OT: Winnipeg Ice Thread

[almostawake]

I don't think Steinback/Pembina Valley is a remotely viable option, but Selkirk is at least one, maybe two tiers down from there.

Selkirk and the surrounding areas could not, in any sense, support a WHL team long term. I saw someone throw out Gimli, St. Andrews, Stonewall, Beausejour out as a catchment area. No. Sorry. Not even remotely. Not in the winter. Sure you'll have some people come in for weekend matinées. But night-in night-out support. Forget it. And as far as arena goes, the current one would not be a long term option and Selkirk cannot afford a new one. Selkirk is not an economically robust place.

Like, in western Canada there are at least 11 markets that dominate Selkirk in every sense as a potential location for WHL relocation. And of those, at least 9 of them are places the WHL would rather contract than allow relocation to.

Even as a temporary, one season, stop for the Ice Selkirk is borderline. They'd almost be better off playing at the iceplex if push came to shove. At least there they could start attracting a long term season ticket base and not have too messy of a billet situation.

I mean, putting the team in Selkirk loses them, at the very least, as much as they are losing now.

 

[NorthStar]

I believe they have two and a third on the way don't they? Not a single one has a max capacity over 1800 though which pretty much guarantees the WHL won't touch it.

Oh... I was right about the 2nd rink but a 3rd?? How is that possible? Really odd somehow..

AND I often long wondered what would become of both the old Target store at Polo Park (long before Winners and other stores eventually occupied it..) and the Fort Richmond mall (which now is rebuilt into several new stores).. did wish one of these places would have been changed to a junior hockey arena maybe for the WHL but I dunno now..

 

[Guardian17]

WHL faithful in Cranbrook, BC fear Kootenay Ice bound for Winnipeg, suspend ticket drive.

WHL faithful in Cranbrook, BC fear Kootenay Ice bound for Winnipeg, suspend ticket drive

 

[Brominator]

Used to be Moose, Bombers, Goldeyes.

Now it's Jets, Moose, Bombers, Goldeyes, Valour, Ice?

Can we support 6 sports teams in this city?

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Winnipeg: Stealing other cities' teams since 1970.

 

[NorthStar]

Wow.. let's wait and see if it actually will happen.. I do want to see the WHL here in Winnipeg but the main questions would be who will be the primary owner and where will the team actually play in a rink here in the city? Should be interesting to see it unfolds s0on or later.. .

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Wow.. let's wait and see if it actually will happen.. I do want to see the WHL here in Winnipeg but the main questions would be who will be the primary owner and where will the team actually play in a rink here in the city? Should be interesting to see it unfolds s0on or later.. .

I mean, the answers to both of those questions are in this thread.

Ownership will be the current ownership of the franchise. A bunch of Winnipeg based people who bought the team a couple years ago.

They will play in the Max Bell Centre on the campus of the University of Manitoba laugh: BTW) while they build a new 5,000 seat arena in South Winnipeg.

I'm skeptical if it can work, but I'm sure they've done the legwork to figure out the best solution.

 

[kittiecarlyle]

Wow.. let's wait and see if it actually will happen.. I do want to see the WHL here in Winnipeg but the main questions would be who will be the primary owner and where will the team actually play in a rink here in the city? Should be interesting to see it unfolds s0on or later.. .

Well both questions are answered. Greg Fettes is the majority owner of the Ice and would be once the team is moved. A 4500 - 5000 seat rink will be built very close to the The Rink.

 

[kittiecarlyle]

I mean, the answers to both of those questions are in this thread.

Ownership will be the current ownership of the franchise. A bunch of Winnipeg based people who bought the team a couple years ago.

They will play in the Max Bell Centre on the campus of the University of Manitoba laugh: BTW) while they build a new 5,000 seat arena in South Winnipeg.

I'm skeptical if it can work, but I'm sure they've done the legwork to figure out the best solution.

Greg Fettes is the majority owner and really it is him that is behind this not really a bunch of Winnipeg people. Since the Jets arrival he has doggedly supported them and made inroads as a major sponsor.

Him and his brother have built a very successful expansive near world wide business.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

They should build an arena at that Bishop Grandin Crossing that seats around 5,000. There still space to build it, restaurants, hotels, rapid transit station just minutes away. No better place for it.

