[News] Gridin and Brzustewicz assigned to AHL for Olympic break

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

I do wonder about how viable it would be to have 3 teams playing in the new rink along with an increase in concerts and other events. But I suppose if all these US markets can get by with NHL and NBA teams as tenants then I'm sure you could make it work with the Hitmen/Flames/Wranglers given the lighter schedule in AHL & WHL.

Do you guys think that when they are in the new building attendance will increase for the Wranglers, at least in the first few seasons? From what I've observed this season the place looks pretty empty most nights, but I saw some highlights from a recent game once the break started and there was a decent amount of people attending.

During the regular season, the Hitmen play 34 home games, the Wranglers play 36, and the Flames play 42 plus 2 preseason games (starting next season). That's spread out over about 32 weeks. 114 games in about 224 days (and the Wranglers and Hitmen occasionally play 2 games in one day), so there are enough open days to fit in concerts and other things along the way.

It's harder to make work in the playoff because they need to keep dates open in case all 3 teams go on long runs, even though most years they won't.


I think the biggest problem for attendance is ticket prices. For the Wranglers next game, late February, Tuesday night against San Jose, the cheapest adult tickets are over $40 and child and student tickets are over $25 each. Add in arena concession prices, and it's an expensive night out.

Over the next couple of seasons, I'm sure they'll get a bit of a bump from people going to the Dome one last time or checking out Scotia Place for the first time without paying NHL prices, but long term, I think they need to lower their prices if they want better attendance numbers.

[Freeway]

They specifically designed locker room areas for the Flames, Wranglers, Hitmen and Roughnecks in Scotia Place. Nobody's going anywhere anytime soon.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by getbak

Over the next couple of seasons, I'm sure they'll get a bit of a bump from people going to the Dome one last time or checking out Scotia Place for the first time without paying NHL prices, but long term, I think they need to lower their prices if they want better attendance numbers.

I wonder how much they really care about attendance numbers. Obviously it's always better to have more than less. I wouldn't be surprised if the AHL team in Calgary with less attendance is still more profitable (or less of a money pit at least) than the AHL team in another city with more attendance but janky arena deals and more travel costs. I have no idea really, but it wouldn't surprise me if they just came to the conclusion after Omaha, Quad Cities, Adirondack, and Stockton, that it's just better to keep them in Calgary for logistics if you're going to lose money anyway.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I wonder how much they really care about attendance numbers. Obviously it's always better to have more than less. I wouldn't be surprised if the AHL team in Calgary with less attendance is still more profitable (or less of a money pit at least) than the AHL team in another city with more attendance but janky arena deals and more travel costs. I have no idea really, but it wouldn't surprise me if they just came to the conclusion after Omaha, Quad Cities, Adirondack, and Stockton, that it's just better to keep them in Calgary for logistics if you're going to lose money anyway.

I don't think they're too worried about it. This year the Wranglers average about 3500 people instead of 4000 the previous couple of years. Even if we count it at $50 a pop it comes down to about a $900k loss per season. I think the Flames organization lost more than that in sending Miromanov to the AHL, and replacing him with a prospect on a 2-way contract. The attendance in Stockton/Adirondack was also usually between 4500 and 3500. So having the prospect pipeline in the city is worth more than that IMO.

The attendance will increase again once the Wranglers get good again. I mean who are fans paying to watch when Gridin, Brzustewicz, and Parekh are on the big club? No star goalie, no Coronato, or Zary, no steady D with the likes of Kuzy and Solo. The likes of Hunt, Kerins, Stromgren, and Suniev can only generate so much interest.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I really doubt a municipality is collecting royalties on PNG.

Medicine Hat has a specific exemption allowing the municipality to own the mineral rights within city limits. I believe the practice dates back to the days when Rudyard Kipling described Medicine Hat as having ‘all hell for a basement’ because of its natural gas deposits. It's been renewed from time to time by various provincial governments.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Medicine Hat has a specific exemption allowing the municipality to own the mineral rights within city limits. I believe the practice dates back to the days when Rudyard Kipling described Medicine Hat as having ‘all hell for a basement’ because of its natural gas deposits. It's been renewed from time to time by various provincial governments.

