WHL news- TriCity Americans file to relocate

[Whawks33]

After weeks of rumor, the TriCity American have filed the paperwork to relocate the team to Chilliwack BC.

Interesting timing, right before the playoffs begin.

Anyway, the WHL release is here:

http://www.whl.ca/headlines/?id=2880

Click to read more...

 

[Habsfan 32]

Why are the getting relocated?

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Why are the getting relocated?

Why does any team file for relocation?

They're losing money, and lots of it.

 

[hockeyfan125]

Great news for the Giants imo, starting a rivalry.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Great news for the Giants imo, starting a rivalry.

It's going to be hell on the WHL because of the alignment.

If this motion passes, what are they going to do? Keep Chilliwack in the US Division? Put Kootenay into the US Division? Put Vancouver in the US Division?

Whatever alignment comes of this, unless the WHL scraps the divisions and goes to conference play, nothing will make sense.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Vancouver would pretty much have 2 WHL teams if this is the case. Chilliwack is only an hour away.

 

[PecaFan]

Maybe at 3:00am Hell of a lot longer if you have to drive it every single day.

It's far enough away physically and mentally that it'll be fine.

 

[the_gman83]

Vancouver would pretty much have 2 WHL teams if this is the case. Chilliwack is only an hour away.

That's no different than, say, Calgary and Red Deer.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

From TSN.ca...

Spokane general manager Tim Speltz said Porter will not get a favourable vote from the Chiefs, who have been the Americans' main rival for many years.

"We can't support it. It's detrimental to our division," Speltz said. "It changes the dynamics of our whole league. Every trip in our division is a day trip. We can get to every building on game day if we need to. You can't play in Prince George on Friday and in Spokane on Saturday."

http://www.tsn.ca/chl/news_story.asp?id=119467

==============================================================

There's one vote they won't get, and I wouldn't think any of the other US Division teams will support the move either, if they take the same mentality as Spokane has.

The way I see the vote breaking down...based on my opinions as if I were each team...

Any Eastern Conference team - Yes (couldn't care less) (10 yes votes)

Prince George - Yes (the farthest travelling point into the US would be gone)
Vancouver - Yes (bring in a near-local rival)
Kamloops - Yes (travel reasons)
Kelowna - Yes (travel reasons)
Kootenay - No (don't want to face possibly being put into another division yet again)
Spokane - No (see TSN article)
Seattle - No (see Spokane)
Everett - No (see Spokane)
Portland - No (see Spokane)

That makes it 14 yes votes...exactly what the Americans need to get approval. It won't be an easy vote for the Americans to win, that's for sure.

(I know the TSN article says 14/20, but I don't know where the 20th vote comes from. If it's the Americans, it wouldn't make sense since they're the ones trying to move.)

 

[E&M]

From TSN.ca...

Spokane general manager Tim Speltz said Porter will not get a favourable vote from the Chiefs, who have been the Americans' main rival for many years.

"We can't support it. It's detrimental to our division," Speltz said. "It changes the dynamics of our whole league. Every trip in our division is a day trip. We can get to every building on game day if we need to. You can't play in Prince George on Friday and in Spokane on Saturday."

http://www.tsn.ca/chl/news_story.asp?id=119467

==============================================================

There's one vote they won't get, and I wouldn't think any of the other US Division teams will support the move either, if they take the same mentality as Spokane has.

The way I see the vote breaking down...based on my opinions as if I were each team...

Any Eastern Conference team - Yes (couldn't care less) (10 yes votes)

Prince George - Yes (the farthest travelling point into the US would be gone)
Vancouver - Yes (bring in a near-local rival)
Kamloops - Yes (travel reasons)
Kelowna - Yes (travel reasons)
Kootenay - No (don't want to face possibly being put into another division yet again)
Spokane - No (see TSN article)
Seattle - No (see Spokane)
Everett - No (see Spokane)
Portland - No (see Spokane)

That makes it 14 yes votes...exactly what the Americans need to get approval. It won't be an easy vote for the Americans to win, that's for sure.

(I know the TSN article says 14/20, but I don't know where the 20th vote comes from. If it's the Americans, it wouldn't make sense since they're the ones trying to move.)

hmmm.... wouldn't chilliwack be closer for seattle and everett??

