Do you think someone will be convinced to come to utica. If Vancouver leaves, The NYR seems the most likely given the age of the xl center. Bridgeport has a good arena and is close to the islanders its just the attendance that is a problem.I could see a movement to the north west along with the Canucks and Seattle if they can find sutible cities. I doubt they try and displace whl teams. Maybe even the oilers will look at it. They mat even house the AHL team in their own arena.
As far as I am concerned the Rangers are the only chance and that is a long shot at best. Right now everyone seems to want their prospects as close to home as possible. there is new management in the Rangers organization, so it depends on how they feel.Do you think someone will be convinced to come to utica. If Vancouver leaves, The NYR seems the most likely given the age of the xl center. Bridgeport has a good arena and is close to the islanders its just the attendance that is a problem.
San Jose or Seattle could aim for Stockton if the heat pull out.
San Jose passed on Stockton before the Flames put the Heat there and as much as I would like to see the Barracuda in Stockton or Sacramento, I doubt they would go there now.
Not. Gonna. Happen.
San Jose is not going to move their affiliate.
First, they put in bunch of $$s to get separate locker room and training facility installed. Second, it's a matter of ~10 feet of moving equipment between the back doors of the NHL and AHL facilities when a player is called up or sent down (nothing like the cross-continent travel they used to have). Third, guys sleep in the same place, regardless of which team they play for. Fourth, the team scouts their affiliate every home game (and many practices). Fifth, a number of other organizations send scouts to SJ to scout both the NHL and AHL teams (with a dozen or so double headers, they can sometimes accomplish that in the same day; or they can see an afternoon game in SJ and an evening AHL game in Stockton). Sixth, Plattner (majority owner) wants/likes the Barracuda in San Jose.
Thats why they will probably do what ever it takes to keep the heat in Stockton i doubt the ca teams want to increase travel expenses.
I Agree with you i did not get the impression that anything other than developing prospects mattered for a team like San Jose i doubt they whould care about the amount of home games as long as the barracuda develop quality prospects.They can save some $ by playing 60 games instead of 68 games.
Do you think someone will be convinced to come to utica. If Vancouver leaves, The NYR seems the most likely given the age of the xl center. Bridgeport has a good arena and is close to the islanders its just the attendance that is a problem.
As far as I am concerned the Rangers are the only chance and that is a long shot at best. Right now everyone seems to want their prospects as close to home as possible. there is new management in the Rangers organization, so it depends on how they feel.
They can save some $ by playing 60 games instead of 68 games.
When the western teams were pushing for the west coast division and the reduced schedule, Brian Burke was pushing for a league wide 60 game season. He had support from many of the NHL GM. He wanted games played only on the weekends with the season started later than the NHL and finished before the NHL playoffs began so those players were available to the NHL team. Obviously, we know how that went down.
I say hawaii.Abbotsford? A Full Circle Moment that even Oprah would be proud of.
I think we're closer to that happening than people think.
It won't be 60 games...the target is 72 right now. To ask teams like Chicago,Grand Rapids, Hershey and the other independently owned teams to give up 8 games of revenue won't fly and will be shot down time after time
It's a lot closer to the MiLB way of doing things than you think. NHL teams are starting to realize that having their prospects play so many games and then play a long playoff run is causing a lot of unnecessary wear and tear. 64 games is probably the target number, and a shorter playoffs.
And it won't matter what teams like Chicago and Hershey say because the NHL will just form their own AAA-level league if they don't get what they want. That will kill the AHL.
No one is arguing...just stating an opinion to which we are both entitled...if this is an "argument" then the threshold to that term has been lowered to frightening standards.I'm not going to bother to argue with you. Bookmark the thread and we'll see how things turn out in five seasons when the current CBA is over. I promise not to rub your nose in it.
I say hawaii.
you do realize Stockton is the original Mariners until 1988, wildcatDear Petro…. He will go down as the worst owner in the history of sports franchises in this city. He will down as the worst of many things in Portland. Everything he touches dies.
Petrovek should stay out of the discussion with any new city's they are talking with.Hearing that relocation won't be until next year, so the team has another season (at least) in Stockton.
(Wouldn't be at all surprised that city is jacking prices in part to their bankruptcy a few years ago. Crazy time)
Hearing that relocation won't be until next year, so the team has another season (at least) in Stockton.
(Wouldn't be at all surprised that city is jacking prices in part to their bankruptcy a few years ago. Crazy time)
Petrovek Was the Genius who wanted to keep the thunder name in the echl even though there is another successful franchise with that name in wichita kansas.The prices are higher but it's because its the Heat and not the Thunder. There was a dispute over the City controlling the arena directly and wrestling it back from SMG a few years back as it was reportedly losing $7m a year. The city was going through one of it's usual boom periods before going bust again, it's worst ever, when it built the arena in the ongoing 40-50 year history of cleaning up downtown.
The biggest irony is the Thunder were a huge draw and took the city by storm. I would argue they are the reason the AHL created the California division.
Their first mistake is not buying the Thunder's name - imagine the Hershey Bears changing their name. The fans here aren't aware of any team other than the Sharks and LA, but they think the Kings play in Sacramento.
I don't know how you can't put more butts in seats with better hockey but the Heat are (not) doing it. We averaged around 7000 fans a night and now we're 3500.
They need to get a better affiliate in here but I don't know who.
Petrovek Was the Genius who wanted to keep the thunder name in the echl even though there is another successful franchise with that name in wichita kansas.