The hope is the arena would be ready for the 2012-13 season. It will seat 4,100 for hockey games and cost 34 million. No official comment from the USHL yet, but time will tell.
More new info from the same site. Owner sounds quite confident a deal will get done. The way it sounds the league is just reviewing paperwork, but that it's all but certain.
The ownership group bought the old franchise membership from the now defunct Thunder Bay team. The article has quite a bit of back story on the selection of the location, the application process, etc.
Indiana does have a team......the ICE based out of Indianapolis. There are many states that have multiple teams.
In other news, the Tri City Storm are supposed to make a big announcement today....rumors of a possible sale have filled forums. If there is a sale, I would not be suprised if them move the team. Kearney Nebraska is a long ways to travel for alot of teams.
In other news, the Tri City Storm are supposed to make a big announcement today....rumors of a possible sale have filled forums. If there is a sale, I would not be suprised if them move the team. Kearney Nebraska is a long ways to travel for alot of teams.
It appears that the announcement was the extension of Josh Hauge.
Quote:
During a press conference Thursday, Tri-City Storm Owner Kirk Brooks announced that he has agreed to a long-term contract with General Manager/Head Coach Josh Hauge. Terms of the two-and-half year (30 months) contract were not disclosed. The contract will not expire until June 30, 2014. Link
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The Chicago Wolves = 2008 Calder Cup Champions!
They really need to start expanding to the east coast.
Depends...if they wanna sell tickets and make money, they don't. Its weird looking at most "traditional" markets junior hockey seems to be struggling (NAHL/EJ teams) but some of the "non-traditional" markets in the NA seem to be doing real well, especially Texas.
What is wrong with Minnesota? I look at the map of USHL franchises and Minnesota stands out as the state that doesn't have a team, which is ridiculous . Great hockey state but what gives?
What is wrong with Minnesota? I look at the map of USHL franchises and Minnesota stands out as the state that doesn't have a team, which is ridiculous . Great hockey state but what gives?
The USHL did try in Minnesota (and for many years was the base of the league)...having lived in the state, the high school game takes a front seat. Don't get me wrong, I'd love USHL hockey back in MN, but there's a couple of major problems.
1) There's a Tier III league based out of Minnesota called the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MJHL for short). When my hometown Rochester Mustangs left the USHL in 2002 because of low attendance and an old arena, the MJHL relocated a team from Le Seuer, MN (About an hour south of Minneapolis) and named them the Ice Hawks. Since then, the Hawks have become both an MJHL and Tier III power, making the Tier III national championships every year since 2004. Obviously, it'd be a hard sell, especially in Rochester, to give up the Hawks for a less successful product. Not only that, I feel the MJHL fits the niche quite well. It serves markets in MN/WI that have either tried and failed at NAHL or USHL hockey, or in the instance of Wisconsin Dells, something completely off the wall.
2) Where do you expand in Minnesota? Logically, I'd have my eye on the three largest markets: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Rochester, and Duluth. MSP, to my knowledge, doesn't have a rink USHL-worthy capacity wise. We just covered Rochester in point one (The Rec Center where the Stangs played seats roughly 2,000), and Duluth, could they do it with the new arena? Yeah. Would they? Maybe if they weren't the lonely northern outpost with no one really around them (Four and a half hours from Fargo, five and a half from Green Bay, their closest competition) and if UMD Bulldog hockey wasn't the ticket in town.
Once you answer the location question, then we can sit down and talk USHL expansion in MN.
What is wrong with Minnesota? I look at the map of USHL franchises and Minnesota stands out as the state that doesn't have a team, which is ridiculous . Great hockey state but what gives?
Pens guy hit the biggest problem, high school hockey. High School hockey dominates the state and junior hockey struggles to survive financially. Look at the NAHL, all the Minnesota (and Michigan) teams are in the bottom half of attendance. Alexandria, the best, is barely over 800 a game.
DISCLAIMER: Wild and completely unsubstantiated (but fun) rumors to follow.
Ok now that's out of the way. I read another board called finishyourcheck.com. A poster there claims to have a source telling him that some of the top EJHL will convert to Tier 1 USHL teams. I'd imagine this is the ONLY way that Lewiston comes into play.
The USHL eastward expansion will inlcude the Portland Pirates, Bay State Breakers, South Shore, Huskies/Islanders, Boston Jr Bruins and likely New Jersy Hitmen. as this effectively kills the EJHL.
Again, pretty far fetched as this would be a huge jump for the USHL. Nevermind that I don't know why Portland, which is actually in the AHL, would drop down to a junior team. Unless they are really struggling financially, I can't see their fan base taking that well.
I like the idea of an east coast tier 1 division, or even separate league. There is a lot of New England talent that I don't believe goes through the USHL. If they can coax the talent out of prep / high school hockey or top teams in the EJHL, I think they could start up new teams and not dilute tier 1 talent. The USHL has mentioned in their past they'd like to expand to an east coast division at some point in the future
All that being said, personally I'd have NO idea how that would work though. Those EJHL owners may be solid , but there are lots of hurdles here. Some big ones are finding venues large enough and a market that would provide a solid customer base. The northeast is quite saturated between the AHL, ECHL, D1, D3, and the Federal League. Making room for another league will be tough. Plus I don't think New Englanders really look at juniors as the preferred route as much as the midwest. So you'd be up against a culture change as well.
