, or entity, owned multiple franchises. Very recently Jack Guilati owned the Royals and the Americans, but there have been many others. The league does have a rule that the two teams can't trade with each other under those circumstances, but there is no prohibition. MacDonald himself said in at least of the articles that was recently published that there is an economic advantage to him if he owns more than one team.

thanks:

I just keep flashing back to where a specific League has said you have to pick one team to represent.... I'm just skeptical or old-school that owning more than one team, has or will devalue the franchise he started in St. John's after all he did to reestablish a franchise there, then the sidebar over the lease flap.

 

[Adam Michaels]

The meeting between MacDonald and the city is tomorrow. However, no one from the Canadiens will attend.

They sent a letter out explaining their position. They say that they want to give the mayor and the council the chance to properly assess the proposal. Surely feeling like if they were present, it could affect their judgment.

They say that on the 19th of December, when France Margaret Bélanger spoke on TR radio, she said that the Habs had no association with MacDonald. The Habs reiterate that they don't have a formal agreement with MacDonald. There is no contract signed and so for now, the Habs will play the role of observer.

They also mention they are still interested in basing their ECHL team in TR, as mentioned in Sedgwick's letter, noting that the geographical proximity is very advantageous to the Canadiens.

So while the Habs and MacDonald are both interested in working together for this project, they don't have a formal agreement in place. And that is why at the moment, the Canadiens won't get involved.

The city will vote on it on the 7th (Friday)

 

[royals119]

thanks:

I just keep flashing back to where a specific League has said you have to pick one team to represent.... I'm just skeptical or old-school that owning more than one team, has or will devalue the franchise he started in St. John's after all he did to reestablish a franchise there, then the sidebar over the lease flap.

It's in the ECHL's DNA to own multiple teams. The league founder, Henry Brabham, owned three of the original five teams outright, and a part of another one. I've head it happened more than once where an owner would "trade" the best players from one of his teams for the worst players from his other team at the end of the season, in order to have a successful playoff run, hence the prohibition on trading with yourself.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

It's in the ECHL's DNA to own multiple teams. The league founder, Henry Brabham, owned three of the original five teams outright, and a part of another one. I've head it happened more than once where an owner would "trade" the best players from one of his teams for the worst players from his other team at the end of the season, in order to have a successful playoff run, hence the prohibition on trading with yourself.

thanks, royals.

 

[Growlers]

Montreal Canadiens Need to Develop their Farm System Plan


ince the collapse of the Montreal Canadiens’ 2017-18 NHL season, general manager (GM) Marc Bergevin has been working on a retool. The Canadiens have focused on building a younger, faster team that frames better in an NHL that has been trending in that direction for several seasons.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
Despite improvements to the NHL roster making the team more competitive and exciting to watch, there have been no playoff games, nor does the 2019-20 season look like it will be adding any either.
Building Blocks

Bergevin has made a concerted effort since that season of collapse to add a plethora of draft picks for assistant GM Trevor Timmins to use at the draft table. Timmins had access to 21 draft picks in the last two NHL drafts, and the Canadiens (as of Jan. 27) hold 11 more picks in 2020.
The draft is an excellent foundation to help build a franchise — it is the basic foundation of every Stanley Cup champion in the cap era. However, it takes more than just Timmins drafting well.

Trevor Timmins, Assistant General Manager, Montreal Canadiens, 2019 NHL Draft (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
The next step is to develop these young players into NHL-capable players who can meet their full potentials. That is done in many ways. European prospects can be left to mature with their club teams, junior-aged North Americans can be left with their CHL teams or to complete in up to four seasons in the NCAA.
But what happens when 20 to 30 prospects arrive at development camp ready to enter the professional ranks? Obviously, the NHL limit of 50 contracts will weed out many young players, but two-way American Hockey League/ECHL contracts do not count towards that limit, allowing them to help ice competitive minor league teams. This brings up the issue of ice time for development.
A Two-Tiered Minor League System

