OT: Winnipeg Ice Thread

[Daximus]

Swifty and Regina don't even own their first round pick, PG and Saskatoon do. Wonder if by some "miracle" the Ice win the lotto this year. The consolation prizes though are pretty good the 2004 group is pretty good.

I've always been a bit skeptical of the lotto after Seattle won from 3rd last place and moved up two spots and got Barzal which is the only place he would report. It just seemed to convenient for the league.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

Why isn’t there a wheat kings thread on jets board? Doesn’t seem to be much junior interest, even main boards is pretty limited interest comparatively.

 

[Daximus]

Why isn’t there a wheat kings thread on jets board?

Because true WHL fans secretly hate the Wheaties.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Would be nice to get Savoie if WHL returned to Winnipeg. With the Rink system it looks like we could potentially have a very good development system that could take this WHL team to greater heights.

 

[Daximus]

Would be nice to get Savoie if WHL returned to Winnipeg. With the Rink system it looks like we could potentially have a very good development system that could take this WHL team to greater heights.

Yeah the Ice will go from one of the league worst facilities to eventually some of the best.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

This is the worst kept secret in all of hockey right now

 

[Guardian17]

UPDATE: Announcement to be made on Monday!

The owners of the Kootenay Ice are preparing to announce Monday they are moving their Western Hockey League franchise to Winnipeg in time for the 2019-20 season, league sources have told the Free Press.

Official word expected Monday on WHL team moving to south Winnipeg, building arena

 

[Guardian17]

 

[DowntownBooster]

UPDATE: Announcement to be made on Monday!

The owners of the Kootenay Ice are preparing to announce Monday they are moving their Western Hockey League franchise to Winnipeg in time for the 2019-20 season, league sources have told the Free Press.

Official word expected Monday on WHL team moving to south Winnipeg, building arena

That's going to totally kill fan interest for the remainder of the season this year.

 

[Guardian17]

They’re going to face a major challenge trying to establish a foothold in a city that, I would argue, is already over-extended when it comes to supporting the sport.

And if the goal is to force the Moose to move, well, good luck with that. Sure their crowds may be dwindling, but I’m told it’s still a money-making enterprise. True North has invested plenty in them, including the $7.5-million overhaul of the Bell MTS Iceplex in 2015. There’s no doubt a major cost benefit to consolidating your NHL and AHL operations in one city, not to mention the developmental positives.


Is Winnipeg hockey market too saturated for relocating WHL team to be successful?

 

[blues10]

I just don't see this working out very well. I guess the proposed arena site can be accessed via the perimeter highway.

Build small create demand? what am I missing?

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[jetsforever]

Wow, guess it's basically official now
I hope this doesn't kick out the Moose - ideally all three can coexist peacefully

 

[Gil Fisher]

Wow, guess it's basically official now
I hope this doesn't kick out the Moose - ideally all three can coexist peacefully

I heard some scuttlebutt around the Ft. Garry rinks that the Moose would move i to the new rink as well to free up the MTS Centre for more concerts. Take it for what it's worth, not sure it it came from Fettis or not. Maybe Jet can chime in.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I heard some scuttlebutt around the Ft. Garry rinks that the Moose would move i to the new rink as well to free up the MTS Centre for more concerts. Take it for what it's worth, not sure it it came from Fettis or not. Maybe Jet can chime in.

Certainly a more size appropriate venue for the Moose. However, I will miss touring the concourse to see which concessions can't be bothered to open for the Moose game.

 

[Jets]

Could the Moose to North Dakota be an option? Between Fargo and Grand Forks maybe they can draw enough?

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Could the Moose to North Dakota be an option? Between Fargo and Grand Forks maybe they can draw enough?

I don't think there is a large enough city between Fargo and Grand Forks.

 

[kylbaz]

How About Winnipeg Winning Pigs for a name.