I know I said this before, I quoted it so I didn't have to repeat myself. Too good to pass up. Sure they could build one on McGillivary, but I would do this if I was trying to build my own WHL arena in Winnipeg.

 

[Jets4Life]

I mean, the answers to both of those questions are in this thread.

Ownership will be the current ownership of the franchise. A bunch of Winnipeg based people who bought the team a couple years ago.

They will play in the Max Bell Centre on the campus of the University of Manitoba laugh: BTW) while they build a new 5,000 seat arena in South Winnipeg.

I'm skeptical if it can work, but I'm sure they've done the legwork to figure out the best solution.

I am convinced that the group who plans to bring a WHL team to Winnipeg knows something we do not. I've heard they are on good terms with TNSE.

MY gut feeling is that the Moose will be relocated next season or in 2020. Possibly to Saskatoon, Fargo, Thunder Bay, or even Duluth. There is no way TNSE would allow this to happen unless they are planning on relocating the Moose.

 

[HannuJ]

Used to be Moose, Bombers, Goldeyes.

Now it's Jets, Moose, Bombers, Goldeyes, Valour, Ice?

Can we support 6 sports teams in this city?

tickets for Moose, Goldeyes, Valour and Ice will be very cheap.
let's be honest...what else are Winnipeggers spending their $$ on?
you'll be able to take your kids to a live sports game for around the same price as a movie

 

[kanadalainen]

I enjoy this kind of hockey. Bring it on, I would go to a bunch of games.

 

[Channelcat]

I am convinced that the group who plans to bring a WHL team to Winnipeg knows something we do not. I've heard they are on good terms with TNSE.

MY gut feeling is that the Moose will be relocated next season or in 2020. Possibly to Saskatoon, Fargo, Thunder Bay, or even Duluth. There is no way TNSE would allow this to happen unless they are planning on relocating the Moose.

Yes, I believe this is in the works.

 

[Jet]

I think it can work. I'd imagine the costs that the Jets save by having the Moose in Winnipeg far outweighs them being under capacity in the arena.

I've said this earlier in the thread but I think it bears repeating because I think it's being missed or glossed over:

True North and the Ice ownership group (and the Rink for that matter) are all very closely tied together. Matt Cockell was both in the TN org and 24-7 Intouch. 24-7 Intouch has a suite and a key sponsorship agreement with the Jets. 24-7 Intouch is the major contributor to Mike Keane's charity hockey event and Mark Scheifele's golf tournament.

With such a closely tied business relationship (and also personally knowing players in this) I firmly believe there is no way that the Ice ownership group moves into Winnipeg without not only the approval but blessing of True North. What does this mean?

Either the Jets believe that WHL will not erode their Moose fan base, or, (far more likely) the Jets were already planning on moving the team somewhere else. Why?

• The Moose could draw better elsewhere. Any increase in tickets and merch sales will likely offset any additional costs of having the team away from the parent club.
• This opens up 40 days/ nights for BellMTS to host other events, which is money that the team is not making now.

I'd bet that TN was already planning on moving the Moose before this materialized. Remember, the Moose being here was supposed to be temporary.
Though I believe the Ice ownership really wanted and tried to make it work in Cranbrook - I'm sure knowing them they had a plan B worked out from the beginning. I also know the WHL understood where the owners were coming from and the potential to move to a major city must have been enticing to them as well.

 

[Jet]

Not sure why the notion that the Moose are leaving or are about to leave keeps coming up. There are logistical reasons why True North operates the Moose in Winnipeg in conjunction with the Jets. It's so much easier for the players at the AHL level to be in the same city as the NHL team not only for the purpose of call-ups but it's also beneficial for management as they don't have to fly out to other locations to watch the developing players. The players don't have to find temporary living quarters every time they are called up for a few days before getting sent back down only to be called up again. They can simply focus on hockey instead.

There are plenty of dates available for concerts at BMTSP outside of those booked for Jets and Moose games. Also, not all concerts require the number of seats in the arena and since True North also operates the Burton Cummings Theatre, a number of concerts are held in that venue.

For many reasons already stated in this thread. It makes a whole lot of sense especially considering that the Moose were never supposed to be here in the first place.