DISCLAIMER: Wild and completely unsubstantiated (but fun) rumors to follow.
Ok now that's out of the way. I read another board called finishyourcheck.com. A poster there claims to have a source telling him that some of the top EJHL will convert to Tier 1 USHL teams. I'd imagine this is the ONLY way that Lewiston comes into play.
Again, pretty far fetched as this would be a huge jump for the USHL. Nevermind that I don't know why Portland, which is actually in the AHL, would drop down to a junior team. Unless they are really struggling financially, I can't see their fan base taking that well.
I like the idea of an east coast tier 1 division, or even separate league. There is a lot of New England talent that I don't believe goes through the USHL. If they can coax the talent out of prep / high school hockey or top teams in the EJHL, I think they could start up new teams and not dilute tier 1 talent. The USHL has mentioned in their past they'd like to expand to an east coast division at some point in the future
All that being said, personally I'd have NO idea how that would work though. Those EJHL owners may be solid , but there are lots of hurdles here. Some big ones are finding venues large enough and a market that would provide a solid customer base. The northeast is quite saturated between the AHL, ECHL, D1, D3, and the Federal League. Making room for another league will be tough. Plus I don't think New Englanders really look at juniors as the preferred route as much as the midwest. So you'd be up against a culture change as well.
They would probably create an USHL team called Portland Pirates. It is not logical that they would jump down that many levels of hockey. They would create a team with the same namesake for branding purposes, which would offer even more affordable nights out to the rink for families. It would also fill-in vacant nights at the arena.
They would probably create an USHL team called Portland Pirates. It is not logical that they would jump down that many levels of hockey. They would create a team with the same namesake for branding purposes, which would offer even more affordable nights out to the rink for families. It would also fill-in vacant nights at the arena.
If this is all true, there's already the Portland Junior Pirates which have been around playing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and will move to the Eastern Junior Hockey League next year.
If they move to the USHL - or a new Tier I League - they will probably play in the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston who doesn't have a primary tenant at this moment. The Colisee will have the Portland Pirates of the AHL next year for at least seven games as the their home rink the Cumberland County Civic Center is going under renovations after this season.
I think the move to Tier I will happen in 2013-2014, I have a feeling we will know more tomorrow.
If this is all true, there's already the Portland Junior Pirates which have been around playing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and will move to the Eastern Junior Hockey League next year.
If they move to the USHL - or a new Tier I League - they will probably play in the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston who doesn't have a primary tenant at this moment. The Colisee will have the Portland Pirates of the AHL next year for at least seven games as the their home rink the Cumberland County Civic Center is going under renovations after this season.
I think the move to Tier I will happen in 2013-2014, I have a feeling we will know more tomorrow.
You see, the way I was reading it is...Lewiston was getting one team and Saco/PJPs are getting another USHL team. Which in my opinion, is completely ****ing nuts.
You see, the way I was reading it is...Lewiston was getting one team and Saco/PJPs are getting another USHL team. Which in my opinion, is completely ****ing nuts.
If this is all true, there's already the Portland Junior Pirates which have been around playing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and will move to the Eastern Junior Hockey League next year.
Doh. Didn't realize there was a JR Pirates in a different league. That makes more sense.
OK, so help me out though. Lewiston has a nice arena that the JR Pirates could move into if there actually is this hypothetical new tier 1 league. What about all those other teams. Too lazy to look it up, but doesn't a new tier 1 team have to have an arena that seats roughly 4,000?
What about all the other listed teams? Let's say it's just the ownership groups are buying rights for a tier 1 team and are willing to relocate their franchises to new locations. How many viable locations are around with no or flexible primary tenants?
Doh. Didn't realize there was a JR Pirates in a different league. That makes more sense.
OK, so help me out though. Lewiston has a nice arena that the JR Pirates could move into if there actually is this hypothetical new tier 1 league. What about all those other teams. Too lazy to look it up, but doesn't a new tier 1 team have to have an arena that seats roughly 4,000?
What about all the other listed teams? Let's say it's just the ownership groups are buying rights for a tier 1 team and are willing to relocate their franchises to new locations. How many viable locations are around with no or flexible primary tenants?
Doh. Didn't realize there was a JR Pirates in a different league. That makes more sense.
OK, so help me out though. Lewiston has a nice arena that the JR Pirates could move into if there actually is this hypothetical new tier 1 league. What about all those other teams. Too lazy to look it up, but doesn't a new tier 1 team have to have an arena that seats roughly 4,000?
What about all the other listed teams? Let's say it's just the ownership groups are buying rights for a tier 1 team and are willing to relocate their franchises to new locations. How many viable locations are around with no or flexible primary tenants?
Exactly...the Jr. Pirates will play in the EJHL then in the new league/USHL the following season. You are right about the seating requirements of Tier I leagues. They must be making exceptions.
As for arenas in the area theres not many...I always thought the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs could play in the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, but with Sean Tremblay leaving for the New England Huskies are they an option for the new league?
Maybe you have some teams using local college rinks? You don't think Hockey East/ECAC coaches would love that? I know theres would have to be negotiating I am sure for that to happen.
It seems like a pipe dream, but there has been smoke so there must a fire somewhere.
Its nice compared to what it use to be before the Maineiacs came to town...I didn't wear my 100 dollar pair of shoes to the arena before the Maineiacs came to town
. Great hockey state but what gives?
