The AHL 2012-13 "Silly Season" Thread

[HansH]

http://centralillinoisproud.com/fulltext?nxd_id=315192

Another brief article on the end of the relationship between the Blues and the Peoria Civic Center - nothing really new, just a couple of slightly different quotes.

 

[HansH]

https://twitter.com/andystrickland/status/317808871051776001

#stlblues have sold their #AHL affiliate in Peoria to the Vancouver #Canucks...Chicago #Wolves expected to become new Blues AHL affiliate

Still no other confirmation that I can find that the purchaser is indeed the Canucks, but it fits in with the buzz.

 

[Thunder God]

https://twitter.com/andystrickland/status/317808871051776001



Still no other confirmation that I can find that the purchaser is indeed the Canucks, but it fits in with the buzz.

Hey Hans i have some news on this Situation please read this

http://centralillinoisproud.com/fulltext?nxd_id=315192

 

[Fenway]

If the AHL ever decides to make a West Coast push you have to wonder what happens to Worcester and Manchester. I think AEG is happy in Manchester but you have to think hockey ops would like the main farm team closer. Same applies to San Jose.

The time will come when you see more cities flip between the AHL and ECHL.

Ontario, CA certainly could support the AHL - Ft Wayne should have been in the AHL decades ago.

There are a few older AHL markets who might be better off in the ECHL. (Binghamton,Worcester, Albany, Portland?)

Peoria is not a bad market and when the dust settles they will have a team.

When Lowell had an AHL team they did fine on weekends but had problems midweek and with an arena that could only max out at 6,000 they had no way of padding the average. There were many weekend games they could have sold 10K or more but didn't have the seats.

When the Devils took over the franchise marketing went down the dumper and when UMass Lowell bought the arena from the city the school told the Devils to leave.

Providence does well because of the Bruins affiliation.

I am simply suggesting that say a Worcester in the ECHL as a Bruins team would see a bump.

 

[SeattleSharksFan]

Stockton could make a good landing spot for the Worcester Sharks if the AHL westward expansion does happen; then you'd have the entire system within Northern California (SJ, Stockton, SF). The Thunder's attendance has been among the top tier of the minors. I doubt it will happen given the Sharks like the eastward-tilting arrangement and reduced travel costs, but if the league starts trending in the westward direction, that would be a logical setup.

 

[adsfan]

If the AHL ever decides to make a West Coast push you have to wonder what happens to Worcester and Manchester. I think AEG is happy in Manchester but you have to think hockey ops would like the main farm team closer. Same applies to San Jose.

The time will come when you see more cities flip between the AHL and ECHL.

Ontario, CA certainly could support the AHL - Ft Wayne should have been in the AHL decades ago.

There are a few older AHL markets who might be better off in the ECHL. (Binghamton,Worcester, Albany, Portland?)

Peoria is not a bad market and when the dust settles they will have a team.

When Lowell had an AHL team they did fine on weekends but had problems midweek and with an arena that could only max out at 6,000 they had no way of padding the average. There were many weekend games they could have sold 10K or more but didn't have the seats.

When the Devils took over the franchise marketing went down the dumper and when UMass Lowell bought the arena from the city the school told the Devils to leave.

Providence does well because of the Bruins affiliation.

I am simply suggesting that say a Worcester in the ECHL as a Bruins team would see a bump.

Ft Wayne enjoyed being a big fish in the IHL. When Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, San Diego/LA, KC and Atlanta came in, they were a much smaller fish. They went to the UHL or whatever it was called and dominated there. They didn't want to join a league with PHPA reps. They could make more money with less travel costs in their 8000 seat arena.

I heard that the Chicago Tribune will publish a story about Peoria. I have also heard that Vancouver may move their AHL players to Peoria for a year as a stop gap. That would give them time to fix up the arena in Utica.

 

[HockeylessInHouston]

Has there been word one on the Houston Aeros lease situation lately?

As of Good Friday, both sides still talking. Nothing concrete on another city in the works. Just Internet speculation (which did really well on Hamilton, didn't it - and totally missed Peoria).

Current lease not signed until late April 2008.

 

[adsfan]

As of Good Friday, both sides still talking. Nothing concrete on another city in the works. Just Internet speculation (which did really well on Hamilton, didn't it - and totally missed Peoria).

Current lease not signed until late April 2008.

The Third Intermission story on Saturday said there was no news on the lease, which agrees with what you are saying.