While there are available nights open at BellMTS already, you need to have nights available that match up with the big shows schedules. adding 40+ dates to the calendar every year really expands your options.

Seeing how little movement there is between NHL/AHL rosters in the grand scheme of things - it's really not a major impact, especially considering the Jets are on the road half the year, as are the Moose. Really, you aren't gaining a whole lot that way having the teams in the same market. Of course you do get the modest benefit of both teams using the same home facilities, and the Moose players being able to watch the Jets play when they are both home (again not super frequent anyway).

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I am convinced that the group who plans to bring a WHL team to Winnipeg knows something we do not. I've heard they are on good terms with TNSE.

MY gut feeling is that the Moose will be relocated next season or in 2020. Possibly to Saskatoon, Fargo, Thunder Bay, or even Duluth. There is no way TNSE would allow this to happen unless they are planning on relocating the Moose.

I think the Moose are here to stay, unless WHL brings in much larger numbers in Winnipeg.

The only good place for our AHL team (or any future AHL team, per say Ottawa even) would be Thunder Bay. I wanted Ottawa to put their AHL team in St. John's. Thunder Bay is best suited for AHL/ECHL considering it'd be hard to put an OHL team there because of the distance from the nearest OHL city. They could support pro hockey and deserve it, but first they need a new arena.

 

[NorthStar]

Ok now I see who the majority owner would be, so yeah.. and where the team will play temporarily? Ok yeah I heard that the Max Bell arena at the U of Manitoba would have to do till then.. as for a new arena nearby? Good idea

So now we wait and see when the official annoucement will be for a WHL move to Winnipeg.. I read one report at another site saying that the WHL governors will be meeting in February? Could that be when that will happen?

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

They could support pro hockey and deserve it, but first they need a new arena.

That but is as big as Kim Kardashian's. I get the impression that a new arena there is as dead as CalgaryNEXT. I don't think there will be an AHL team in TB. If the Moose move, I expect it will be to a northern US city. Based on my excellent track record of prognostications made without access to any facts.

 

[irunthepeg]

I agree with others who have said 3 teams is too much. Having the AHL team in Winnipeg is great for the NHL team but as much as I love having the Moose, it makes most sense for us to have an NHL/WHL combo rather than NHL/AHL.

That said, a WHL team in Selkirk would be sick, although it would never work.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I suggested Selkirk as a single year solution, because the idea of hosting a CHL team in Max Bell makes me laugh out loud.

 

[snowkiddin]

I suggested Selkirk as a single year solution, because the idea of hosting a CHL team in Max Bell makes me laugh out loud.

If their Jr A attendance is any indication, the arena would be empty on most nights. Still, as a single year solution, they could probably get by.

Not sure how a WHL team would affect the Steelers (and to a lesser extent the Fishermen)

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I suggested Selkirk as a single year solution, because the idea of hosting a CHL team in Max Bell makes me laugh out loud.

Think of it as an entire season of Kraft Hockeyville games.

 

[Al Camino]

For many reasons already stated in this thread. It makes a whole lot of sense especially considering that the Moose were never supposed to be here in the first place.

While there are available nights open at BellMTS already, you need to have nights available that match up with the big shows schedules. adding 40+ dates to the calendar every year really expands your options.

Seeing how little movement there is between NHL/AHL rosters in the grand scheme of things - it's really not a major impact, especially considering the Jets are on the road half the year, as are the Moose. Really, you aren't gaining a whole lot that way having the teams in the same market. Of course you do get the modest benefit of both teams using the same home facilities, and the Moose players being able to watch the Jets play when they are both home (again not super frequent anyway).

This is true. The Moose only ended up here because TNSE thought they had a sweetheart deal lined up in Thunder Bay until the city wasn't able to get funding for an arena.
Personally I could care less if an AHL team draws fans. They exist solely to develop talent. Of course I can say that now that we have an NHL team here.

 

[DowntownBooster]

I agree with others who have said 3 teams is too much. Having the AHL team in Winnipeg is great for the NHL team but as much as I love having the Moose, it makes most sense for us to have an NHL/WHL combo rather than NHL/AHL.

That said, a WHL team in Selkirk would be sick, although it would never work.

The main difference is that supporting the Moose is also supporting the Jets as they are both under the TNSE umbrella. Supporting a WHL team does nothing in that regard.