 

[snowkiddin]

I’ll still be a Wheat Kings fan the most (have been for life) but I would go see Winnipeg WHL games (especially when the Wheaties are in town). This Winnipeg club will have some rough travel for sure.

I know I’m in the minority, but I prefer having the Moose over the a WHL team. If the Moose move to Fargo, that would be okay, I would go see them once a year or so.

 

[Jets]

I don't think there is a large enough city between Fargo and Grand Forks.

I meant have them in Fargo-Moorehead and draw from Grand Forks an hour up the road

 

[sipowicz]

I don't think there is a large enough city between Fargo and Grand Forks.

Grand Forks loves and supports UND hockey why would they want to support anything else and how could they with 90K, Fargo is more interested in college sports as well with three universities and all their teams, USHL also does well in Fargo.

 

[tbcwpg]

They’re going to face a major challenge trying to establish a foothold in a city that, I would argue, is already over-extended when it comes to supporting the sport.

And if the goal is to force the Moose to move, well, good luck with that. Sure their crowds may be dwindling, but I’m told it’s still a money-making enterprise. True North has invested plenty in them, including the $7.5-million overhaul of the Bell MTS Iceplex in 2015. There’s no doubt a major cost benefit to consolidating your NHL and AHL operations in one city, not to mention the developmental positives.


Is Winnipeg hockey market too saturated for relocating WHL team to be successful?

I think the WHL will supplant the AHL as the second choice in the city. I know a lot of junior fans that have been waiting for a WHL team.

 

[sipowicz]

Really don't get the WHL coming here, there was next to no support for MJHL, MMJHL or the WHL when it was here before, if I'm not watching the Jets live the next best thing is the Moose and for the same price as what the WHL would charge, this isn't the 80's where most of the NHL players were coming from the CHL, the WHL is hardly relevant nowadays!

A WHL team would draw a couple thousand at best.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I meant have them in Fargo-Moorehead and draw from Grand Forks an hour up the road

I knew what you meant. I was being playful.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Really don't get the WHL coming here, there was next to no support for MJHL, MMJHL or the WHL when it was here before, if I'm not watching the Jets live the next best thing is the Moose and for the same price as what the WHL would charge, this isn't the 80's where most of the NHL players were coming from the CHL, the WHL is hardly relevant nowadays!

A WHL team would draw a couple thousand at best.

If they can put together a good team, they should draw fans. That's why Moose attendance has fallen off a cliff. People are sick of watching a shit team. Most people don't care about "player development". They don't go to the game to focus on our prospects, and draw up f***ing Corsi charts or whatever to post on HF Boards later. They want to be entertained and you know what entertains people? Seeing their team win more often than they lose. Consistently putting out a sub-standard product and expecting Winnipeggers to pay for it is typical of True North's attitude. The Moose can move to Timbuktu for all I care.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I just wonder the kinds of jobs and opportunities the Winnipeg Ice could bring here, other than having a familiar family name that gets you hired because of connections, such as Jake Heisinger and likely his little brother coming along after he's done college.

But I think it is possible the Moose could play some of their games at this arena unless they decide to move there full-time to free up the options for MTSC, we'll just call it 24-7 InTouch Centre for now. Although this new ownership group might not let them, but the reason I see it as a possibility is say this team isn't getting as much attention, so they have the Moose there in order to make a lot more money. Or if the Ice end up relocating, say to Nanaimo or something (which I doubt is going to happen), the Moose take over that building.

But with the Ice and the Moose it's hard to tell what's going to happen between these two, but the one thing I think that's possible is that the new ownership group will bring a rivalry between them and TNSE. Somewhat similar to the Chicago Wolves and the Chicago Blackhawks, but would imagine they'd need a good relationship if they wanted to draft a specific one of their players as I do believe they're going to have an amazing development system in the future.

In the big picture I don't think it's a good idea to have three teams here at once, as much as I do love it. Also gives us a chance to host a memorial cup here one day with a separate arena.

EDIT: Just found out TNSE and this other ownership group have a good relationship.