| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| cloneinator |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 3:59:59 PM
Just posted on the ECHL Web Site.
http://echl.com/echl-accepts-seven-new-members-p194005 |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| cMan2KellyCup |
Posted - 10/17/2014 : 11:17:15 AM
The Cyclones only have to play Quad City out of all this mess.... I assume they thought this was all just business as usual |
| Reggie Dunlop |
Posted - 10/13/2014 : 11:22:05 AM
quote:
Originally posted by sdcooper9
This is a bit off topic... Does anyone else find it odd that ECHL.com & cycloneshockey.com aren't boasting the added teams at all? When it was announced I hadn't been following the rumors so it was a surprise and I read up on WCPO.com and even CBSsports.com. The league website just added the new logos to the top banner and didn't provide any other info... Just really strange to me as it seems like a pretty big deal.
This was the news release from the ECHL. It appeared on the site for a few days and was sent out via their newsletter and Twitter feeds. The league didn't regard it as a merger, but as accepting 7 new teams.
http://echl.com/echl-accepts-seven-new-members-p194005 |
| dbc |
Posted - 10/12/2014 : 4:50:52 PM
Yawn |
| elvis77 |
Posted - 10/12/2014 : 4:30:56 PM
quote:
Originally posted by PsychFan
quote:
Originally posted by elvis77
Sure an NHL team can pull their affiliation in order to place their prospects closer but unless they also acquire the franchise rights Stockton isn't going to suddenly become an AHL team.
Let me use ANaheim as an example. They currently send their AAA prospects to Norfolk, which understandable is a pain in the butt. The Ducks has every right to search a location closer to Anaheim for their prospects. However, they do not own the AHL franchise that's operation in Norfolk. Therefore they would have to purchase an AHL franchise in order to move their affiliate. Now, there are several NHL teams out west that own all of or part of their AHL teams. In this case it's much easier to make a move but they still have to deal with the legalities if things like building leases and approval of the AHL. Also, keep in mind that while a team like San Jose owns their AHL affiliate and might think it would great to move the whole thing to Stockton leaving Worcester in the lurch, Stockton's ownership might not agree. San Jose would then either seek out an alternate market, or purchase the Thunder. Regardless, it's not as easy as it sounds.
When it's all said and done there will no doubt be more shifting in the alignment of teams throughout the North American minor league system. Hopefully, when it all sorts out over the next few seasons we'll be left a cohesive system, which stable, sustainable teams.
One thing you failed to mention is that an AHL team MUST have an NHL affiliation. Therefore, if an NHL team had interest in moving a club out west, they would certainly have the ability to do so provided that the Thunder (your example) bought the rights to an AHL team. Or the NHL team decided to buy the team outright. It may be a complicated process, but it IS happening.
Feel free to play the "what if" game all you want. But when it happens (and it will), you know where you heard it first.
Nope, I actually read it about 6 months or so ago. And while I'm not saying that it isn't going to happen, because it is, I'm just saying it's not going to be quick or easy.
I'd imagine Bakersfield will be the first to move up since Edmonton came in and bought them. If I'm not mistaken, Edmonton also owns their AHL franchise so I wouldn't be surprised to see Bako and OKC switch places in the system.
Ontario could likely be the next to move. AEG owns 50% of the Kings, and is also a part of the ownership groups for the Manchester Monarchs, Reading Royals as well as the Reign.
|
| PsychFan |
Posted - 10/12/2014 : 1:27:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by elvis77
Sure an NHL team can pull their affiliation in order to place their prospects closer but unless they also acquire the franchise rights Stockton isn't going to suddenly become an AHL team.
Let me use ANaheim as an example. They currently send their AAA prospects to Norfolk, which understandable is a pain in the butt. The Ducks has every right to search a location closer to Anaheim for their prospects. However, they do not own the AHL franchise that's operation in Norfolk. Therefore they would have to purchase an AHL franchise in order to move their affiliate. Now, there are several NHL teams out west that own all of or part of their AHL teams. In this case it's much easier to make a move but they still have to deal with the legalities if things like building leases and approval of the AHL. Also, keep in mind that while a team like San Jose owns their AHL affiliate and might think it would great to move the whole thing to Stockton leaving Worcester in the lurch, Stockton's ownership might not agree. San Jose would then either seek out an alternate market, or purchase the Thunder. Regardless, it's not as easy as it sounds.
