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getbak · 01-30-2019, 12:34 PM

Lloyd isn't too small as a city. It's about the same size as Moose Jaw and twice as big as Swift Current (not that that is a great feat). They'd definitely need a new arena before they could support a WHL team, though.

The advantage Lloyd would have over Grande Prairie is that it's right on the Yellowhead, so the transportation costs for the teams would be a lot more manageable.

I don't think True North will necessarily feel the need to move the Moose though. When you put your AHL affiliate in your NHL arena, attendance isn't your biggest concern. By sharing the building, they can keep a lot of the operating costs lower than other AHL teams.

The Ice are playing in a pretty small arena for their first two seasons, so they won't likely have much impact on the Moose attendance until they move into their new building. Even then, the Moose will probably have to take a significant hit before True North looks at moving them.

The more urgent question for the WHL right now is what's going to happen in Seattle. Can the T-Birds and Silvertips both survive the arrival of the NHL? Will the NHL team want to put its AHL affiliate in the area, and displace one of the WHL teams to do it?

01-30-2019, 12:34 PM	#72
getbak Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Calgary, AB Exp:	Lloyd isn't too small as a city. It's about the same size as Moose Jaw and twice as big as Swift Current (not that that is a great feat). They'd definitely need a new arena before they could support a WHL team, though. The advantage Lloyd would have over Grande Prairie is that it's right on the Yellowhead, so the transportation costs for the teams would be a lot more manageable. I don't think True North will necessarily feel the need to move the Moose though. When you put your AHL affiliate in your NHL arena, attendance isn't your biggest concern. By sharing the building, they can keep a lot of the operating costs lower than other AHL teams. The Ice are playing in a pretty small arena for their first two seasons, so they won't likely have much impact on the Moose attendance until they move into their new building. Even then, the Moose will probably have to take a significant hit before True North looks at moving them. The more urgent question for the WHL right now is what's going to happen in Seattle. Can the T-Birds and Silvertips both survive the arrival of the NHL? Will the NHL team want to put its AHL affiliate in the area, and displace one of the WHL teams to do it? __________________ Turn up the good, turn down the suck!