To become a contender, an NHL franchise needs to have a farm system that routinely graduates NHL-caliber players. The Canadiens haven’t been able to do so during Bergevin’s tenure.
Last season, the AHL’s Laval Rocket had 46 different players on their team; this level of roster turnover is high considering how healthy the Canadiens were that season. Ice time to a prospect is like sunlight to a plant: not having enough can slow the growth and can also prevent them from reaching their full potential. This highlights the importance of having another development level.
This is where adding an ECHL affiliate to provide another level of development is paramount in progressing their prospects. Owning their own affiliate, ideally as close to Montreal as possible, would allow the organization to have direct control of the development of young players. It would also ensure that those prospects are playing the systems the Canadiens employ, allowing a more seamless transition when graduating players.
Currently, Montreal has no ECHL affiliate and this is causing problems as they shuttle some players from one team to the next in the hopes that they receive ice time. Goaltender Michael McNiven is a perfect example of this.

Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images
Keith Kinkaid’s addition as the NHL backup caused a ripple effect in the organization. It left Cayden Primeau and Charlie Lindgren as the AHL tandem (until Kinkaid and Lindgren swapped roles), forcing McNiven to be loaned to various ECHL teams. He has been loaned to three different ECHL teams so far, playing a total 19 games and is moved aside when the parent clubs of these teams want their own goaltending prospects getting more playing time.
This is why the news of a new arena being built in Trois-Rivières, only 150 kilometers away from Montreal was seen as an ideal opportunity to regain control of their developmental system.
Keeping up With the Joneses?

The Canadiens modernizing their development system would allow the team to keep pace with divisional rivals such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, who are in various stages of rebuilds and contention. Adding a second tier in their farm system could provide not only control of their development process, but also satisfy the demands of their local market in giving local Quebec-born players a path to the NHL.
Signing undrafted Quebecois players provides good relations with the francophone community. It can also give a late bloomer a chance at making the NHL as a productive player. Players such as David Desharnais and Jonathan Marchessault are examples of undrafted locals who were able to develop into NHL players.

David Desharnais (Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports)
Another issue the Canadiens have to deal with, albeit self-imposed, is the language issue. The necessity to hire French-speaking coaches and managers for this franchise creates a need to develop as many candidates as possible as the Habs are never able to hire the best possible candidate but only the best possible bilingual candidate. Having a development path for new coaches can only benefit Montreal in the long run by adding more candidates to choose from.
In this new salary cap era, there are still no ceilings placed on how much a team can spend on anything outside of player salaries. So far they have been adding more scouting staff and funding their own scouting combines, all helpful in drafting, but a franchise as wealthy as the Canadiens need to take advantage of this loophole in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and start spending on their development system.
The Trois-Rivières Saga

Mayor Jean Lamarche claims to have received conflicting reports from the Canadiens. The one and only publicly stated position from the Canadiens is that of vice president (VP) of hockey operations John Sedgwick (translated from French):

“the Canadiens are willing to commit to becoming the principal associate for an ECHL franchise in Trois-Rivières”
from, Colisée de Trois-Rivières: le Canadien revient à la charge | Actualités | Le Nouvelliste – Trois-Rivières by Gabriel Deslile 17 January 2020​

However, in that same article, Mayor Lamarche claimed that in further conversations, Canadiens VP of commercial affairs France Bélanger stated to him that the Habs wanted no affiliation with Dean Macdonald (owner of the NFLD Growlers)

The Utah Grizzlies are an example of an ECHL franchise (Utah Grizzlies/Josie Vimahi)
These conflicting claims forced the Canadiens’ hand to reaffirm their position of a desire to form a franchise in Trois-Rivières. This has strengthened the city’s leverage; however, it would seem the Usport bid by Université de Quebec – Trois-Rivières (UQTR) is now the frontrunner to be the main tenant. No doubt, a PR nightmare for the Quebec hockey powerhouse Canadiens.
It would seem the desire of the mayor is to have UQTR as the only tenant. For a city that doesn’t want to pay subsidies to prop up the management of their new arena, making a Usports team the principle tenant that attracts up to 500 spectators per game with a season of only 14 home games while completely excluding a professional franchise supported by the area’s richest hockey franchise that also happens to own a major entertainment group that can add concert dates, makes little financial sense.
Where to Now?

