Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
Vancouver and Abbotsford as well.
I remember thinking Saskatoon would be a good place for a Flames affiliate. It's close enough and would be a good place to spread the Flames market. I doubt a lot of people in Stockton or anywhere else the affiliate has been lately, became Calgary Flames supporters just because our prospects played there.
The idea was usually shot down because people said that the AHL wouldn't move to a WHL city, but I guess that isn't the case if this rumour is true.
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Saskatoon would make some sense, but any of these further flung locations will have higher travel costs. It's also true of moving to Calgary, but at least they'll have some operating efficiencies/cost savings from being here (and presumably higher revenue than most other spots).
There'll be 6 So-Cal/desert teams that could make their own division.
Then you could have a division of AHL+NHL city teams:
San Jose Barracudas
Abbotsford
Colorado Eagles (Loveland = Denver's Airdrie)
Manitoba Moose
Calgary Scorchmen
Maybe add the Texas Stars (Austin), too, since they are also totally isolated...
For the minor-leagues themselves (without affiliate conisderations) it would make geographical sense to move the Texas Stars and Charlotte Checkers to the ECHL (lots of nearby teams for both), and to move Idaho+Utah to the AHL. But that would make 12 AHL teams west of COL with only 10 NHL teams to match.
It's kinda weird that CAR is now affiliated with Chicago Wolves and FLA is with Charlotte Checkers. NAS-Milwaukee is another