[Rumour] Dreger - AHL In Calgary, Edmonton, SJ and LA

[GioforPM]

Flights are easy to Houston so it makes sense.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Question on context - did Lites indicate that the Flames have a present interest in putting a team in Houston, or is he saying the Flames previously (i.e.: before signing a three-year deal with Glens Falls) have an interest?

http://wrongsideoftheredline.com/201...istant-future/

he Houston Aeros left the Toyota Center after 2012-13 season, but minor league hockey could be returning to Houston sometime in the not-too-distant future.

“There is some chatter about creating this building (the Cedar Park Center) and with its success in a suburban community in Houston,” Dallas president and CEO Jim Lites said. “And that would be great … we think that Houston would be just as vibrant and they’d have a franchise and a building that would fit the American Hockey League.

“I think teams would flock there,” Lites continued. “I’ve talked to my counterparts in Calgary and Edmonton. They would love to have a franchise in Houston.”

The statement comes at an interesting time for the Oilers, who will not be renewing their AHL affiliation with the Oklahoma City Barons.

[RM14]

Any cities in Montana capable of an AHL team?

[N-E-B]

The sooner we get out of Adirondack the better. From the whole Scorch debacle to their unbelievably cheesy/annoying twitter guy, that organization just kinda bugs me. The only reason I don't hate them is because they're the Flames team.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

http://wrongsideoftheredline.com/201...istant-future/

So he's still not revealing when he talked with his counterparts. From Edmonton's perspective, it is absurd as the Oilers didn't buy the Bakersfield Condors without this in mind. From a Flames perspective, I would have little doubt that Houston would have been a location considered after the Abbotsford deal fell apart.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The sooner we get out of Adirondack the better. From the whole Scorch debacle to their unbelievably cheesy/annoying twitter guy, that organization just kinda bugs me. The only reason I don't hate them is because they're the Flames team.

Sounds like someone is getting visited by Scorch for Christmas.

[Drury18]

Apparently the Flames have purchased the Stockton Thunder.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/12/1...to-bakersfield

The Los Angeles Kings (Manchester, N.H) already own the ECHL Ontario Reign. Ther Calgary Flames (Adirondack, N.Y.) are expected to announce the purchase of Stockton Thunder, currently owned by Brad Rowbotham of Red Deer. Anaheim (Norfolk, Virginia) is looking at either San Diego or Long Beach. That would leave only San Jose (Worchester, Mass.) in search of a spot.

[Walter Reed]

Originally Posted by Igster

Doesn't Edmonton already have an AHL team called the Oilers?

(I'm here all week folks...)

Sad but true for Oil fans.

[Magnum PEI]

Originally Posted by RM14

Any cities in Montana capable of an AHL team?

No, not even close. Billings is having a minor boom with the Bakken oil shale, but it's smaller than every current AHL city save Glenn Falls, and nobody gives a rat's behind about hockey.

[sharkov]

It would be nicer if the heat was closer to calgary

[zztim81]

I still think if the Hurricanes leave lethbridge or fold it would be a great spot for a flames ahl affiliate, but then again the airport is terrible and I'd imagine not having international flights would be a problem.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by Drury18

Apparently the Flames have purchased the Stockton Thunder.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/12/1...to-bakersfield

Why the F would we put our AHL affiliate in Stockton???

From Wikipedia

In the February 2012 issue of Forbes, the magazine ranked Stockton the 8th most miserable US city, largely as a result of the steep drop in home values and high unemployment.[28]

In 2012 the NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau) ranked Stockton 7th in Auto Theft Rate per capita in the US.[43]

In 2012, Stockton was ranked 10th most dangerous city in America and the 2nd most dangerous in California (behind Oakland).[44]

In 2013, Stockton was ranked as the 3rd least literate city in the U.S. in a study by Central Connecticut State University, with less than 17% of adults holding a college degree,[45] and ABC.com ranked the city as the 3rd least literate of all U.S. cities with a population of more than 250,000 behind Bakersfield, California, and Corpus Christi, Texas.[46]

Over the summer, I drove from San Jose to Sacramento and was told by many people to avoid driving through Stockton like the plague. And the Flames want to put their AHL affiliate there?

I really hope this isn't true.

[Resolute 14]

That wouldn't be much worse than Abbotsford...

Originally Posted by zztim81

I still think if the Hurricanes leave lethbridge or fold it would be a great spot for a flames ahl affiliate, but then again the airport is terrible and I'd imagine not having international flights would be a problem.

The Canes aren't going anywhere, and the team will be sold to private (and hopefully competent) investors by next year. That said, teams would be flying into Calgary in this scenario, and probably bussing down to Lethbridge.

[Resolute 14]

As far as Stockton goes overall, maybe there really is something about the idea of the Flames moving west next year. Makes me wonder if the deal the Flames made with Glens Falls was more to guarantee a team in general rather than the AHL specifically. They get the A for a year, then the Flames flip leagues and the Adirondack Flames become an ECHL team next year?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

As far as Stockton goes overall, maybe there really is something about the idea of the Flames moving west next year. Makes me wonder if the deal the Flames made with Glens Falls was more to guarantee a team in general rather than the AHL specifically. They get the A for a year, then the Flames flip leagues and the Adirondack Flames become an ECHL team next year?

That could be, I mentioned moving the Stockton team to Glens Falls in the AHL forum. The thing for Glens Falls is that they would get a team that should be there for a long time if they support it. The ECHL is more stable in that the teams can keep players for years and thus build up a more local appeal.

[Split98]

Omaha is more West... can we just do that?



#bringbacktheKnight

Fun fact: Did you know Ak-Sar-Ben is Nebraska backwards?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

No, not even close. Billings is having a minor boom with the Bakken oil shale, but it's smaller than every current AHL city save Glenn Falls, and nobody gives a rat's behind about hockey.

Plus flights for callups would be terrible (or they drive 5 hours to Calgary).

[Matty81]

I hope Stockton is just for our ECHL franchise... that's not a great city for an AHL team imo, smallish, not real prosperous and in a very warm climate where hockey is not a marquee sport.

I can't understand for the life of me why Salt Lake City isn't still our affiliate, it seems like a slam dunk - it's a 2 hour direct flight from Calgary that supported an AHL/IHL team for 25 years. I know the building situation isn't perfect but it's manageable, certainly no worse than Glen Falls.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I hope Stockton is just for our ECHL franchise... that's not a great city for an AHL team imo, smallish, not real prosperous and in a very warm climate where hockey is not a marquee sport.

I can't understand for the life of me why Salt Lake City isn't still our affiliate, it seems like a slam dunk - it's a 2 hour direct flight from Calgary that supported an AHL/IHL team for 25 years. I know the building situation isn't perfect but it's manageable, certainly no worse than Glen Falls.

Plus it seems like a hellhole. Dont forget that. It sounds like an awful place. If it werent for Oakland, Stockton would be the Edmonton of California.

[Ulrith]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

That could be, I mentioned moving the Stockton team to Glens Falls in the AHL forum. The thing for Glens Falls is that they would get a team that should be there for a long time if they support it. The ECHL is more stable in that the teams can keep players for years and thus build up a more local appeal.

Dunno if that makes sense. Just from checking the last couple home games attendance, they aren't even drawing more than the small crowds Glens Falls is getting.