The last ECHL affiliation the Canadiens organization held was with the Brampton Beast, yet it was a shared affiliation with the Ottawa Senators. Obviously, not an ideal situation, but one that was better than spending the last two seasons without any affiliation.
Fans won’t need to go far to see an example to emulate, the Maple Leafs organization has built a strong development system that is now bearing fruit as they can graduate NHL-capable players regularly. Another quality example is that of the Senators. They now have full control of the development of their prospects, which is helpful for a team in the midst of a rebuild.
With the option of Trois-Rivières seeming to have been closed, it is time for Bergevin and team owner Geoff Molson to look elsewhere to add that missing piece. The simplest option is to sign an agreement with the only independent team currently in the ECHL, the Norfolk Admirals. While not ideal, as Norfolk is geographically distant, albeit in the same time zone, as well as the fact the team is independently owned, it would provide the Canadiens the affiliate they desperately need. It would be an immediate improvement over having no control on where to place their second tier of prospects. Also, it buys time for the Habs to find a permanent solution.

Norfolk Admirals (Norfolk Admirals/John Wright)
Another option would be to use the Canadiens’ deep pockets to purchase the franchise from its current ownership group led by former Admiral Patrick Cavanagh. Considering that they’re averaging below the league’s average attendance of approximately 4,000 fans per game, buying this team and moving it into Place Bell in Laval, an arena already managed by Molson’s Evenko group, would provide a better location, access to coaching and amenities.
Build It and They Will Come

Canadiens fans love their history, and they can look back at the success built by former GM Frank Selke who built the Habs farm system creating the basis for the dynasties of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
This history should point the way ahead for the current management team simply by seeing the benefits that a tiered farm system provided in the past. They need only adapt that system and modernize it for today’s NHL.
Building a multi-layered farm system is not a guarantee to having a Stanley Cup champion in today’s NHL, but not having one can be detrimental to a franchise that is unable to attract top free agents or win a draft lottery.

Source: https://thehockeywriters.com/montreal-canadiens-need-echl-franchise/

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Montreal Canadiens Need to Develop their Farm System Plan


ince the collapse of the Montreal Canadiens’ 2017-18 NHL season, general manager (GM) Marc Bergevin has been working on a retool. The Canadiens have focused on building a younger, faster team that frames better in an NHL that has been trending in that direction for several seasons.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
Despite improvements to the NHL roster making the team more competitive and exciting to watch, there have been no playoff games, nor does the 2019-20 season look like it will be adding any either.
Building Blocks

Bergevin has made a concerted effort since that season of collapse to add a plethora of draft picks for assistant GM Trevor Timmins to use at the draft table. Timmins had access to 21 draft picks in the last two NHL drafts, and the Canadiens (as of Jan. 27) hold 11 more picks in 2020.
The draft is an excellent foundation to help build a franchise — it is the basic foundation of every Stanley Cup champion in the cap era. However, it takes more than just Timmins drafting well.

Trevor Timmins, Assistant General Manager, Montreal Canadiens, 2019 NHL Draft (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
The next step is to develop these young players into NHL-capable players who can meet their full potentials. That is done in many ways. European prospects can be left to mature with their club teams, junior-aged North Americans can be left with their CHL teams or to complete in up to four seasons in the NCAA.
But what happens when 20 to 30 prospects arrive at development camp ready to enter the professional ranks? Obviously, the NHL limit of 50 contracts will weed out many young players, but two-way American Hockey League/ECHL contracts do not count towards that limit, allowing them to help ice competitive minor league teams. This brings up the issue of ice time for development.
A Two-Tiered Minor League System

To become a contender, an NHL franchise needs to have a farm system that routinely graduates NHL-caliber players. The Canadiens haven’t been able to do so during Bergevin’s tenure.
Last season, the AHL’s Laval Rocket had 46 different players on their team; this level of roster turnover is high considering how healthy the Canadiens were that season. Ice time to a prospect is like sunlight to a plant: not having enough can slow the growth and can also prevent them from reaching their full potential. This highlights the importance of having another development level.
This is where adding an ECHL affiliate to provide another level of development is paramount in progressing their prospects. Owning their own affiliate, ideally as close to Montreal as possible, would allow the organization to have direct control of the development of young players. It would also ensure that those prospects are playing the systems the Canadiens employ, allowing a more seamless transition when graduating players.
Currently, Montreal has no ECHL affiliate and this is causing problems as they shuttle some players from one team to the next in the hopes that they receive ice time. Goaltender Michael McNiven is a perfect example of this.

Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images
Keith Kinkaid’s addition as the NHL backup caused a ripple effect in the organization. It left Cayden Primeau and Charlie Lindgren as the AHL tandem (until Kinkaid and Lindgren swapped roles), forcing McNiven to be loaned to various ECHL teams. He has been loaned to three different ECHL teams so far, playing a total 19 games and is moved aside when the parent clubs of these teams want their own goaltending prospects getting more playing time.
This is why the news of a new arena being built in Trois-Rivières, only 150 kilometers away from Montreal was seen as an ideal opportunity to regain control of their developmental system.
Keeping up With the Joneses?

The Canadiens modernizing their development system would allow the team to keep pace with divisional rivals such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, who are in various stages of rebuilds and contention. Adding a second tier in their farm system could provide not only control of their development process, but also satisfy the demands of their local market in giving local Quebec-born players a path to the NHL.
Signing undrafted Quebecois players provides good relations with the francophone community. It can also give a late bloomer a chance at making the NHL as a productive player. Players such as David Desharnais and Jonathan Marchessault are examples of undrafted locals who were able to develop into NHL players.

David Desharnais (Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports)
Another issue the Canadiens have to deal with, albeit self-imposed, is the language issue. The necessity to hire French-speaking coaches and managers for this franchise creates a need to develop as many candidates as possible as the Habs are never able to hire the best possible candidate but only the best possible bilingual candidate. Having a development path for new coaches can only benefit Montreal in the long run by adding more candidates to choose from.
In this new salary cap era, there are still no ceilings placed on how much a team can spend on anything outside of player salaries. So far they have been adding more scouting staff and funding their own scouting combines, all helpful in drafting, but a franchise as wealthy as the Canadiens need to take advantage of this loophole in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and start spending on their development system.
The Trois-Rivières Saga

Mayor Jean Lamarche claims to have received conflicting reports from the Canadiens. The one and only publicly stated position from the Canadiens is that of vice president (VP) of hockey operations John Sedgwick (translated from French):

“the Canadiens are willing to commit to becoming the principal associate for an ECHL franchise in Trois-Rivières”
from, Colisée de Trois-Rivières: le Canadien revient à la charge | Actualités | Le Nouvelliste – Trois-Rivières by Gabriel Deslile 17 January 2020​

However, in that same article, Mayor Lamarche claimed that in further conversations, Canadiens VP of commercial affairs France Bélanger stated to him that the Habs wanted no affiliation with Dean Macdonald (owner of the NFLD Growlers)

The Utah Grizzlies are an example of an ECHL franchise (Utah Grizzlies/Josie Vimahi)
These conflicting claims forced the Canadiens’ hand to reaffirm their position of a desire to form a franchise in Trois-Rivières. This has strengthened the city’s leverage; however, it would seem the Usport bid by Université de Quebec – Trois-Rivières (UQTR) is now the frontrunner to be the main tenant. No doubt, a PR nightmare for the Quebec hockey powerhouse Canadiens.
It would seem the desire of the mayor is to have UQTR as the only tenant. For a city that doesn’t want to pay subsidies to prop up the management of their new arena, making a Usports team the principle tenant that attracts up to 500 spectators per game with a season of only 14 home games while completely excluding a professional franchise supported by the area’s richest hockey franchise that also happens to own a major entertainment group that can add concert dates, makes little financial sense.
Where to Now?

