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Old 08-24-2014, 10:50 AM   #41
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I'm just curious, but would it be more profitable to have an AHL team or a WHL team? I only ask because I would love if the Flames had their AHL affiliate in Red Deer as I'd much rather pay to see the baby Flames play than the Rebels. I've never heard of a WHL team folding to make room for an AHL team and maybe Red Deer isn't big enough yet to support it but think it's getting close.
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Old 08-24-2014, 11:37 AM   #42
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I'm just curious, but would it be more profitable to have an AHL team or a WHL team? I only ask because I would love if the Flames had their AHL affiliate in Red Deer as I'd much rather pay to see the baby Flames play than the Rebels. I've never heard of a WHL team folding to make room for an AHL team and maybe Red Deer isn't big enough yet to support it but think it's getting close.
I think the only flaw in the Red Deer plan is that the team is owned by the Sutter family, or parts of it, and I imagine the only way they fold for an AHL team will involve the term "over my dead body". I don't see them making way for a Flames affiliate.

Red Deer is about the same size as Abbotsford in terms of population and that's not including all the little towns within a reasonable drive (Sylvan Lake, Innisfail, Lacombe), so I think they would have a population to support them.

On the financial side, I think it is more expensive and more likely for financial losses in the AHL as they are not primarily for making money but developing players, hence why many of the big club affiliates either subsidize or look for subsidies to operate the team. The WHL is for making money and tends to be a more profitable league since they aren't paying out nearly the same expenses for a team to travel and operate.
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Old 08-24-2014, 05:15 PM   #43
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^Not sure how much of a factor this would be but there's also the inconvenience of a major airport being over an hour away.

Mind you some of those small, eastern based teams (Utica, Glens Falls, etc.) aren't exactly close to one either I guess. I'm thinking they probably have a better chance of closer by connecting flights though at least.
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Old 08-24-2014, 06:19 PM   #44
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I think it's fairly common for a team to fly into a major airport and then bus to the city. Just recalling from last year, anytime the Heat went out East, they would fly into Chicago and then bus to any IL or NY destination. The 90-ish mins from Calgary or Edmonton to Red Deer wouldn't be much of a hassle at all. Even in the winter as that highway is fairly well taken care of. Made the trip several times myself and most times it's cleaned and sanded better then Deerfoot or Crowchild.
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Old 08-24-2014, 10:12 PM   #45
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^Not sure how much of a factor this would be but there's also the inconvenience of a major airport being over an hour away.

Mind you some of those small, eastern based teams (Utica, Glens Falls, etc.) aren't exactly close to one either I guess. I'm thinking they probably have a better chance of closer by connecting flights though at least.
I would say a team like Utica or Adirondack probably buses to 99% of its road games, though. The biggest issue with not having an airport nearby is it makes it that much harder to call someone up. This was a concern I had with the Flames having their AHL affiliate where it is.

Red Deer wouldn't work because it's too isolated; same way Abbotsford didn't work. If you could get Edmonton into, say, Saskatoon or Fort Mac and Vancouver into Abbotsford so you could create a circuit then it would start to make sense in conjunction with teams in California and Arizona but otherwise it just wouldn't work.
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Old 10-21-2014, 11:35 AM   #46
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Dhiren Mahiban @dcmahiban
FWIW, latest rumor on #AHL moving west, I'm hearing, has Manchester (#LAKings) & Norfolk (#NHLDucks) moving to San Diego & Ontario, CA
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Old 10-21-2014, 11:53 AM   #47
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Dhiren Mahiban @dcmahiban
FWIW, latest rumor on #AHL moving west, I'm hearing, has Manchester (#LAKings) & Norfolk (#NHLDucks) moving to San Diego & Ontario, CA
based on the fact that the Kings have had their ECHL farm team in Ontario for 6 years now, I'm guessing it would be their team going there and the Ducks farm team to San Diego.

Ontario seems like a really good option for an AHL team - the Reign led the ECHL in attendance last season with over 8000 people per game. Now idea about San Diego.
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Old 10-21-2014, 06:45 PM   #48
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based on the fact that the Kings have had their ECHL farm team in Ontario for 6 years now, I'm guessing it would be their team going there and the Ducks farm team to San Diego.

Ontario seems like a really good option for an AHL team - the Reign led the ECHL in attendance last season with over 8000 people per game. Now idea about San Diego.
Wow. Move the Coyotes there!
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Old 10-21-2014, 07:42 PM   #49
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I'm drunk.

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Old 12-08-2014, 12:22 PM   #50
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@DarrenDreger: AHL in Boca continuing to work with West Coast NHL teams toward creation of an AHL division out west. No timeline or detail set as of yet.
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Old 12-08-2014, 04:28 PM   #51
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http://www.startribune.com/sports/wi...1&c=y#continue

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Having Iowa so close is one reason why the Wild has kept its roster at 22 players the past few weeks as opposed to the maximum 23. It saves money and salary-cap space.

