[Rumour] Lethbridge Hurricanes and Kootenay Ice to relocate - Page 4 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Alberta_Beef · 03-30-2014, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

The media guy who tweeted "...the league is footing the bills now" later retracked his statement and re worded it . They are relying on money from the league (which is money all teams get from the league, not sure how it all works but though, merch sales , sponsorship etc... I presume.) to pay some bills. That is how it all came out. It was basically a local media guy looking for headlines and creating more drama.

The board of directors did confirm that the team had secured a line of credit for a 100,000 to finish out the season. Though that isn't a whole lot of money in the grand scheme of things, the reaction was certainly not positive. The outlook is not any better either as ticket sales tanked as bad as the team did and there has not been a lot of talk about renewals for seasn tickets. In fact they did not announce renewals untill the last week or two of the season which prompted even more speculation about relocation.

Thanks, did not know about the re-traction. I do believe the rumors though and am kind of excited as I stopped supporting the team in the late 90s because of the BOG and ownership group and I would love the chance to support the team who's home is 2 blocks from my own home. The only games I go to these days are to support Flames prospects.

Derek Sutton · 03-30-2014, 04:21 PM

I like the idea of a community owned team and could work, but not with the current BOD. What worked in the 90's was having Bryan Maxwell basically run the team, with person in charge it can work. It would take a well known hockey guy like a Don Hay) to come in (be hired) and give him free rein over the club top down. It sure sounds that the current BOD (or some of them) is involved in a lot of decisions that go on., that will not work. As a model being community is a great idea and can work but will not, for this club, given the current circumstances.

There are Lorne Molleken rumours out there now.....

Buff · 03-30-2014, 04:35 PM

After Maxwell, the board hired Stocker to be the GM and in my opinion Stocker was in over his head and destroyed the team. This saw the board get involved with day to day operations and they haven't relented since. I asked my relative, a board member, how Stocker even got the job and his reply was "he was friends with some board members." Hiring a friend to do a job he wasn't qualified to do really hurt the team and the board felt that they had to get involved to right the ship, but they were no better. Now they've been meddling for so long that they don't know any better and half the city refuses to support the team until the ownership situation changes.

Vulcan · 03-30-2014, 04:58 PM

Moving the Ice to Lethbridge sounds like a great idea for Lethbridge. The Ice, ice a good team every year and have solid ownership. Not so great for the Kootenays though.

Buff · 03-31-2014, 11:25 AM

It is both good an bad for Lethbridge. With all the picks Lethbridge has in the next two drafts you would have to think that they could have a solid team within 3 years, assuming ownership changes to somebody who can steer the ship in a different direction.

It would also be good for Lethbridge to get the Ice. I'm hoping that whoever drafts Sam Reinhart sends him back to jr. for one more year. The last highly ranked prospect we've had was Chris Philips, who they picked up at the trade deadline in his last year and he was a treat to watch. He was in a league of his own. It would be nice to see a player like that in Lethbridge again. Even if we get the Ice and Reinhart doesn't come back, the team has been well run for a while.

Just a change would be great for Lethbridge WHL fans. It can't get worse.

Azure · 03-31-2014, 11:51 AM

Brent Seabrook? Lucas Sbisa?

Sbisa was a real treat to watch.

Lil Pedro · 03-31-2014, 02:09 PM

I enjoyed watching Zach Boychuk when he was there as well. I know he didn't pan out but he was a good player who Carolina was high on.

Hope things work out for the Hurricanes, I know they did some renos on that building to one day host a memorial cup. Would be nice if they could put a competitive team out there first

automaton 3 · 03-31-2014, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buff

It is both good an bad for Lethbridge. With all the picks Lethbridge has in the next two drafts you would have to think that they could have a solid team within 3 years, assuming ownership changes to somebody who can steer the ship in a different direction.

That is the big question. They've become stuck in the death spiral of not enough money to go out and hire better people, but have become so hopeless that many fans have given up and stopped buying tickets.

Rich Preston did not do a good job. I felt a bit sorry for Berehowsky, who I think was handed a ticking bomb to start the year.

People complain constantly about the board's decisions, but when it comes time for board elections it becomes strangely quiet.

Something needs to change. The community team model is clearly not working at this point.

automaton 3 · 03-31-2014, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Brent Seabrook? Lucas Sbisa?

Sbisa was a real treat to watch.

Yep, they were really good with the Canes. Dwight King, Colton Scevior and Carter Ashton are some other recent Canes that have had some success.

Lanny'sDaMan · 03-31-2014, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

The AHL may be better hockey in terms of an AHL being able to beat a WHL but it is second tier hockey where are the WHL is the best of the 16-20 age group.

As well the WHL league has a history in the city and people are familiar with it and already have an attachment to it.

I know personally as a former season ticket holder and likely future season ticket holder if the ownership is changed I would have no interest in going to the AHL and certainly wouldn't get season tickets Flames affiliate or not.

