This is exactly why I think that all the Canadian teams need their AHL teams closer to home. Imagine if say Calgary, Vancouver and Edmontons farm teams were located in say Red Deer, Fort Mac and Abbotsford? Last night, just like every night this season the Oil Barons here sold out, and IIRC they are building a bigger rink here soon for the new expansion to our little rec island. And I know my sister said there was a lot of people at the Heat game in Abbotsford last night as well when she brought her kids to it.
I think the AHL is really missing a huge opportunity in a lot of ways with something like this. You keep your prospects close to home and more people that are at your games know about them. Wouldn't it be nice to easily keep track of the team through local media and such?
Also, how close is Abbotsford to Vancouver? Could them playing the Canucks farm team have anything to do with their unusual spike in attendance? I would say so. I wonder how if felt to Heat players that 80% or so of the fans in their own arena were rooting for the Wolves.
Edit - Nevermind, after reading your post I think that is the point you were trying to make. That if you put Vancouver's farm team in Abby then it would succeed, which is probably a pretty safe bet. It would definitely gain more interest in those markets, but hopefully Andrews is like Bettman and is partial to us clubs in the USA.
He's a rookie defenseman straight out of college who played 21 minutes a night. It happens. But anyone who flashes top-4 defense and scores a half point-per-game in their rookie year from the backend is anything but a bad player or prospect.
Schultz has always been referred to as Gardiner with a better offensive toolkit.
Not too mention the fact that he looked completely calm and silky smooth when he was finessing the pick or reading the play. Saying these two aren't in the same class is a bit of homerism, at its finest imo. Schultz is the real deal. Aside from our star filled eyes, Gardiners ability should not be anything less than it already was even if we aren't fans of his squad.
Also, how close is Abbotsford to Vancouver? Could them playing the Canucks farm team have anything to do with their unusual spike in attendance? I would say so. I wonder how if felt to Heat players that 80% or so of the fans in their own arena were rooting for the Wolves.
Edit - Nevermind, after reading your post I think that is the point you were trying to make. That if you put Vancouver's farm team in Abby then it would succeed, which is probably a pretty safe bet. It would definitely gain more interest in those markets, but hopefully Andrews is like Bettman and is partial to us clubs in the USA.
Yeah, Abbotsford is like 45 minutes from Vancouver, it's basically a suburb. And yeah, my sister and her kids cheer for the wolves as do most fans in the area. I think the Heat should be in either Red Deer or Lethbridge, Wolves in Abbotsford, Barons in Fort Mac (which would work, because we already have a team up here called the Oil Barons), Winnipegs farm team moved to Regina, Ottawas to Hamilton, Torontos can stay in Toronto and Montreal can put their farm team in either St. Johns, Halifax or Fredricton.
This would also save problems in trying to get players up as emergency call ups, remember last year when we had to play that kid from Stockton just because he was the closest to us?
Edit: And by my post don't take it that I don't think OKC deserves an AHL team. I think they do, although I am certainly surprised with the lack of attendance last night given what the product on the ice is. But maybe a team a little closer to OKC would produce better ticket sales. Maybe the Avs or Blues possibly?
It's really early in all their careers, but I recall a thread that pitted Schultz, Gardiner, Mcdonaugh, and Brendan Smith against each other. Most had Schultz at the bottom, I've read that B. Smith hasn't been that impressive this year and that Gardiner has been great. I'm thinking that Schultz is going to surprise a lot of people.
So far this year in the AHL:
Schultz 3gp. 3-2-5 +5 13sog. 2 pim. OKC's leading scorer
Gardiner 3gp. 2-1-3 -3 14sog. 0 pim. Marlies leading scorer
Smith 3gp. 0-2-2 +2 4sog. 0pim. Griffins tied for 2nd in scoring
The issue with a thread like that is Schultz ruffled a lot of feathers. I don't think you would be out to lunch to suggest that Schultz could just as easily be the best out of the group, and indeed, was thought to be a better prospect than Jake Gardiner towards the end of their time as a teammates by some.
Yeah, Abbotsford is like 45 minutes from Vancouver, it's basically a suburb. And yeah, my sister and her kids cheer for the wolves as do most fans in the area. I think the Heat should be in either Red Deer or Lethbridge, Wolves in Abbotsford, Barons in Fort Mac (which would work, because we already have a team up here called the Oil Barons), Winnipegs farm team moved to Regina, Ottawas to Hamilton, Torontos can stay in Toronto and Montreal can put their farm team in either St. Johns, Halifax or Fredricton.