The last ECHL affiliation the Canadiens organization held was with the Brampton Beast, yet it was a shared affiliation with the Ottawa Senators. Obviously, not an ideal situation, but one that was better than spending the last two seasons without any affiliation.
Fans won’t need to go far to see an example to emulate, the Maple Leafs organization has built a strong development system that is now bearing fruit as they can graduate NHL-capable players regularly. Another quality example is that of the Senators. They now have full control of the development of their prospects, which is helpful for a team in the midst of a rebuild.
With the option of Trois-Rivières seeming to have been closed, it is time for Bergevin and team owner Geoff Molson to look elsewhere to add that missing piece. The simplest option is to sign an agreement with the only independent team currently in the ECHL, the Norfolk Admirals. While not ideal, as Norfolk is geographically distant, albeit in the same time zone, as well as the fact the team is independently owned, it would provide the Canadiens the affiliate they desperately need. It would be an immediate improvement over having no control on where to place their second tier of prospects. Also, it buys time for the Habs to find a permanent solution.

Norfolk Admirals (Norfolk Admirals/John Wright)
Another option would be to use the Canadiens’ deep pockets to purchase the franchise from its current ownership group led by former Admiral Patrick Cavanagh. Considering that they’re averaging below the league’s average attendance of approximately 4,000 fans per game, buying this team and moving it into Place Bell in Laval, an arena already managed by Molson’s Evenko group, would provide a better location, access to coaching and amenities.
Build It and They Will Come

Canadiens fans love their history, and they can look back at the success built by former GM Frank Selke who built the Habs farm system creating the basis for the dynasties of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
This history should point the way ahead for the current management team simply by seeing the benefits that a tiered farm system provided in the past. They need only adapt that system and modernize it for today’s NHL.
Building a multi-layered farm system is not a guarantee to having a Stanley Cup champion in today’s NHL, but not having one can be detrimental to a franchise that is unable to attract top free agents or win a draft lottery.

Source: https://thehockeywriters.com/montreal-canadiens-need-echl-franchise/

The article makes good points except for the Habs owning their ECHL team outright. The echl model is locally owned and operated teams working with their affiliates. When NHL teams purchase ECHL clubs its usually only to acquire an arena lease for an ahl team.

 

[Growlers]

Another article after the meeting today. You will need to run through Google Translate if you don't know French.

ECHL au colisée: des retombées annuelles de 10 M$ [VIDÉO]

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Google translate is crap so here's a painstaking translation for the non-bilingual HF Boards members

ECHL at the Arena: annual returns of $10 million

Trois-Rivières — Businessman Dean MacDonald and his team were before the T-R municipal counsel on Tuesday afternoon to finally present to the elected officials the business plan of implementing an ECHL franchise in the new arena of District 55. A presentation that at the heart was to learn the ECHL in T-R would be able to generate economic returns of $10 million annually.

At least that's what was said by former NHL player Marc-André Bergeron, who had been mandated by the City to find an occupant for this arena and who has since chosen to join Dean MacDonald's organization, claiming to believe in the product offered by the businessman and his business partner, Glenn Stanford.

According to him, the operation budget of the ECHL in T-R would be $4 million annually, with estimated economic returns of $10 million, without counting the creation of jobs this franchise would generate. "As a T-R inhabitant, if I leave my role, I am thrilled with what was presented to the city," he explained.
Dean MacDonald, who is already owner of the Newfoundland Growlers, did not formalize the absence of the Montréal Canadiens for the supporting presentation when he arrived at the town hall. "This is an ongoing process. As of right now, we do not have an agreement with the city, so before we sit down and finalise everything with the Canadiens, we need to have an agreement with the town because there is nothing to negotiate. When everything is settled, the discussion will be easier," he continued.
He continued to confidently say he would come to an agreement with the Montréal Canadiens if the town allowed him to use the arena. "Glenn Stanford operated two AHL franchises for the Canadiens. He is very well known. We also know the Canadiens have eight contracted players playing in the ECHL now and they would like them to all play under the same roof. We do not see this as part of the problem, quite the opposite. Besides, we would not be interested in operating an ECHL franchise in T-R if we would not be affiliated with the Canadiens. If the Canadiens are not there, we are not either," he commented.
Dean MacDonald also showed being open to sharing the arena with the UQTR Patriotes. "We would like to work with them. On our team in Newfoundland, we have a dozen players who have left university. The ECHL is a great opportunity for local players would would like to further their careers when they are finished with university. We think that it would be a great opportunity for them," he added.
The interested parties have until Friday to file their completed business plan to the city of T-R. Subsequently, the files will be analyzed by different government departments before making an official recommendation to the municipal counsel.

