The Royals were actually a charter member of our league.
A lot of people believe that the move to the OHL (even though they lasted another 11 years) was the beginning of the end for the Royals. The Royals apparently used to draw quite a few fans from Western Québec, and they seemingly alienated most of their Québécois fans. I can't find any specific stats, but you can see that the team started struggling as soon as it moved to the OHL.
Really though, it makes sense. The closest QMJHL teams when they moved were Laval, Montréal, and Hull. That left a pretty large swath of Québec without a nearby team. People in places like Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (as far away from Cornwall as it is from Montréal and Laval) would likely have preferred to drive the hour or so to Cornwall, rather than fight Montreal traffic. Once Cornwall moved to the OHL, the Royals were playing teams and in a league where they had no history.
It also didn't help that Eastern Ontario already had two OHL teams, so they likely didn't make that many new fans. At least not enough to offset the lost Québécois fans.
I really don't know if they could re-establish themselves in the Q though... It would be nice for the Olympiques to have a team to play in Cornwall though! We would certainly make the trip down from Ottawa!
I remember many great games when the Royals played Hull. Some tough games....Bill Gallant, the radio announcer once said he was broadcasting from Hell! I remember the fans here yelling Vigneault, Vigneault - at some guy who now coaches on the west coast!
Once the Royals moved to the O...I remember going to the Guertin wearing my Royals jersey and got a few strange looks and comments! Would have been tough to pull that off in the 70's.
There's nothing stopping the Q from putting a team back in Cornwall. But they'll never do it. The reason is the CHL territorial agreement. Basically, the OHL has all rights to all hockey players from Ontario, and they have told the Q that they have no intention of giving that up. So, if the Q put a team in Cornwall, they'd be fine, but teenage hockey players growing up in SDG counties would not be eligible to play for the new Q Royals without clearing OHL waivers first.
The potential ownership group that exists in Cornwall has calculated - rightly in my opinion - that the impossibility of ever having a local boy playing for the Royals would be a drain on attendance and local enthusiasm. They have themselves set on an OHL team, since the territorial agreement will not ever be changing.
Bang on! Back in the day, the Royals played in the Q but drafted with the O. So when Gord Wood assembled a team that won back to back Memorial Cups with the likes of Dale Hawerchuk, Doug Gilmour, Dan Daoust, Marc Crawford, Scott Arniel and others...it was no wonder that the OHL owners were peeved that the Royals were selling out buildings in Quebec and not in Ontario.
Pat Lafontaine later told the OHL that the only Ontario city he would play would be Cornwall and teams shouldnt draft him. Belleville gambled, he didnt report and ended up scoring 234 points in Verdun. Gilmour could have played with both Hawerchuk and Lafontaine...but not together.
Those were some pretty great years to be a Royals fan....It was pretty neat seeing the Royals play in the Q. They developed some good rivalries with Ottawa, Peterborough and Toronto but the games against Hull, Sherbrooke, Trois Rivieres, Shawinigan, Chicoutimi, Quebec City were a lot of fun.
I would love to see the O return! I would love to see the Q return! Either league would be great....
Why not? I'm not sure what kind of shape the Colisée is in these days, but it's easily the biggest city in Québec without a team. I'd love to see them get the Draveurs back!
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Can Sorel support one ? Is there even enough people ?
Maybe... Sorel is bigger than both Val-d'Or and Baie-Comeau, and their arena is more than adequate for the QMJHL.
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Laval well they sorta have Blainville.
How far is the arena from Laval? I don't see it being so far as to warrant Laval having their own team too.
You could even look at making a return to places like Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe, or even Saint-Jérôme. (<- Wanna look smart? Go to Saint-Jérôme and talk to someone about the Alouettes) They would need a new arena though.
This gets me thinking. What does Cornwall's arena look like? Would it be ready for a major junior team?
Can Branch stop them? They might not be able to draft out of Ontario, and I agree that likely not having any local players ever might hurt local interest, but I don't know why Branch would be able to stop it.
If Brampton moves anywhere, it will be in North Bay. As the owner has many ties to North Bay, and has considered this move already. The existing Memorial Gardens is already being looked at. The City is paying a consultant $75,000 to look at what has to be done. This is suppose to happen for the 2012-2013 season.
