Minor League Hockey Shake-up...coming

[Jer15 1,012]

I'm certain the plan was always to do this for 2015-16.

I spoke to a friend of a friend who works for the Brampton Guardian (the local paper). He worked for the Battalion before they moved up to North Bay too. He told me that the Beast are actually just hoping that they get taken along to the ECHL but as far as he knows there is nothing promised.

I think this whole re-shuffle would be smart. I don't think there is any need for the CeHL. I've been to a few Beast games and, good on these guys for chasing their dreams, but at a certain point you aren't gonna make it.

Plus I hear that a lot of CeHL players come to the league with the idea of being closer to home but end up back over in Europe after a season or 2 because they end up with way more money in their pocket. Apparently in Europe they get paid plus all their food/travel/living arrangements are taken care of by the team where as food(on game day or on the road)/travel is all the CeHL does.

......I kind of got off on a rant there. Sorry.

My point is that I don't think there really is a need for a AA level of pro hockey and re-organizing the minors is needed.

[nash61 1,691]

Spoke with a player who will be attending a CHL camp:

"I was informed that the ECHL and CHL are merging. Apparently the CHL camps are being moved up. I don't know if (my team) is or not."

I put a call in to the GM of the team, and when he returns it, I'll know more.

[bosrs1 1,288]

Spoke with a player who will be attending a CHL camp:

"I was informed that the ECHL and CHL are merging. Apparently the CHL camps are being moved up. I don't know if (my team) is or not."

I put a call in to the GM of the team, and when he returns it, I'll know more.

Be sure to ask them if its this season or next...

[nash61 1,691]

Spoke with a CHL coach, and he said they're in a holding pattern. They've been put on notice that if it goes through, their camps will move up. However, he's getting anxious because if his camp moves up, he has to tell all the players trying out (40+) that they have to get there early, and there's not going to be much notice in advance.

He did confirm that the season in consideration is THIS season. (2014-15)

[CubsFanBudMan 399]

We're two weeks away from seasons starting. A merger/CeHL absorption is logisitcally impossible for the 2014-15 season.

A true merger is, but not one in which the CHL is simply a division that gets a couple seats at the ECHL playoff table.

[sportstar1212 447]

We're two weeks away from seasons starting. A merger/CeHL absorption is logisitcally impossible for the 2014-15 season.

A true merger is, but not one in which the CHL is simply a division that gets a couple seats at the ECHL playoff table.

Yeah, if it were to happen this year, the CHL teams would just become their own division and then realign in the offseason to coincide with the AHL Western division switcheroo.

[rams80 4,219]

We're two weeks away from seasons starting. A merger/CeHL absorption is logisitcally impossible for the 2014-15 season.

A true merger is, but not one in which the CHL is simply a division that gets a couple seats at the ECHL playoff table.

Yeah, if it were to happen this year, the CHL teams would just become their own division and then realign in the offseason to coincide with the AHL Western division switcheroo.

If you're predicating said switcheroo on the OP, don't.

[nash61 1,691]

Spoke with an NHL player agent this morning, and he said he had also heard about the AHL western movement.

[garydavison 3]

Just bring back the IHL with the Detroit Vipers and company. Get rid of the instigator rule, and allow bench emptying brawls. You could pay players in the 6 digits. That would give an alternative to all the Canadian and American players playing in Europe.

If teams can get 10 000 fans per game with cheap/decent ticket prices you could have a 4-5 mil salary cap. And you could put teams in cool places like Saskatoon and Halifax.

[bosrs1 1,288]

Spoke with an NHL player agent this morning, and he said he had also heard about the AHL western movement.

Next two years are definitely going to get interesting in the lower levels of hockey. Just hope San Diego ends up with a team in the end. The Gulls have been gone for too long.

[DustDevil61 968]

Spoke with an NHL player agent this morning, and he said he had also heard about the AHL western movement.

Next two years are definitely going to get interesting in the lower levels of hockey. Just hope San Diego ends up with a team in the end. The Gulls have been gone for too long.

I'm just hoping there's a team playing in Salt Lake after all is said and done. IIRC the reason the Grizzlies "moved down"* from the AHL to the ECHL was the lack of local/regional rivalries (they were the westernmost team in the league at the time). Also, there was a big falling out with the last affiliation the AAA Grizzlies had--Phoenix--that led owner David Elmore to be wary of such close-knit affiliations.**

With losing Ontario, Bakersfield, Colorado, and Las Vegas (whether the Wranglers "move up" to the AHL, relocate, or fold) should the rumors be true, the only local rival the Grizzlies will have is Idaho. So far, I haven't heard anything on the local front about the Grizzlies or their future.

*By "moved down" I mean suspending then selling the original AAA franchise to Dan Gilbert (the original Grizz are now the Lake Eire Monsters) and obtaining the rights to the EHCL Lexington Men O' War franchise and moving it to Utah.

**Which may also be why the Grizzlies seem to bounce around (if being any affiliate at all) affiliates so much--the AA team has been Independent, an Islanders, Flames, and Ducks affiliate since beginning play as a AA team in 2005-06.

Edited October 2, 2014 by DustDevil61

[sportstar1212 447]

One of my referee supervisors is a ref in the CHL, and he told me that it's looking like that they will be absorbed by the ECHL this year. He's not entirely sure how many officials that the ECHL will take from the CHL (probably not many) so he fears that his job is in jeopardy. As a fellow ref, I feel for those guys so hopefully they'll find gigs elsewhere.

[Jer15 1,012]

woah....it's going to happen this year?

That's a lot of work in a short period of time!

[nash61 1,691]

Darryl Wolski‏@darrylwolski

ECHL and Central Hockey League merger is finalized and all coaches to meet in Chicago #echl #chl

[Sodboy13 5,541]

Okay, now let's get stupid.

[nash61 1,691]

Shawn Rine @Shawn_Rine ·

I can confirm the #ECHL and #CHL have reached some sort of an 11th-hour deal to combine, saving the latter from extinction

Wheeling Nailers beat writer

[bosrs1 1,288]

Darryl Wolski‏@darrylwolski

ECHL and Central Hockey League merger is finalized and all coaches to meet in Chicago #echl #chl

Well hot damn. There goes the first domino. AHL will be the second one. Just hope San Diego ends up with the Ducks AHL squad when this is all over.

[nash61 1,691]

Just got off the phone with a CHL coach, he said they still haven't received the official word, but it's a matter of time and they're telling players to get ready for it.

The veteran rule is going to be hard on some guys.

The “veteran limit” is 4 players who have played 260 or more pro games at the start of the season, not including goaltenders. (By comparison, the CHL allows 6 veterans, and a player is not considered a “veteran” until he has played 301 or more pro games.) The ECHL does have an exemption to the “veteran” rule – any player under NHL or AHL contract who is playing in the ECHL “on assignment” AND who is/was under the age of 24 at the start of the season is not counted as a veteran.

Two guys on each team (plus more who are reclassified) could lose their jobs and have to play in the SPHL.

An interesting read on adapting a CHL team to become an ECHL team.

http://icemenmaniacs.com/blog/?p=318

[Cosmic 6,398]

Does that rule really serve those leagues well? I'd think that at that level of hockey, you'd want the best players who are willing to play for you... not turning guys away.

[Sodboy13 5,541]

With the 30-30-30 setup taking place, it's development above all now. The "talented for their level" guys will be forced to ply their trade in Europe and/or Asia.