It’s an advantage the Anaheim Ducks (Norfolk is their affiliate), Arizona Coyotes (Portland, Maine), Colorado Avalanche (Erie, Pa.), Los Angeles Kings (Manchester, N.H.), San Jose Sharks (Worcester, Mass.) and even the Calgary Flames (Glens Falls, NY), Edmonton Oilers (Oklahoma City) and Vancouver Canucks (Utica, N.Y.) don’t have.

That’s why as early as next season, there could be a titanic transformation in the AHL. The NHL’s chief development league is well on its way toward several relocations of eastern markets to western markets that’ll include some and eventually maybe all of the above teams.

“It’s a work in progress,” said David Andrews, the AHL’s president and CEO who attended Wednesday’s Wild-Montreal Canadiens game. “It has been for about 30 months. I would say the work is getting a little more intense, and I would say it’s eventually going to happen. We’re essentially working on a framework.

“Our relationship with each of the NHL teams is what our league is about, so if that’s what they want for player development, we’re committed to work with them and make it happen.”

The Avs could end up with an affiliate in Colorado, the Coyotes in Arizona. Markets rumored in California? Ontario, Fresno, San Diego, Bakersfield, Stockton and Long Beach. The Canucks could put their team in Abbotsford, B.C.

Andrews will be part of several meetings in Florida this week that could accelerate the process. The Kings and Sharks, who own their AHL franchises, want this to happen for next season, and the Ducks are working toward buying a franchise.

“To move four or five teams is a fairly difficult thing to do,” Andrews said. “So the only thing not definite is the timeline, but it’s going to happen. We’re committed to doing it. And those teams are committed to doing it. It’s just a matter of how and when we can pull it all together.”
I think that if this does happen, the Flames will move out of Glenn Falls first chance they get.
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Old 12-08-2014, 05:20 PM   #52
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http://www.startribune.com/sports/wi...1&c=y#continue



I think that if this does happen, the Flames will move out of Glenn Falls first chance they get.
Montana? Lethbridge? Saskatchewan? What else would be considered close?
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Old 12-08-2014, 05:30 PM   #53
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double post
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Old 12-08-2014, 05:30 PM   #54
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Montana? Lethbridge? Saskatchewan? What else would be considered close?
Portland or Boise
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Old 12-08-2014, 05:55 PM   #55
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Portland could be okay. 5 hours away from Vancouver should be enough where it's not "Canucks Country" sort of thing and a Flames team could get support. Spokane would be another place I wouldn't mind seeing the team go. They have strong attendance for WHL games and fairly close to Calgary to for call ups. Spokane also has an international airport although it doesn't appear to fly to Calgary.

Poor PMM if the Canucks move to Abbotsford. That's when we might need the kickstarter to get him out.
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Old 12-08-2014, 05:56 PM   #56
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I don't know that Spokane has the hockey market to support 2 teams. I think an AHL team would kill the WHL team.
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Old 12-08-2014, 09:51 PM   #57
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This is the trouble Canadian teams are going to run into, most of the sites in the north are already taken by the WHL and they'll cry foul if an AHL team tries to move in. It could even upset the fans in that city.

Maybe entice the Saskatoon Blades to move to Abbotsford and put our AHL team in Saskatoon. This would also block the Canucks.
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Old 12-08-2014, 11:45 PM   #58
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Would be amazing if Fort Mac could get a new AHL team, as they're about to get a beautiful new NHL-quality arena that seats just over 8,000 I believe. They were considering all options for an anchor tenant. It looks like WHL, but AHL is still being considered, as far as I know. I know this because I worked on the arena pitch there.
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Old 12-09-2014, 12:05 AM   #59
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Billings, Montana. It could be a great market, especially with the AHL Flames. Their arena was rebuilt in 2010.
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Old 12-09-2014, 12:14 AM   #60
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Would be amazing if Fort Mac could get a new AHL team, as they're about to get a beautiful new NHL-quality arena that seats just over 8,000 I believe. They were considering all options for an anchor tenant. It looks like WHL, but AHL is still being considered, as far as I know. I know this because I worked on the arena pitch there.
Do we really want our AHL kids in Fort Mac? I mean that's almost Vegas of Alberta there. It's a young, rich, party atmosphere. I'm not sure that would be top of my list to have as our development city. You'd have a bunch of young, well off guys living together in a city where there are alot of other young, rich guys because of oil and yea, it seems like a recipe for disaster.

Travel logistics wise, it's genius. It has an airport with a ton of Fort Mac-Calgary flights going to and from. And a large, growing population without alot of entertainment competition from other sports teams because what else do you do up there?
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