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cloneinator
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
597 Posts |
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BP2011
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
531 Posts |
 Posted - 10/07/2014 : 4:04:06 PM
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| I think the remaining CHL teams had the financial stability to stay afloat. Obviously, Arizona, Denver, St. Charles folded since the end of last year, with so many other teams folding since the Cyclones came back in 06-07. The CHL never had the partnership with the NHL as the ECHL so eventually the end was coming for the league. Nice to see a true central league and Canada back in the league. I think this is not an IHL type expansion where they expand so much and then teams fold and the league folds because the IHL tried to be an NHL and the ECHL now is larger with more stable franchises as a developmental league and not a major league. Interesting to see what happens to the schedule! |
08, 10 Kelly Cup Champions
08, 10, 14 American Conference Champions
08, 09, 13 North Division Champions
08 Brabham Cup Champions |
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Cyclonesdiehard
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
552 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 4:10:20 PM
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| We knew this was coming, but wow the ECHL has eliminated all competition for Double A hockey, and now hockey has a chance at a true farm system. I'm excited about the possibilities. Hope to see the Mallards in Cincinnati this season as well. |
http://cyclonesopinionpage.blogspot.com/ |
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Donnie Hockey
(Loves To Post!)
USA
1514 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 5:37:49 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Cyclonesdiehard
We knew this was coming, but wow the ECHL has eliminated all competition for Double A hockey, and now hockey has a chance at a true farm system. I'm excited about the possibilities. Hope to see the Mallards in Cincinnati this season as well.
This is something the NHL, AHL and ECHL have been working on for several years. They're still two teams in the ECHL away from being where they want to be with 30-30-30. |
www.twitter.com/donhelbig |
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elvis77
(Loves To Post!)
1435 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 5:50:15 PM
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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. |
"PBR can do that to you....1,2,3,12 beers and you're f**ked"
-oscar
"and i don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation" - joan jett
"beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy." - benjamin franklin
"is that a pulled pork sandwich i smell?"
"some things are just better without pants...."
www.cycwords.wordpress.com |
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cMan2KellyCup
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
540 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 6:35:52 PM
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| This would make a good realignment for this year, but a significant realignment would be needed for next year and in the future... its going to be interesting to see how the ECHL handles this. |
KELLY CUP CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010
AMERICAN/EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010, 2014
DIVISION CHAMPIONS- 1996, 2008, 2009, 2013
2008 BRABHAM CUP CHAMPIONS
Boards + visitors = broken bones! |
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elvis77
(Loves To Post!)
1435 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 6:40:08 PM
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| Why would additional realignment be needed beyond this? Unless teams leave or are added there would be no need. |
"PBR can do that to you....1,2,3,12 beers and you're f**ked"
-oscar
"and i don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation" - joan jett
"beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy." - benjamin franklin
"is that a pulled pork sandwich i smell?"
"some things are just better without pants...."
www.cycwords.wordpress.com |
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Donnie Hockey
(Loves To Post!)
USA
1514 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 7:05:39 PM
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ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna deserves a lot of credit for turning the league into what it is today as a legitimate developmental league for the NHL. He worked with AHL president David Andrews to build relationships for ECHL teams with the NHL.
Within three years the quality of play in the ECHL is going to be comparable to what the AHL was when the Ducks first came to town in 2007. There will be nights it will be every bit as good as the AHL was prior to the 2004-05 season. |
www.twitter.com/donhelbig |
Edited by - Donnie Hockey on 10/07/2014 7:08:39 PM |
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cMan2KellyCup
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
540 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2014 : 7:11:17 PM
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| 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 |
KELLY CUP CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010
AMERICAN/EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010, 2014
DIVISION CHAMPIONS- 1996, 2008, 2009, 2013
2008 BRABHAM CUP CHAMPIONS
Boards + visitors = broken bones! |
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PsychFan
(Finally Got A Star!)
98 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2014 : 08:50:18 AM
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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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Donnie Hockey
(Loves To Post!)
USA
1514 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2014 : 7:08:50 PM
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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. |
www.twitter.com/donhelbig |
Edited by - Donnie Hockey on 10/08/2014 7:10:06 PM |
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bags
(Person With Nothing Better To Do!)
USA
2224 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2014 : 9:45:35 PM
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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 |
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cMan2KellyCup
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
540 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 08:59:50 AM
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| 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 |
KELLY CUP CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010
AMERICAN/EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010, 2014
DIVISION CHAMPIONS- 1996, 2008, 2009, 2013
2008 BRABHAM CUP CHAMPIONS
Boards + visitors = broken bones! |
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cMan2KellyCup
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
540 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 09:02:08 AM
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| 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 |
KELLY CUP CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010
AMERICAN/EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010, 2014
DIVISION CHAMPIONS- 1996, 2008, 2009, 2013
2008 BRABHAM CUP CHAMPIONS
Boards + visitors = broken bones! |
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cMan2KellyCup
(Been Here Awhile)
USA
540 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 09:04:17 AM
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| 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 |
KELLY CUP CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010
AMERICAN/EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS- 2008, 2010, 2014
DIVISION CHAMPIONS- 1996, 2008, 2009, 2013
2008 BRABHAM CUP CHAMPIONS
Boards + visitors = broken bones! |
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sdcooper9
(Rookie)
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2014 : 11:26:17 AM
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| 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. |
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The merger is official!
