[News] Canucks moving AHL affiliate to Abbotsford

[TheScorpion]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1389739123158642693

Very interesting... wonder if they join the division with all the California teams.

[N-E-B]

The Flames team never worked there because they hate the Flames there. I think it will be great for Vancouver.

I’d love to see Calgary move their AHL team closer to here too. I’d rather watch the Heat than the Hitmen (though I do enjoy a Hitmen game from time to time).

[Blaster86]

From a team stand point, makes sense. Utica deserves a team as they embraced the comets.

[getbak]

The Devils are expected to move their affiliate back to Utica.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Abbotsford Calves??


No, I'm not clicking the link.

[GioforPM]

I wish they would build a good arena in Airdrie or Okotoks and move the Heat there. You have a cheaper pro hockey option, a team for a smaller Alberta city which has no WHL team.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

The Flames team never worked there because they hate the Flames there.

Yeah, I remember the first year I moved to North Vancouver I could hear as I was unlocking my apartment door my neighbors and their friends talking about how they would never bother supporting the Heat because they were affiliated with the Flames.

That was the 2011-12 season when they had a pretty good team. I wanted to go to Abbotsford one weekend to watch a game but it never worked out.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wish they would build a good arena in Airdrie or Okotoks and move the Heat there. You have a cheaper pro hockey option, a team for a smaller Alberta city which has no WHL team.

Yeah Airdrie would be great, I would go to games all the time if that were to happen

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I wish they would build a good arena in Airdrie or Okotoks and move the Heat there. You have a cheaper pro hockey option, a team for a smaller Alberta city which has no WHL team.

Airdrie makes more sense. Okotoks has the Oilers.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Airdrie makes more sense. Okotoks has the Oilers.

Yeah, and hockey wouldn't be as fun in Okotoks without getting beat up by Brooks all the time

[soulchoice]

As stated before,if only the Heat could be in Calgary. I think it would be great for the city to have a second pro hockey team for the people. Especially due to the costs to attend vs a Flames game. If Winnipeg and Toronto can do it, give it a shot.

I may be in the minority, but I would support the Heat over the Hitmen, due to the Flames connection. There must be some like myself, who dont necessarily cheer for the Hitmen, leading to not attending the games.

Although it would be interesting to see how the city would support two pro hockey teams, as it has never been tested here before.

If the dome is not available, then play the Heat out of Winsport or the Grey Eagle.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

As stated before,if only the Heat could be in Calgary. I think it would be great for the city to have a second pro hockey team for the people. Especially due to the costs to attend vs a Flames game. If Winnipeg and Toronto can do it, give it a shot.

I may be in the minority, but I would support the Heat over the Hitmen, due to the Flames connection. There must be some like myself, who dont necessarily cheer for the Hitmen, leading to not attending the games.

Although it would be interesting to see how the city would support two pro hockey teams, as it has never been tested here before.

If the dome is not available, then play the Heat out of Winsport or the Grey Eagle.

Winnipeg and Toronto don’t also own a CHL franchise.

I would love for the Heat to play here. People don’t realize how inferior the CHL is compared to the AHL until you watch a few games.

It’s an order of magnitude higher quality of product, which makes sense. Not every player in the CHL is good enough to make the AHL. The AHL is also fully developed men, not boys.

I think more people here would go out to watch a Heat game vs. a Hitmen game, because the quality is better.

But how much more? The Flames pay Hitmen players essentially nothing. How much would Heat games take away from Hitmen games? Is it worth it? Maybe with Vancouver now near by this changes the equation. I hope so.

[cznTiburon]

I know people are saying bring it to Calgary but I don't see that happening with the flames owning the hitmen. There also isn't any proximity to other teams and I dont know how much they would love chartering the players around on planes. If they did bring the heat north it would be cool to try and get some roots in Saskatoon. I know they have whl but I think Sask could really get behind a pro team. When was the last time an AHL affiliate of the flames had a decent fan base? They haven't in recent memory

[CroFlames]

This makes so much sense I can't believe it didn't happen 15 years ago.

And it was so dumb to put the Flames farm team in enemy territory.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Airdrie makes perfect sense for the Heat. It would be very convenient. If a Flames player was hurt, we could have a replacement at the dome in 15 minutes.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Airdrie makes perfect sense for the Heat. It would be very convenient. If a Flames player was hurt, we could have a replacement at the dome in 15 minutes.

You’d get locals plus people from Calgary who want to see cheaper pro hockey. Especially north Calgary. I bet it would sell out an 8K arena on a consistent basis.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You’d get locals plus people from Calgary who want to see cheaper pro hockey. Especially north Calgary. I bet it would sell out an 8K arena on a consistent basis.

They just need to build an 8K arena for them to play in. I don't understand how a city with more than 60,000 people doesn't have an arena that holds more than 500 people.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by cznTiburon

I know people are saying bring it to Calgary but I don't see that happening with the flames owning the hitmen. There also isn't any proximity to other teams and I dont know how much they would love chartering the players around on planes. If they did bring the heat north it would be cool to try and get some roots in Saskatoon. I know they have whl but I think Sask could really get behind a pro team. When was the last time an AHL affiliate of the flames had a decent fan base? They haven't in recent memory

Saskatoon would work except they have the Blades. One thing about Airdrie is proximity to the airport - they could maybe fly commercial.

Originally Posted by getbak

They just need to build an 8K arena for them to play in. I don't understand how a city with more than 60,000 people doesn't have an arena that holds more than 500 people.

I suppose the arena is chicken and egg. They’ve never had a team above midget AAA I think, so not enough to rate an good arena. But if they built it, they could also add other sports, maybe the women’s league if they get going again, or lacrosse. They could get some smaller concerts. You could even put it near Cross Iron, to get proximity to a sort of entertainment and food area. Consistent 8K would put them right at the top of the AHL in attendance. Only Hershey gets above 10K. It would be double or triple their present attendance.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Airdrie makes more sense. Okotoks has the Oilers.

Close to the airport too...how about the Balzac Heat. Build the arena near the mall.

[Reggie Dunlop]

AHL must have relented on their location policy. Will the Canucks be subsidizing visiting teams travel costs?

Victoria BC or somewhere in the Pacific NW would be possible geographical locations for a Flames farm team. Visitors could then have two spots on a northern road swing.

Canucks should've gone into Abbotsford years ago.