I think many in Lethbridge would be the same. A lot of the crowd is seniors and they seem to like to support the "kids" based on conversations I have had with some that I know/sit by. Possibly these people still go to AHL but they are often WHL fans more than even NHL fans.

Lethbridge is also far from a Flames town so the draw of the Flames affiliate being here wouldn't have a big impact.

WHL makes way more sense here than the AHL unless Flames are willing to subsidize a team with ~2,000 fans a night. I would say the same thing for Saskatoon can't see the AHL working better than the WHL there.

That used to blow me away how anti-Flames that craphole of a town is. I lived there for seven years and I think I met maybe 5 other Flames fans. Everyone else bleed Oiler grease. I never understood that, but it is what it is.

Buff · 03-31-2014, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Brent Seabrook? Lucas Sbisa?

Sbisa was a real treat to watch.

Both very good players, but Philips in the WHL was on another level. Philips played on a stacked team and looked like he was heads and shoulders above the rest.

Alberta_Beef · 03-31-2014, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buff

Just a change would be great for Lethbridge WHL fans. It can't get worse.

Unfortunately it can get worse and I believe it will if the team is either not sold, or the moves don't happen. Because what will happen is the league will step in and take the team away.

Buff · 03-31-2014, 04:47 PM

I'm told that the league is committed to making WHL hockey work in Lethbridge somehow. If they take a team away another team will be in it's place. That is why we hear all these rumors about Lethbridge's team going to Winnipeg and the Ice coming to Lethbridge. Where there is smoke there is fire. Something is happening, and I can't wait to see what the change turns out to be.

stignasty · 03-31-2014, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanny'sDaMan

That used to blow me away how anti-Flames that craphole of a town is. I lived there for seven years and I think I met maybe 5 other Flames fans. Everyone else bleed Oiler grease. I never understood that, but it is what it is.

I'm quite fond of my hometown. I know lots of Flames fans.

djsFlames · 03-31-2014, 05:05 PM

Yep, Lethbridge is overrun with Oiler sludge.

The town itself is great (nice place to live while schooling) but people have poor taste in hockey clubs.

Resolute 14 · 03-31-2014, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buff

It is both good an bad for Lethbridge. With all the picks Lethbridge has in the next two drafts you would have to think that they could have a solid team within 3 years, assuming ownership changes to somebody who can steer the ship in a different direction.

I am not sure what the Ice will look like next year, especially if Reinhart makes an immediate jump, but this musical chairs routine smacks of a league that doesn't think that market can stomach three-year rebuild. The Hurricanes are basically an expansion-level franchise right now, and with how popular True North is, is something they might get away with in Winnipeg for a couple years. But Lethbridge needs new ownership, new management and some success right now. Slide the Ice organization in and you have an instant turnaround.

Buff · 04-01-2014, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I am not sure what the Ice will look like next year, especially if Reinhart makes an immediate jump, but this musical chairs routine smacks of a league that doesn't think that market can stomach three-year rebuild. The Hurricanes are basically an expansion-level franchise right now, and with how popular True North is, is something they might get away with in Winnipeg for a couple years. But Lethbridge needs new ownership, new management and some success right now. Slide the Ice organization in and you have an instant turnaround.

Very good point. They have been telling us for years that this team is young and going to be much improved next year. Since before Preston's time. A lot of fans have been patient and deserve something now, not in three years.

A lot of people will be ecstatic once we have a team, current or another franchise, that is not run by a Board of Governors. Some people will still not be patient enough to stomach a rebuild that has allegedly been happening for years now, but on the flip side, some people will be hurt that they've lost the lineage of the Hurricanes though.

Has there ever been any precedent where a city loses a team but in the same off season it loses their team they get a replacement team from another city in the same league? Seems kinda crazy.

Resolute 14 · 04-01-2014, 07:21 AM

Yes. When the Calgary Centennials moved to Billings, Winnipeg's club moved to Calgary and became the Wranglers. That would have been 1977 or 78. The OHL has had some musical chair routines in the past as well. I think the St. Mikes Majors may have moved into Mississauga a couple years ago in the same off-season as the old team went elsewhere.

Also, the Wranlgers became the Hurricanes in 1987, one year after the Broncos left Lethbridge to return to Swift Current. So if the Canes go back to Winnipeg, it would be a franchise coming full circle.

PeteMoss · 04-01-2014, 08:09 AM

^^^ Yep.

Mississauga Ice Dogs (Don Cherry's old team) moved to St.Catherines to become the Niagara Ice Dogs. Toronto St.Michael's Majors moved to Mississauga to become the Mississauga Majors - now the Mississauga Steelheads (and still with no fan support).

Puppet Guy · 04-01-2014, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buff

Very good point. They have been telling us for years that this team is young and going to be much improved next year. Since before Preston's time. A lot of fans have been patient and deserve something now, not in three years.

my God, the Hurricanes are the major-junior equivalent of the Oilers!

In all seriousness, as much hate as I have for Lethbridge, it would be a shame if it lost the WHL again.