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Minor League Hockey Shake-up...coming


JackieMoon

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First domino has fallen. Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) will cease operation after 2014/15. Remember that Edmonton (parent-club) owns the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL, long-rumoured to be the first of the west coast AHL teams.

So Bakersfield would be the first of the AHL teams as an Edmonton affiliate?

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I don't mind losing Oklahoma City as long as the Old AHL back east is undisturbed.

The Charlotte Checkers are moving from the Bobcats' arena to some old dump called the "Bojangles Coliseum," which could only exist in Charlotte, one would have to think. Here's another team you could move out west; make the Hurricanes affiliate with someone up the coast. You're never going to get Charlotte that into hockey.

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I don't mind losing Oklahoma City as long as the Old AHL back east is undisturbed.

The Charlotte Checkers are moving from the Bobcats' arena to some old dump called the "Bojangles Coliseum," which could only exist in Charlotte, one would have to think. Here's another team you could move out west; make the Hurricanes affiliate with someone up the coast. You're never going to get Charlotte that into hockey.

The Checkers are in their 22nd season, and are drawing 5,100 a game, which is right around league average, about 1,500 more per game than Milwaukee, and more than many of the precious northeast post-industrial craphole teams. Save your blumpkins for the parent club, where they're deserved and accurate.

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From what I understand, the Checkers' move will also ensure a better selection of prime weekend dates, which is critical for the health and survival of any minor-league hockey team (particularly one that exists in a market with another major league winter sport). The city and club are sinking a bunch of money into renovations, and it's seen as a homecoming - it's the original Charlotte Coliseum that has been the home for hockey in Charlotte since the 50s.

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If they're renovating it extensively, that changes everything. To see them leaving the kind of arena the AHL seems to want (NBA arena in non-NHL market) set off an alarm. I'm absolutely shocked that they're drawing over 5,000 a game. That puts them about on par with what the Hurricanes draw on bad nights.

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I would like to see the Blue Jackets take advantage of this situation if it unfolds... i.e. Avalanche moving their AHL affiliate West. Pairing up with Cleveland would be a smart move.

And affiliating with Cinncy?

And the Checkers should move to Greensboro, huge metropolitan area in terms for AHL. And they could play where the Canes used to play. Y'know, the CCSLC should try to buy an AHL team, we'd be decent owners(I'm joking btw).

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Ooh, it is about 20,000-plus, isn't it?

Anyway, after going through HFBoards' AHL thread last night and barely avoiding a brain bleed, it looks like the Ducks are aiming to plop a team in San Diego. So you've got the Oilers in Bakersfield, the Kings in Ontario (CA), the Sharks maybe icing the AHL team in the SAP Center as well, someone possibly angling for Stockton, and Calgary and Vancouver with old-footprint franchises they could pack up and move. It seems like Fresno, Long Beach, and Abbotsford (Canucks only) could also be markets to consider, if only because they have the facilities. But if the AHL sets up a 5-team league that only plays itself in California, it's gonna be an ugly disaster that probably will also manage to screw the ECHL at the same time.

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Anyway, after going through HFBoards' AHL thread last night and barely avoiding a brain bleed

Haha, was that CHRDANHUTCH guy posting in it? Is that guy a trip or what? He was the guy who was like "yeah well how can the Atlanta Thrashers move to Winnipeg IF THE MANITOBA MOOSE ARE THERE ALREADY?" He's applied the same logic to every minor-league relocation ever. You'd think such a fan of the AHL would understand that the league's teams move.

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Yep. Oilers can't put an AHL team in Bakersfield because there usn't a franchise available, despite the fact that they own the OKC franchise that has formally announced they're ceasing operations. Replace team and city names, repeat ad nauseum. Yeesh.

By the way, Barons jerseys are $60 at the team shop now. They have one which inverts the orange and blue on the current Oilers' home that I rather fancy.

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