Oilers, Flames and Canucks moving their AHL teams to Canada for 2020-21

[Martin Veillette]

From www.oilersnation.com

The 3 NHL teams are talking about moving their AHL affiliates (Bakersfield, Stockton and Utica) up North for the the 2020-21 season if the borders are still close.
The rumors are that there will be a canadian division next season.

Click to read more...

 

[Mike Jones]

I'm not surprised but where are they going to go? Abbotsford, Saskatoon and Regina?

 

[210]

So this is essentially what was already posted here, 2020-2021 season, and neither says what your title says.

 

[Martin Veillette]

I'm not surprised but where are they going to go? Abbotsford, Saskatoon and Regina?

If the arenas are still not open to the public. They will probably simply play in the same NHL arenas as their affiliate teams.

 

[Mike Jones]

If the arenas are still not open to the public. They will probably simply play in the same NHL arenas as their affiliate teams.

Makes sense - like San Jose.

 

[axecrew]

If the arenas are still not open to the public. They will probably simply play in the same NHL arenas as their affiliate teams.

Depending on their lease agreements it could open them up to lawsuits or whatever...breach of contract and penalties.

 

[CANADIENSFAN90]

i know this might be jumping the gun but do you think the comets might move to canada permanently?

 

[JMCx4]

Not soon.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

i know this might be jumping the gun but do you think the comets might move to canada permanently?

The Oilers and Flames would have to permanently move their AHL teams to western Canada for that to be feasible.

 

[210]

The Oilers and Flames would have to permanently move their AHL teams to western Canada for that to be feasible.

Not if someone was willing to lose a lot of money...

 

[Flukeshot]

I have been thinking it may make sense to have the AHL teams almost be taxi squads to the NHL. They can just match the NHL schedule. Reduce travel expenses, have an expanded set of players for the NHL to have available on a call ups notice.

 

[axecrew]

I have been thinking it may make sense to have the AHL teams almost be taxi squads to the NHL. They can just match the NHL schedule. Reduce travel expenses, have an expanded set of players for the NHL to have available on a call ups notice.

Problem with this is...you have a bunch of independently owned teams that need to play games in order to pay their bills. So probably not likely...there will be an AHL season this year just not sure how many games and when it starts.

 

[Spawn]

I'm not surprised but where are they going to go? Abbotsford, Saskatoon and Regina?

Might as well have them in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. It's not like their respective arenas are going to have a shortage of available days available.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

The Oilers and Flames would have to permanently move their AHL teams to western Canada for that to be feasible.

Wouldn't the WHL have to sign ooff on this? I thought there was an agreement between the NHL and WHL to keep non-NHL pro hockey out of Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Wouldn't the WHL have to sign ooff on this? I thought there was an agreement between the NHL and WHL to keep non-NHL pro hockey out of Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.

None that I am aware of. The AHL was in British Columbia as recently as 2012 and the ECHL was in British Columbia as recently as 2011. Any agreement would also likely be illegal with Canada's competition law.

 

[210]

None that I am aware of. The AHL was in British Columbia as recently as 2012 and the ECHL was in British Columbia as recently as 2011. Any agreement would also likely be illegal with Canada's competition law.

Plus there'd be no reason for the NHL to make that agreement in the first place...

 

[Flukeshot]

Problem with this is...you have a bunch of independently owned teams that need to play games in order to pay their bills. So probably not likely...there will be an AHL season this year just not sure how many games and when it starts.

I absolutely understand that and ultimately my scenario pretty much removes the AHL ownership. It would be more like a European soccer Reserves team.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

I absolutely understand that and ultimately my scenario pretty much removes the AHL ownership. It would be more like a European soccer Reserves team.

The danger of such a system is how much interest in hockey (and thus the NHL) is lost from non-NHL markets if the NHL teams are the only 32 pro teams in NA?

 

[Flukeshot]

The danger of such a system is how much interest in hockey (and thus the NHL) is lost from non-NHL markets if the NHL teams are the only 32 pro teams in NA?

I would hope the scenario I described would only be in place of canceling the AHL season altogether.

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

I would hope the scenario I described would only be in place of canceling the AHL season altogether.

Thanks for the clarification! I've dealt with some people who would like such a system permanently, so I wasn't sure.

 

[BlueBull]

I'm not surprised but where are they going to go? Abbotsford, Saskatoon and Regina?

I think that Vancouver's Farm Team should be in Victoria.
It would be nice for fans on the Island to see some future Canucks Players.

 

[Martin Veillette]

Impossible. Victoria is home to an WHL junior team. Maybe Abbotsford

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I thought it was mentioned on Oilers Now that they would put the 3 teams in Ontario to limit travel between teams.

 

[210]

Impossible. Victoria is home to an WHL junior team. Maybe Abbotsford

Not impossible. Just unlikely.

 

[Crunchrulz]

If the local leadership is not going to allow fans in the stands, I highly doubt there will be an AHL season in 2020-2021. There is no TV revenue to fall back on, and the fans are the way the teams meet cost. Here in NY, hockey fans are not the Governor's normal support group so I highly doubt he allows anything near the needed capacity for any of the minor leagues that play throughout the state.