 

[HockeylessInHouston]

The Third Intermission story on Saturday said there was no news on the lease, which agrees with what you are saying.

Drew and I must talk to the same people.

 

[HockeylessInHouston]

In other silly season items - -

Hartford - Lease expires end of this season, also the operating lease of the company the Wolfpack, er, uh "Whale" (what a dumb name!) lease from is up too. Who do you negotiate with in this situation if you are the team?

The NHL's desire that the AHL re-center westwards.

Does Phoenix become available?

Could be up to three re-locations this summer. So much for Andrews' statement about the AHL being in an era of stability!

 

[HansH]

In other silly season items - -

Hartford - Lease expires end of this season, also the operating lease of the company the Wolfpack, er, uh "Whale" (what a dumb name!) lease from is up too. Who do you negotiate with in this situation if you are the team?

You missed the fact that this got resolved over a month ago - the Whale stay in Hartford for at least three more seasons:
http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/global-spectrum-reaches-deal-to-keep-whale-at-xl-center/

The NHL's desire that the AHL re-center westwards.

"The NHL" does not have this desire. "Some ownership groups WITHIN the NHL" have this desire or at least interest -- let's not go overboard in describing the situation.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Stockton could make a good landing spot for the Worcester Sharks if the AHL westward expansion does happen; then you'd have the entire system within Northern California (SJ, Stockton, SF). The Thunder's attendance has been among the top tier of the minors. I doubt it will happen given the Sharks like the eastward-tilting arrangement and reduced travel costs, but if the league starts trending in the westward direction, that would be a logical setup.

LA nor SJ are interested, SSF, SJ has thrown its support behind Worcester ever since the Peoria fiasco, which now w/ the sale of the Rivermen REVERSES that decision that stripped Worcester of its original Ice Cats....

Isn't Stockton an Oilers ECHL affiliate, now that SF has entered the ECHL, SO none of the above scenario will exist

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

If the AHL ever decides to make a West Coast push you have to wonder what happens to Worcester and Manchester. I think AEG is happy in Manchester but you have to think hockey ops would like the main farm team closer. Same applies to San Jose.

The time will come when you see more cities flip between the AHL and ECHL.

Ontario, CA certainly could support the AHL - Ft Wayne should have been in the AHL decades ago.

There are a few older AHL markets who might be better off in the ECHL. (Binghamton,Worcester, Albany, Portland?)

Peoria is not a bad market and when the dust settles they will have a team.

When Lowell had an AHL team they did fine on weekends but had problems midweek and with an arena that could only max out at 6,000 they had no way of padding the average. There were many weekend games they could have sold 10K or more but didn't have the seats.

When the Devils took over the franchise marketing went down the dumper and when UMass Lowell bought the arena from the city the school told the Devils to leave.

Providence does well because of the Bruins affiliation.

I am simply suggesting that say a Worcester in the ECHL as a Bruins team would see a bump.

some of you are forgetting the agreement that the ECHL has a 5 year hold on any market that's terminated, besides, Ontario is owned as is Manchester by the Kings

 

[PCSPounder]

Better copy something over from what I posted on a Business Board thread.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=62428377&postcount=19

What creates a true AHL western division is if NHL clubs want to have maximum control over their systems. That means buying the AHL team to minimize that AHL owner who whines and cries about having a winning team instead of developing the youth. That also means you practically have to locate that team within a 2-hour drive of the NHL team; you're building a more regional relationship for your NHL team this way, mostly in markets where it would have benefits.

If there has to be a workround (or a partial workaround), that's where either of my #2 scenarios comes into play.

 

[Tommy Hawk]

Better copy something over from what I posted on a Business Board thread.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=62428377&postcount=19

What creates a true AHL western division is if NHL clubs want to have maximum control over their systems. That means buying the AHL team to minimize that AHL owner who whines and cries about having a winning team instead of developing the youth. That also means you practically have to locate that team within a 2-hour drive of the NHL team; you're building a more regional relationship for your NHL team this way, mostly in markets where it would have benefits.

If there has to be a workround (or a partial workaround), that's where either of my #2 scenarios comes into play.

Winning teams are not mutually exclusive to developing talent. Ask Detroit, Washington, Dallas, etc. Drafting and signing crap players is a detriment to winning at ANY level.

I could see the Canucks moving the AHL team to Victoria which is on Vancouver Island. There is a junior team there but they could coexist in the 7,000 seat arena.

No way Calgary gives up the cash cow that is Abbotsford.