Minor League Hockey Shake-up...coming

[Jer15]

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

They've actually won four straight championships. The timing makes sense when you consider the new owner wants to put his stamp on the franchise. Americans fans are PISSED and letting the team know.

my mistake, for some reason I thought they did not win it in 2014-15 (first ECHL year). Guess I should have looked it up before posting. 

[Geoff]

The would be the other recently successful minor league (and my) team, the Pensacola Ice Flyers: 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2015-16. Maybe that's where you got it. 

[buzzcut]

The Norfolk Admirals are hinting at a new affiliation to be announced next week. They may also be plotting a return to the AHL. Stay tuned.

[bosrs1]

1 hour ago, buzzcut said:

The Norfolk Admirals are hinting at a new affiliation to be announced next week. They may also be plotting a return to the AHL. Stay tuned.

 

Suppose the AHL will need one more team in the near future.

[YELDARBfield]

6 hours ago, buzzcut said:

The Norfolk Admirals are hinting at a new affiliation to be announced next week. They may also be plotting a return to the AHL. Stay tuned.

Their release says they are announcing new NHL and AHL affiliations, and they squashed the notion of moving up twice on Twitter. They've also already announced their home schedule for the ECHL season. They aren't leaving the 'Coast anytime soon.

 

However, they have been using a logo progression graphic everywhere with '?' over '2017.' Their site also has no logo in the header. My money is on a new/recolored logo to match the new parent club(s).

[Cosmic]

So glad we don't have to worry about any of this mess in Buffalo/Rochester. Oh, wait...

 

http://buffalonews.com/2017/04/26/pegulas-start-sabres-search-brandon-continues-talks-rochester-amerks/

 

"The Sabres say they want to keep the Amerks in Rochester, but other options are available for the American Hockey League team. Albany is losing its team, and Buffalo is even an option. The San Jose Sharks share their city with their minor-league club. The Sabres fired a warning shot last year by moving an NHL preseason game from Rochester to Penn State University."

[BeerGuyJordan]

29 minutes ago, Cosmic said:

So glad we don't have to worry about any of this mess in Buffalo/Rochester. Oh, wait...

 

http://buffalonews.com/2017/04/26/pegulas-start-sabres-search-brandon-continues-talks-rochester-amerks/

 

"The Sabres say they want to keep the Amerks in Rochester, but other options are available for the American Hockey League team. Albany is losing its team, and Buffalo is even an option. The San Jose Sharks share their city with their minor-league club. The Sabres fired a warning shot last year by moving an NHL preseason game from Rochester to Penn State University."

Are you f ing kidding me?

 

Granted, Rochester came in 17th, in attendance, but they averaged over 5,300, a game. Those are not numbers where you start considering moving an affiliate that is only one go mn hour away. Especially the second oldest franchise in the whole f ing league!

 

And then you talk about Albany. Albany?!?!?!?! In 24 years of AHL hockey, they averaged higher than this past Rochester season twice. Their overall average annual attendance is well under 4000. JTFC, did you bastards do any research?

 

This is idiocy.

[Cosmic]

20 minutes ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

Are you f ing kidding me?

 

Granted, Rochester came in 17th, in attendance, but they averaged over 5,300, a game. Those are not numbers where you start considering moving an affiliate that is only one go mn hour away. Especially the second oldest franchise in the whole f ing league!

 

And then you talk about Albany. Albany?!?!?!?! In 24 years of AHL hockey, they averaged higher than this past Rochester season twice. Their overall average annual attendance is well under 4000. JTFC, did you bastards do any research?

 

This is idiocy.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. And San Jose was below Rochester, as well.

 

The thing I don't get is they're seemingly putting the screws to everyone involved over this rinky dink AHL arena/team, but the political will was there to give the Bills a football palace, but the Bills have been the ones pumping the brakes on that.

 

Same owners. Similar situations. I don't get it.

[bosrs1]

5 hours ago, Cosmic said:

Pretty much my thoughts exactly. And San Jose was below Rochester, as well.

 

The thing I don't get is they're seemingly putting the screws to everyone involved over this rinky dink AHL arena/team, but the political will was there to give the Bills a football palace, but the Bills have been the ones pumping the brakes on that.

 

Same owners. Similar situations. I don't get it.

San Jose was dead last in the AHL... if we're being realistic. They were averaging somewhere around 1000 actual fans a game.

[Cosmic]

1 hour ago, bosrs1 said:

San Jose was dead last in the AHL... if we're being realistic. They were averaging somewhere around 1000 actual fans a game.

Yeah, I remember the pictures from their first games, but I guess they brought the average up to 4000-something per game. Completely shocked that a team would fudge attendance numbers. 

 

So they're threatening Rochester with two big failures as alternatives. Great.

[YELDARBfield]

Two developments in the SPHL today. First, the Columbus Cottonmouths are suspending operations for 2017-18. The statement says, "the league is in the final stages of securing new ownership," and plans for that franchise to make a comeback for 2018-19.

 

Second, the Fayetteville FireAntz announced a press conference for next Friday, May 12. New ownership + half-price merchandise = likely refresh of a look in dire need of one.

[rvrdgsfn]

Norfolk announced that their new affiliate is with Nashville.

 

http://www.norfolkadmirals.com/press-releases/admirals-announce-affiliation-agreement-nashville-predators/

 

New Logo & Jersey coming soon.

[DTConcepts]

11 minutes ago, rvrdgsfn said:

Norfolk announced that their new affiliate is with Nashville.

 

http://www.norfolkadmirals.com/press-releases/admirals-announce-affiliation-agreement-nashville-predators/

 

New Logo & Jersey coming soon.

 

 

Two Nashville-affiliated teams named Admirals? Odd.

[HedleyLamarr]

3 minutes ago, Zeus89725 said:

 

Two Nashville-affiliated teams named Admirals? Odd.

Predators revenge for all that poor-mouthing @the admiral has given them over the years.

[The_Admiral]

I hope they're as successful at defeating racism as the parent team.

[BeerGuyJordan]

I have to imagine this will result in Cincinnati going to Columbus.

[TBGKon]

14 hours ago, rvrdgsfn said:

Norfolk announced that their new affiliate is with Nashville.

 

http://www.norfolkadmirals.com/press-releases/admirals-announce-affiliation-agreement-nashville-predators/

 

New Logo & Jersey coming soon.

 

14 hours ago, Zeus89725 said:

 

Two Nashville-affiliated teams named Admirals? Odd.

 

Maybe new logo means new name for the Norfolk team???

[rams80]

10 minutes ago, AstroBull21 said:

 

 

Maybe new logo means new name for the Norfolk team???

 

Team shot down a rename to Predators and dumping Admirals as a moniker seems dumb given its history with that organization and area.

[TBGKon]

Just now, rams80 said:

 

Team shot down a rename to Predators and dumping Admirals as a moniker seems dumb given its history with that organization and area.

Absolutely agreed, and I was referring to something not Predators.  Admirals is great...I say stick with it.

[BeerGuyJordan]

I'm fine with sticking to Admirals, for Norfolk. If they have to change, the only suitable alternative would be Destroyers.