When it's all said and done there will no doubt be more shifting in the alignment of teams throughout the North American minor league system. Hopefully, when it all sorts out over the next few seasons we'll be left a cohesive system, which stable, sustainable teams.
One thing you failed to mention is that an AHL team MUST have an NHL affiliation. Therefore, if an NHL team had interest in moving a club out west, they would certainly have the ability to do so provided that the Thunder (your example) bought the rights to an AHL team. Or the NHL team decided to buy the team outright. It may be a complicated process, but it IS happening.
Feel free to play the "what if" game all you want. But when it happens (and it will), you know where you heard it first. |
| elvis77 |
Posted - 10/11/2014 : 1:09:25 PM
Sure an NHL team can pull their affiliation in order to place their prospects closer but unless they also acquire the franchise rights Stockton isn't going to suddenly become an AHL team.
Let me use ANaheim as an example. They currently send their AAA prospects to Norfolk, which understandable is a pain in the butt. The Ducks has every right to search a location closer to Anaheim for their prospects. However, they do not own the AHL franchise that's operation in Norfolk. Therefore they would have to purchase an AHL franchise in order to move their affiliate. Now, there are several NHL teams out west that own all of or part of their AHL teams. In this case it's much easier to make a move but they still have to deal with the legalities if things like building leases and approval of the AHL. Also, keep in mind that while a team like San Jose owns their AHL affiliate and might think it would great to move the whole thing to Stockton leaving Worcester in the lurch, Stockton's ownership might not agree. San Jose would then either seek out an alternate market, or purchase the Thunder. Regardless, it's not as easy as it sounds.
When it's all said and done there will no doubt be more shifting in the alignment of teams throughout the North American minor league system. Hopefully, when it all sorts out over the next few seasons we'll be left a cohesive system, which stable, sustainable teams. |
| PsychFan |
Posted - 10/11/2014 : 11:52:59 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cMan2KellyCup
and Psych, the AHL has made it pretty obvious that they want no more than 30... the NHL will probably never again expand and so 30 is the cap forever into space and time
'
You keep missing the point. What else is new. I'm not saying that the AHL will have more than 30 teams. Never said that. I'm saying that the NHL clubs will opt to move their affiliation to ECHL teams in the "Pacific" division. The AHL teams currently be playing along the East Coast may end up being without a home. SMH. Get your facts straight. |
| bags |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 9:02:58 PM
quote:
Originally posted by cMan2KellyCup
Bags, that alignment works great... I would think however that McKenna would be looking for the 30th team to generate the 30-30-30 that Elvis was mentioning.... for the sake of fareness I anticipate a six division format for the future years
Just noticed I forgot Idaho in the Pacific. Adding them and moving
Colorado over to the Central makes sense. Still like K-Wings and
Fort Wayne in the North with Wheeling and Quad City with us in the
Midwest. If Las Vegas comes back that's 29 leaving one more city
for 30. Would love to get Louisville back or maybe Knoxville for the
South. |
| sdcooper9 |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 11:26:17 AM
This is a bit off topic... Does anyone else find it odd that ECHL.com & cycloneshockey.com aren't boasting the added teams at all? When it was announced I hadn't been following the rumors so it was a surprise and I read up on WCPO.com and even CBSsports.com. The league website just added the new logos to the top banner and didn't provide any other info... Just really strange to me as it seems like a pretty big deal. |
| cMan2KellyCup |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 09:04:17 AM
and Psych, the AHL has made it pretty obvious that they want no more than 30... the NHL will probably never again expand and so 30 is the cap forever into space and time |
| cMan2KellyCup |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 09:02:08 AM
and Elvis, you and I dont agree on too much, but agreeing on the ECHL's plans for 30 is something I am happy to do... they have been trying to combine the two forever now and now that it has happened the dream can come true.... we just need to find a team to come to the ECHL, assuming Las Vegas comes back |
| cMan2KellyCup |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 08:59:50 AM
Bags, that alignment works great... I would think however that McKenna would be looking for the 30th team to generate the 30-30-30 that Elvis was mentioning.... for the sake of fareness I anticipate a six division format for the future years |
| bags |
Posted - 10/08/2014 : 9:45:35 PM
quote:
Originally posted by elvis77
The ECHL is now 2 teams away from the coveted 30 teams which would create a 30-30-30 situation across the top 3 tiers of North American hockey, which is essentially what they want. That could change with the talk of several Western NHL teams looking to have their AHL affiliates closer and would be looking to ECHL teams/markets to do so. But that's still all speculation at this point.
