AHL realignment thoughts

[puckhead]

Report from NFld last week said WPG farm team will be there (the former Manitoba Moose), leaving Chicago Wolves available to Canucks.


/iain macintyre

 

[dash]

puck, Here's a statement from AHL president David Andrews:

The Manitoba Moose have been a flagship franchise for the AHL over the last decade, always near the top of the league in attendance, regularly going deep into the Calder Cup Playoffs, hosting the AHL All-Star Classic and developing countless National Hockey League players for the Vancouver Canucks, all while also maintaining a strong grass-roots presence in the Winnipeg community.

“While our league will not be the same without the Manitoba Moose, our loss will be the NHL’s gain. Mark Chipman has been an influential leader as an owner in the AHL, playing an important role in our expansion to absorb the former IHL and serving on the league’s executive committee for 10 years. He will be a terrific addition to the NHL Board of Governors.

“Manitoba deserves to have NHL hockey, and we have no doubt that the NHL will be successful in its return to Winnipeg. Our sincere thanks go to the Manitoba Moose fans who have supported the American Hockey League loyally and passionately for the past 10 years.

“The future of the Manitoba AHL franchise will be determined in the weeks ahead, and we look forward to Winnipeg’s NHL club developing its top prospects in the AHL.”

 

[juliansteed]

From what I hear, the city of St John's has a great facitly that is less than 10 years old in a great location in the downtown area that has not had a major tenant for 3 years. It was home to the AHL Leafs for a few years and then home to the QMJHL Fog Devils (now Montreal Juniors) for 3 years. Since that time there have been many rumours of them getting another team in either league. The problem with the QMJHL is the travel costs involved. Teams have smaller budgets and mostly travel bus since they aren't too spread out. In order to get the owners of other teams to agree to putting a team in Newfoundland, the St John's owners had to agree to pay all the travelling expenses of the visiting teams. The soon found out that they were in way over their heads by making the deal.

AHL teams have bigger budgets and are now quite spread out anyway so this condition wasn't necessary. But it seems like the AHL has outgrown Atlantic Canada which use to be home to half of the league about 15 years ago. The local government denied a request by the ownership group to give a subsidy to help move a team there, which could have made it much more likely to happen. Last I heard they are still hoping to get a team there but the provincial government denying that request was a huge kick in the balls to those hopes.

 

[juliansteed]

Having Vancouver's AHL team based in Chicago? That sure would be interesting given the recent rivalry with the Blackhawks.

 

[dash]

Might as well drop this here (this was news to me):

Wherever the Moose go, they will be the NHL Winnipeg club's new AHL affiliate. Canucks are on their own for a new affiliation.

Twitter

 

[puckhead]

Having Vancouver's AHL team based in Chicago? That sure would be interesting given the recent rivalry with the Blackhawks.

nice central location for travel, and can spy on the bad guys from there.

Might as well drop this here (this was news to me):

Wherever the Moose go, they will be the NHL Winnipeg club's new AHL affiliate. Canucks are on their own for a new affiliation.

It was implied from the MacIntyre rumbling, but it makes all sorts of sense.
keeps the link between the Moose and Manitoba, and removes that ridiculous cross country travel scenario.
so do they basically just swap jerseys? i know that some players are Canuck property, and some are signed by the moose (same with Thrasher players in Chicago).

oh well, it will be interesting to see transpire.

 

[naslundfan19]

I wouldn't mind the AHL affiliate here. Won't happen, though.

 

[The Q stache]

No the Canucks cannot have the wolves. I refuse to root for future Canuck players, that is unacceptable.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Just get the Moose away from the Griffins. Manitoba has been making us their personal bitch for too long now.