[sureLoss]

http://poststar.com/news/local/flame...c88fc7085.html

There are a few reasons for a western move. One is to have affiliates closer to their parent clubs. A few teams have gotten into trouble not being able to call a player up in time — then-Los Angeles prospect Brayden Schenn got his first NHL game as a juniors player because the team couldn’t get someone from Manchester, New Hampshire, in time.

Another reason is financial. The ECHL teams in Stockton, Bakersfield and Ontario average better attendance than their AHL counterparts in Glens Falls, Oklahoma City and Manchester. Stockton averages 4,131 fans a night, compared to Adirondack’s 3,461.

The theory is the Pacific Division teams would almost exclusively play each other and not travel out of California often, thus avoiding travel costs and nights on the road that hinder player development.