It doesn't sound like the schedule will change much and the 7 new teams will likely spend the season playing each other, which is silly IMO. Given the lay out re-alignment would be simple, the Mississippi River is the Conference divider, with the exception of Quad City, which would be out west. That would give the Western Conference 13 teams and 15 for the East, which is the closest to balances the conferences have ever been.
The Western Conference would look like this:
Pacific Division: Alaska, Stockton, Bakersfield, Idaho, Utah, Ontario
Central Division: Colorado, Rapid City, Allen, Missouri, Quad City, Wichita, Tulsa
The East:
MidWest: Kalamazoo, Ft Wayne, Indianapolis, Evansville, Cincinnati
North: Wheeling, Brampton, Elmira, Reading, Toledo
South: Gwinnett, Greenville, South Carolina, Florida, Orlando
The 3 division East is a bit odd but that's the best way to break it down from a schedule and travel standpoint.
The schedule: Divisionally biased but every team plays every team within its own conference at least twice, once home and once away. Interconference play is permitted but not required.
Playoffs: The top 8 teams from each Conference get in period; no benefit for winning your division.
That's my take on it.
Your alignment is pretty close to what I came up with:
Pacific:
Stockton
Bakersfield
Ontario
Alaska
Utah
Colorado
Las Vegas (when returns)
Midwest:
Rapid City
Wichita
Tulsa
Allen
Missouri
Northern:
Brampton
Kalamazoo
Fort Wayne
Toledo
Reading
Elmira
Mideast:
Cincinnati
Indianapolis
Evansville
Wheeling
Quad City
Southern:
Gwinnett
South Carolina
Orlando
Florida
Greenville |
| Donnie Hockey |
Posted - 10/08/2014 : 7:08:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by PsychFan
quote:
Originally posted by cMan2KellyCup
From what I heard the Western Conference is going to have the CHL teams in it and the CHL teams will play exclusively against eachother, and then a more unified realignment will occur for next season... with the return of the Las Vegas Wranglers (hopefully) and then two more teams, the three leagues would have the 30-30-30 it had dreamed of
I agree on the alignment. CHL teams will likely play in their own division (which would be 7 teams). Doing the math, it would make sense to have the other teams be split into three other divisions of 7. Who knows how'd they deal with the playoff seeding.
As for the 30-30-30 situation, I'd be absolutely shocked if teams from the ECHL aren't absorbed by the AHL next season. But we'll see I guess.
No ECHL teams will be absorbed by the AHL. The AHL has 30 franchises and will not add teams unless the NHL expands. Now, some existing AHL franchises could relocate to current ECHL markets for the 2015-16 season. That's a possibility. |
| PsychFan |
Posted - 10/08/2014 : 08:50:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cMan2KellyCup
From what I heard the Western Conference is going to have the CHL teams in it and the CHL teams will play exclusively against eachother, and then a more unified realignment will occur for next season... with the return of the Las Vegas Wranglers (hopefully) and then two more teams, the three leagues would have the 30-30-30 it had dreamed of
I agree on the alignment. CHL teams will likely play in their own division (which would be 7 teams). Doing the math, it would make sense to have the other teams be split into three other divisions of 7. Who knows how'd they deal with the playoff seeding.
As for the 30-30-30 situation, I'd be absolutely shocked if teams from the ECHL aren't absorbed by the AHL next season. But we'll see I guess. |
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