I looked at their budget and there’s no mention of royalties. It’s revenue is property taxes, business taxes and utilities. Like all the others. They do own gas rights as you say, but its all dedicated to utilities (and they end up using more because they don’t produce enough).

[Sylvanfan]

I would guess that in most Canadian cities, the people will choose the Junior team over an AHL team. If the Wranglers are not supported in Calgary, they won't get much support anywhere. It's pro hockey, but for the most part it doesn't have the exciting star players. When a Gridin comes along and shows some promise he moves up to the top level.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I would guess that in most Canadian cities, the people will choose the Junior team over an AHL team. If the Wranglers are not supported in Calgary, they won't get much support anywhere. It's pro hockey, but for the most part it doesn't have the exciting star players. When a Gridin comes along and shows some promise he moves up to the top level.

Junior teams have a constantly changing roster too though.

[Reggie Dunlop]

The city's population is approaching two million which changes the dynamic a bit. The Hitmen as a franchise are worth at least 10 times what the Wranglers are (something like $9 million). The Hitmen aren't going anywhere soon as they are the most valuable in the CHL ($115.6 million).

A PWHL franchise could conceivably outdraw the Wranglers, but that league's current ownership structure would make them a tenant rather than a CSEC property.

The Wranglers might do well in their own facility built in the suburbs, but that may be a ways off.

[GioforPM]

I wasn't really thinking about profit, or the effect on the Flames (though I wouldn't move the Wranglers more than an hour away). Just a chance for one of the less serviced areas to have a team. I always thought the women should have set up shop in a less competitive area too.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wasn't really thinking about profit, or the effect on the Flames (though I wouldn't move the Wranglers more than an hour away). Just a chance for one of the less serviced areas to have a team. I always thought the women should have set up shop in a less competitive area too.

An 8000 seater on the Tsuut'ina reserve? You have Spruce Meadows in proximity (and their plans for soccer facility expansion). You could build up transportation infrastructure around there.

Anyways, this topic probably deserves its own thread.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Junior teams have a constantly changing roster too though.

Over a much longer time period. It's not like Bedard shows up and gets called up 30 games in. Generally a Junior team can build a team for the season and either add or subtract as they see fit. A junior team can load up for a playoff run to try and win. Plus the truely high end guys will still spend two years playing on a junior team.

For the most part an affiliated AHL team is trying to develop mid to low roster played for the parent club. They can lose their best players at any time and they can't load up to try and win a Championship.

So there's no comparison. If there's other high hockey in town, minor league pro hockey is pretty low on the list. If anything University is closer where you're limited with who can play on your team that year.

[gvitaly]

https://twitter.com/user/status/2023532972557955139

Another great goal by Gridin.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

https://twitter.com/user/status/2023532972557955139

Another great goal by Gridin.

The goalie could only peek at it going by him, Gridin is going to score a lot of NHL goals with a quick accurate shot like that.

[dino7c]

I think people are still sleeping on Gridin, even Flames fans...he looks like a top end player to me, like top top

[BagoPucks]

I think people who watch him know he is going to be good. We just need to be patient now till he figures it out at the top level.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think people are still sleeping on Gridin, even Flames fans...he looks like a top end player to me, like top top

I think the hardcore Flames fans project him as a top line winger.

[Roof-Daddy]

Pastrnak

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

I think the hardcore Flames fans project him as a top line winger.

We probably need to pump the brakes a bit. He's been hot in his last five but still too small a sample size to conclude much from his NHL play.

Most scouting reports I read on him had him as a middle six winger. Personally I think that's where he ends up, a good complementary piece that probably can hang on the top line if needed. We should still be prioritising McKenna or Stennberg if the scouts don't believe there's a proper 1C in the 26 draft, which the consensus says there isn't.

[dino7c]

Scouting reports are pretty irrelevant now...given how he has progressed he should have gone long before 28