 

[BCCHL inactive]

hmmm.... wouldn't chilliwack be closer for seattle and everett??

It is closer, but I don't see any of the other 4 US based teams wanting to lose a divisional opponent.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I love some of these Canadian city names...

So in the same league we have teams in cities named...
Chilliwack
Moose Jaw
Medicine Hat
Red Deer
Kootenay
Kamloops

I love it.

 

[kmad]

Any word on whether the Chilliwack Chiefs are being relocated? (BCHL)

 

[Canadian Chris]

I'd suspect either Abbotsford or Campbell River is where they'll end up. I know Campbell River has been pushing for a Jr. A club for a good number of years now...basically since they got their their Jr. B club actually

 

[T2M]

I think that they should only allow this move if the Chilliwack team plays one exhibition game every year in Tri-City, and then they have to play "Gone So Long" every time the team comes back on the ice at the start of the game and after an intermission.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

I love some of these Canadian city names...

So in the same league we have teams in cities named...

Kootenay

Kootenay is the region's name. The team plays in Cranbrook.

As for where the Chiefs would go, the most likely location is Abbotsford. Rumour going around is that Nelson and Squamish are also possibilities. I think for Nelson, a more likely scenario is Merritt moving there.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Vancouver would pretty much have 2 WHL teams if this is the case. Chilliwack is only an hour away.

No they wouldn't, they would have one. Red Deer is about an hour and a half north of Calgary, Lethbridge is the same distance south. Calgary doesn't have 3 WHL teams.

What a bizarre thing to say.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

No they wouldn't, they would have one. Red Deer is about an hour and a half north of Calgary, Lethbridge is the same distance south. Calgary doesn't have 3 WHL teams.

What a bizarre thing to say.

Yeah the difference is, is that Red Deer is a town stuck in between Calgary and Edmonton where as Chilliwack is sometimes regarded as a burb' of Vancouver.

 

[Hockeycanada*]

What's the population of Burnaby? I say leave the Chiefs in Chilliwack and move the WHL franchise to Burnaby.

 

[hockeyfan125]

What's the population of Burnaby? I say leave the Chiefs in Chilliwack and move the WHL franchise to Burnaby.

Burnaby is 20 minutes from Vancouver, and about a 5 minute drive from the Pacific Coliseum (The Giants Stadium). Makes no sense.

 

[Hockeycanada*]

Burnaby is 20 minutes from Vancouver, and about a 5 minute drive from the Pacific Coliseum (The Giants Stadium). Makes no sense.

I'm not familiar with the Vancouver area.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Yeah the difference is, is that Red Deer is a town stuck in between Calgary and Edmonton where as Chilliwack is sometimes regarded as a burb' of Vancouver.

Chilliwack is at least an hour drive from Vancouver and is in no way considered a suburb of Vancouver.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Chilliwack is at least an hour drive from Vancouver and is in no way considered a suburb of Vancouver.

I've made it from Chilliwack to Vancouver in 40-45 minutes.


As for Burnaby, not only is it basically in Vancouver, the city has also failed miserably with a Jr.A team. The Alberni Valley Bulldogs started off as the Burnaby Bulldogs for a couple seasons.

I still can't figure out how Coquitlam's owners figure they can do well down the road in Burnaby next season. (For those who are unaware, the Coquitlam Express - BCHL - are relocating to Burnaby for next season)

 

[CF]

A better analogy than Calgary and Red Deer would be Everett and Seattle. Everett draws twice as much fans as Seattle, and Everett is an expansion team that plays boring hockey. Seattle is an elite team that is fun to watch. I also believe Everett and Seattle are closer to eachother than Vancouver is to Chilliwack.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

A better analogy than Calgary and Red Deer would be Everett and Seattle. Everett draws twice as much fans as Seattle, and Everett is an expansion team that plays boring hockey. Seattle is an elite team that is fun to watch. I also believe Everett and Seattle are closer to eachother than Vancouver is to Chilliwack.

So basically we all are in agreement that monster_bertuzzi's comment was pretty f'n stupid.