Minor League Hockey Shake-up...coming

[Burkell007]

51 minutes ago, Burmy said:

This is another reason I get scared whenever I hear about the Preds' on-and-off proposed new minor league arena in Clarksville...because I worry that MKE might lose the Admirals (or that they'd be relegated to the ECHL)

Could MKE maybe get a nhl expansion team? I mean there is a new arena there. it’s kinda baffling they don't already cause I think of them and Minnesota as states that are perfect hockey states. 

[chcarlson23]

2 hours ago, Burkell007 said:

Could MKE maybe get a nhl expansion team? I mean there is a new arena there. it’s kinda baffling they don't already cause I think of them and Minnesota as states that are perfect hockey states. 

Maybe the Coyotes can relocate to Milwaukee… They’re already in the central division 

[Ridleylash]

25 minutes ago, chcarlson23 said:

Maybe the Coyotes can relocate to Milwaukee… They’re already in the central division 

 

2 hours ago, Burkell007 said:

Could MKE maybe get a nhl expansion team? I mean there is a new arena there. it’s kinda baffling they don't already cause I think of them and Minnesota as states that are perfect hockey states. 

The Blackhawks have historically done everything they can to quash any attempt at Milwaukee getting an NHL franchise. Add in Minnesota and it's even less likely, relocation or otherwise, since losing Wisconsin means they have only Iowa as an out-of-state market. Hell, both Minnesota and Chicago have a game in Milwaukee this season.

[TBGKon]

3 hours ago, Burmy said:

This is another reason I get scared whenever I hear about the Preds' on-and-off proposed new minor league arena in Clarksville...because I worry that MKE might lose the Admirals (or that they'd be relegated to the ECHL)

The difference there is that the Admirals look to have local ownership and the now Wranglers were owned by the Flames themselves.  For the Preds to have a team closer to home, they'd likely have to purchase a team themselves.  if the Admirals arent interested in selling, then the Preds would have to search elsewhere for a franchise.

[TBGKon]

3 hours ago, Burkell007 said:

Could MKE maybe get a nhl expansion team? I mean there is a new arena there. it’s kinda baffling they don't already cause I think of them and Minnesota as states that are perfect hockey states. 

Doubtful.  With the NHL at 32 teams, I see them staying put at that number for a while.

[gosioux76]

31 minutes ago, Ridleylash said:

 

The Blackhawks have historically done everything they can to quash any attempt at Milwaukee getting an NHL franchise. Add in Minnesota and it's even less likely, relocation or otherwise, since losing Wisconsin means they have only Iowa as an out-of-state market. Hell, both Minnesota and Chicago have a game in Milwaukee this season.

Did I miss some big news about the Dakotas? Did we lose them? 

[chcarlson23]

57 minutes ago, Ridleylash said:

 

The Blackhawks have historically done everything they can to quash any attempt at Milwaukee getting an NHL franchise. Add in Minnesota and it's even less likely, relocation or otherwise, since losing Wisconsin means they have only Iowa as an out-of-state market. Hell, both Minnesota and Chicago have a game in Milwaukee this season.

Milwaukee feels far enough away from the Twin Cities that it’s not really a part of the Wild’s market. I’m fairly certain that Bally Sports Wisconsin does play Wild games, but I’m not exactly sure how far that reach is in Wisconsin.
 

Of all the Wisconsin people I know, (most of whom live west of Eau Claire,) even though they’re Packers fans because of their “Wisconsin Heritage” their also Wild, Twins, Timberwolves, and Loons fans.  There’s only a few peopleI know  who are Brewers or Bucks fans, and it’s because they’re from the Milwaukee area. 
 

I can understand the Blackhawks pushback on a Milwaukee team, but not really the Wild. 

[AnPheitseog]

21 hours ago, chcarlson23 said:

Milwaukee feels far enough away from the Twin Cities that it’s not really a part of the Wild’s market. I’m fairly certain that Bally Sports Wisconsin does play Wild games, but I’m not exactly sure how far that reach is in Wisconsin.
 

Of all the Wisconsin people I know, (most of whom live west of Eau Claire,) even though they’re Packers fans because of their “Wisconsin Heritage” their also Wild, Twins, Timberwolves, and Loons fans.  There’s only a few peopleI know  who are Brewers or Bucks fans, and it’s because they’re from the Milwaukee area. 
 

I can understand the Blackhawks pushback on a Milwaukee team, but not really the Wild. 

So, for whatever this is worth.

 

The only team blacked out for EPSN+ in Milwaukee would be the wild according to the NHL website.

[Bagel]

Ya, funny enough the Wild were always blacked out on NHL.TV in Milwaukee but not the Blackhawks (unless nationally televised).

 

In terms of the new arena in Milwaukee, it was built as basketball-first, unlike the Bradley Center it replaced. It's not quite as bad as the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for hockey but it's not great. Here's a picture of a college hockey tournament that was held there this past winter.

 

 

The upper bowl won't be tarped off for the NHL preseason game but as you can see, the end seats will still need to be retracted to fit the rink.

[the admiral]

Yeah, that's basically the Yah Hey Barclays. Maybe instead of Honky the car, they'd have a rider mower or something.

 

Enough money went into the Mecca that the AHL is there to stay, I think, but I don't see an opening for the NHL in Milwaukee anymore. I've said it once and I'll say it again: imagine how agonizingly fun the 2010s Hawks-Perds rivalry would have been if the Hawks had been paired with a Milwaukee-based team instead.