 

[Growlers]

Potential Trois-Rivières ECHL Expansion Could Pay Dividends to Growlers, says, Owner


The owner of the Newfoundland Growlers is taking a stab at owning a second ECHL franchise, this time in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. However, any Growlers fans with concerns can breathe a sigh of relief.

During a call to the Monday Night Sports Show with Ben Murphy, Dean MacDonald said that he and Growlers COO Glenn Stanford were approached by the Trois-Rivières City Council last Spring about potentially bringing in a franchise affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens – similar to what was done here with the Growlers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Stanford has a long-standing relationship with the Canadiens franchise. He was also COO of the St. John’s IceCaps when they were the Habs’ American Hockey League affiliate.

There is a brand new arena under construction in Trois-Rivières that is set to open in September 2020 where the team would play. MacDonald and Stanford made a trip there and visited the site, which initiated further discussions. They presented to the city council again last week.

MacDonald says the thought behind it is quite simple. He claims that if they can get another ECHL team here in Canada and closer to Newfoundland, it severely cuts down on travel and associated costs, as they subsidize teams that come to Newfoundland and Labrador. He says it would have a great economic benefit for the Growlers and the league overall by bringing the Montreal Canadiens into the ECHL instead of just a handful of players spread over multiple teams. The Canadiens currently do not have an ECHL affiliate.

He indicates that it also makes sense for the Canadiens as their AHL affiliate is in Laval, Quebec and Trois-Rivières is only an hour and a half away.

That being said, a lot needs to be done with the City of Trois-Rivières and whether the economics will work for them. MacDonald says market studies on fan support and corporate sponsorship support are currently underway. He says it’s far from a slam dunk, but they’ll do anything they can to strengthen the Growlers franchise and the league.

MacDonald says the project is contingent on the affiliation with the Canadiens. He says they’ve had deep discussions with the Canadiens and they—along with the Trois-Rivières council—understand and are aware of that condition.

Owning Two Teams Permitted, says MacDonald

Some raised questions about owning two teams in the same league, but MacDonald says it is permitted and already happening—although, it does come with some strict rules; like no trading among each other.

He says if it reached a point where it looked like things were coming together, they would be looking for local ownership to come on board to be the face, heart and soul of the team.

MacDonald has already been working with former Habs defenseman, Marc Andre Bergeron, who would take on the role of President. He jokes about their unique situation as neither he or Stanford speak french, and that they’ll need someone on the ground there.
MacDonald says there is still a lot of work to be done but was very clear where their hearts lie.

He says right now the odds are of this all coming to life are about 50/50. However, their hearts are in one spot, and that’s with the Growlers.


Source: Potential Trois-Rivières ECHL Expansion Could Pay Dividends to Growlers, says Owner

Also, there is a link to the audio from the interview on the link.

 

[Hurricane Ron]

In regards to multiple teams under one owner, Tulsa and Wichita share the same ownership group. This ownership group also owned the Allen franchise a few seasons ago. As others have posted, this isn't a problem in the ECHL.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[JMCx4]

EVERY hockey arena should be required to have a field of snow cover around it. It just seems so natural.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

EVERY hockey arena should be required to have a field of snow cover around it. It just seems so natural.

It is very nice, but the air also hurts your face for half of the year

 

[JMCx4]

It is very nice, but the air also hurts your face for half of the year

The bad with the good. If it wasn't for my reliance on Mrs. JMC's company & steadying influence, I would've moved to colder & snowier climes long ago. Though I would need someone younger these days to shovel off the pond so I can skate.

 

[210]

It is very nice, but the air also hurts your face for half of the year

That's far from a negative.

 

[JMCx4]

That's far from a negative.

Would that be in °C or °F?