This would also save problems in trying to get players up as emergency call ups, remember last year when we had to play that kid from Stockton just because he was the closest to us?
Edit: And by my post don't take it that I don't think OKC deserves an AHL team. I think they do, although I am certainly surprised with the lack of attendance last night given what the product on the ice is. But maybe a team a little closer to OKC would produce better ticket sales. Maybe the Avs or Blues possibly?
A huge thing most people suggesting about AHL teams moving to these cities is junior hockey. I highly doubt that the AHL would be much of a draw, and not to mention I doubt many people would support Red Deer or Lethbridge or Regina losing their WHL teams which would happen if the AHL moved in. With the AHL comes higher ticket prices among other things that people would not look favourably upon. Obviously it would be nicer if the farm teams were closer, but I doubt that happens.
Yeah, Abbotsford is like 45 minutes from Vancouver, it's basically a suburb. And yeah, my sister and her kids cheer for the wolves as do most fans in the area. I think the Heat should be in either Red Deer or Lethbridge, Wolves in Abbotsford, Barons in Fort Mac (which would work, because we already have a team up here called the Oil Barons), Winnipegs farm team moved to Regina, Ottawas to Hamilton, Torontos can stay in Toronto and Montreal can put their farm team in either St. Johns, Halifax or Fredricton.
This would also save problems in trying to get players up as emergency call ups, remember last year when we had to play that kid from Stockton just because he was the closest to us?
Edit: And by my post don't take it that I don't think OKC deserves an AHL team. I think they do, although I am certainly surprised with the lack of attendance last night given what the product on the ice is. But maybe a team a little closer to OKC would produce better ticket sales. Maybe the Avs or Blues possibly?
If you were surprised with the lack of attendance last night, then you probably shouldn't tune in much more lol. I can probably guarantee you that the Barons won't average 6,300 this season. Last night will be one of the best nights attendance wise. In this market, the Barons have to accept that they are known as an "alternative". In EDM hockey reigns supreme, but here it isn't like that so through persistance and patience will be the only way that OKC can build upon a fan base. It won't happen overnight unfortunately, even with the quality they have on the ice.
Yea, I think it was when Milan Kytnar got in a game in the NHL because Stockton was in Alaska and it was much quicker to get him there I believe.
The issue with a thread like that is Schultz ruffled a lot of feathers. I don't think you would be out to lunch to suggest that Schultz could just as easily be the best out of the group, and indeed, was thought to be a better prospect than Jake Gardiner towards the end of their time as a teammates by some.
It was widely known that Schultz was seen as better than Gardiner, this is why Anaheim traded Gardiner and not Schultz to Toronto.
Lots of people in that thread raved about Smith, and while it sounds like he is the most physical of the 3, besides his huge final year in college, I'm not sure that he has the same offensive upside than Schultz does.
__________________ Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated
A huge thing most people suggesting about AHL teams moving to these cities is junior hockey. I highly doubt that the AHL would be much of a draw, and not to mention I doubt many people would support Red Deer or Lethbridge or Regina losing their WHL teams which would happen if the AHL moved in. With the AHL comes higher ticket prices among other things that people would not look favourably upon. Obviously it would be nicer if the farm teams were closer, but I doubt that happens.
That's really the key. I don't agree with you that the draw wouldn't be there, but NHL teams generally don't try to kill WHL teams by throwing a AHL team there.
Fort Mac on the other hand is a different story. I don't know that they sell 11k every night, but they probably can get 5-8k and be able to have high prices.
That's really the key. I don't agree with you that the draw wouldn't be there, but NHL teams generally don't try to kill WHL teams by throwing a AHL team there.
Fort Mac on the other hand is a different story. I don't know that they sell 11k every night, but they probably can get 5-8k and be able to have high prices.
Fort Mac would be a good location attendance and proximity wise. But travel would be be very expensive and I'm not sure the Oilers want to introduce young prospects to the Fort Mac "night life."
Fort Mac would be a good location attendance and proximity wise. But travel would be be very expensive and I'm not sure the Oilers want to introduce young prospects to the Fort Mac "night life."
I wouldn't want anyone in my family to experience the Fort Mac night life... Or day life.
Unfortunately my dad works there.
Fort Mac would be a good location attendance and proximity wise. But travel would be be very expensive and I'm not sure the Oilers want to introduce young prospects to the Fort Mac "night life."
Fort Mac night life broke me my leg. True story. Do not reccomend.
Plus it's a bit far north compared to other teams...