If Brampton moves anywhere, it will be in North Bay. As the owner has many ties to North Bay, and has considered this move already. The existing Memorial Gardens is already being looked at. The City is paying a consultant $75,000 to look at what has to be done. This is suppose to happen for the 2012-2013 season.
Melnyk is bleeding in Mississauga and low attendance. Also, they are 10 mins away from Brampton, and one of the 2 teams has to relocate.
I believe Majors will move, and I believe that they will go to Buffalo, under the ownership of Pagula, the Sabres owner.
He has donated $80 million to start up the Penn State Ice hockey program with arena, and it is a no brainer for him to own an OHL team, and for the OHL to locate there. The travel for most teams wont be a great problem, as Buffalo is only 1.5 hrs from the Centre of the Universe.
Terry Pagulla has Tonnes of money, is a genuine and motivated owner and great location= NO Brainer for OHL
Well...speculation has been rampant this year on this topic amongst the fans at Hershey Centre. Its pretty obvious that things have not improved from last year after the anticipated boost from hosting the Memorial Cup.
So...what have I heard.
Well, from what I understand, Melnyk and the Majors had to make it official with the OHL that they were relocating by December 31, 2011. I have heard nothing that would confirm this happened, so it did and its a well kept secret or it did not. If it did not, the team is staying for the 2012-13 season.
The rumour I heard that made the most sense...
Melnyk was working a deal with Battalion ownership that would see Melnyk buy out the last year on the lease at the Powerade Centre, allowing Brampton to take over the remaining lease at Hershey. This would open up the Majors to be sold and relocated. However, I've heard that Brampton has committed to the final year of their lease in Powerade, meaning if the Majors move, Melnyk has to pay out the remaining years on the Hershey Centre lease.
I know nothing for sure...but my speculation on what I've heard, is that it will remain status quo for next year. At that point, the Battalion can assume the remaining years at Hershey and the Majors move. That fills the lease requirement at Hershey, which if I understand correctly also stipulates that the tenant must be OHL caliber or better. Unless Melnyk moves the Majors out and moves in the AHL team from Binghampton (unlikely) or has something else up his sleeve, the only way out for him this year is to eat the rest of the lease.
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Originally Posted by chewerjones
Melnyk is bleeding in Mississauga and low attendance. Also, they are 10 mins away from Brampton, and one of the 2 teams has to relocate.
I believe Majors will move, and I believe that they will go to Buffalo, under the ownership of Pagula, the Sabres owner.
He has donated $80 million to start up the Penn State Ice hockey program with arena, and it is a no brainer for him to own an OHL team, and for the OHL to locate there. The travel for most teams wont be a great problem, as Buffalo is only 1.5 hrs from the Centre of the Universe.
Terry Pagulla has Tonnes of money, is a genuine and motivated owner and great location= NO Brainer for OHL
Melnyk is bleeding in Mississauga and low attendance. Also, they are 10 mins away from Brampton, and one of the 2 teams has to relocate.
I believe Majors will move, and I believe that they will go to Buffalo, under the ownership of Pagula, the Sabres owner.
He has donated $80 million to start up the Penn State Ice hockey program with arena, and it is a no brainer for him to own an OHL team, and for the OHL to locate there. The travel for most teams wont be a great problem, as Buffalo is only 1.5 hrs from the Centre of the Universe.
Terry Pagulla has Tonnes of money, is a genuine and motivated owner and great location= NO Brainer for OHL
JMO
My fear with Buffalo is people did say the same thing when Brampton/Mississauga things such as both are good markets and no question they will do well that did not happen so i think we have to be careful before saying no question the team will have great support.
There is a rumour on the NOOF right now from a historically reliable source that the Otters are moving to Hamilton next year.
"Sherry Bassin himself has been telling a number of parents at recent minor midget playoff games (I overheard him with my own ears) that he will NOT be renewing the arena lease in Erie at the end of this season, and the team will be moved to Hamilton for the start of the 2012-13 season."
There is a rumour on the NOOF right now from a historically reliable source that the Otters are moving to Hamilton next year.
"Sherry Bassin himself has been telling a number of parents at recent minor midget playoff games (I overheard him with my own ears) that he will NOT be renewing the arena lease in Erie at the end of this season, and the team will be moved to Hamilton for the start of the 2012-13 season."
Selfishly, I hope they do. But, have to wonder how the Bulldogs and Otters do under the same roof.