 

[Centrum Hockey]

It is very nice, but the air also hurts your face for half of the year

I got Jonathan Cheechoo to autograph my jersey by waiting outside of the DCU Center in the freezing cold for almost an hour when he played for The Worcester Sharks i don't regret it at all.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

That looked like a cruise ship at first glance

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

A translation for the non-bilingual and for those who would be massively confused by Google Translate's inability to comprehend the finer points of Québec French.

Looking back, ex-Montréal Canadien Marc-André Bergeron must rejoice the negotiations between Trois-Rivières and businessman Dean MacDonald for the establishment of a ECHL team dragged on this past winter. A quick agreement, and this potential Canadiens farm team should take its first step in the city of (insert generic colonial New France reference here) in autumn. Can you imagine Bergeron running after sponsors during this pandemic? The team would be in trouble before having played a single game. Solid other than that.

Add to the puzzle the logistical annoyances the delays to the new Colisée would have brought, the uncertainty surrounding professional sports resuming and everything is present for a disaster.

The pre-pandemic hesitation allows both parties to do their due diligence without stress. It discusses, it negotiates, it approaches. There is little media noise of the current situation, which is generally a good sign. From the two sides, we expect an agreement in the coming for a 2021-22 season launch.

If MacDonald and Bergeron escaped it beautifully, the current situation is equally advantageous for the city. A quick agreement and the city is open to the Martimes invester. If Macdonald would not have wanted to reopen the deal quickly, who knows what would be going on? If it failed, it is certain the sporting reputation of T-R would have been tarnished.

Anyways, these COVID-19 related problems could maybe create new opportunities.

"It is not a big state secret that mayor Jean Lamarche dreams of major junior hockey for the Colisée"— Steve Turcotte

Despite his longtime friendship with QMJHL commisioner Gilles Courteau, the door was always closed. That does not stop him from regularly knocking.

"Every time there is something new that happens, I call. Two weeks ago, I took the liberty of recalling it by invoking the pandemic."

But, his discourse has not changed. The leauge will not expand and no team wishes to relocate. (Insert generic try and fail idiom here) laughed Lamarche, who said the MacDonald group is aware of the city's preference.

"It is not a problem for them. If there is an opportunity in the QMJHL, they already said they will pack up. Everything happns with respect."

It remains to be seen if the new economic realities with force certain teams to explore their options in the coming months. This past week, I was told a small market laid off several hockey people, including scouts. One month from the draft! This does not mean the team will become available, but it shows how fragile some are.

When we ask the middle men questions, the most likely sceneario is the one from January. Already, New Brunswick made rules against meetings of more than 250 people until December 31. Without fixing the date, minister François Legault was clear enough of that large indoor meetings would be the last thing alowed on the confinement list.

Technically, the QMJHL could be without revenue for more than 8 months. Those who need all the money they can get to remain afloat will feel the pressure build up in the coming weeks, it is inevitable.

In these conditions, nothing presses the city to come to an agreement with the ECHL. With a brand spanking new 5000 seat arena in the heart of Québec, T-R could become an important element of a recovery plan.

 

[Adam Michaels]

ECHL à Trois-Rivières: Weightman en renfort

There is a meeting between the MacDonald and his group with the city of TR on Tuesday. And they will have Mark Weightman with them.

Weightman is an impressive guy to have with them. He worked for 22 years with the Alouettes, and after that, he joined he Canadiens and was made president of Laval Rocket and Place Bell. He did a remarkable job helping Laval get its foot off the ground.

He left the organization a few months ago and it was a big move. Now he will be with MacDonald and Marc-Andre Bergeron in this meeting.

Bergeron said the last little while, things have stagnated. So having this meeting on Tuesday is a good thing. MacDonald really wants this done.

Mayor Lamarche has his eye on the QMJHL and would be ready to offer TR and their new arena if a team that can't survive this pandemic financially and will need to stop operations.

 

[hurricanesfan123]

There is a meeting between the MacDonald and his group with the city of TR on Tuesday. And they will have Mark Weightman with them.


nice maybe a new official echl expansion team soon