Colorado drops Hershey

[Chadd 916]

We'ev been expecting this for a while. Anyone know what other team agreements end this year? I know Dallas will be setting up a new team for next year and a couple of other teams may be moving.

[Adam91 0]

ya right now Dallas is sharing the Houston will the Wild and they also have a few players on Hamilton so it would make sense for them to set up a team

[Kirsch 1]

This may have some impace on the Mallards, but I'm not sure. The Mallards (UHL) are connected to both the Caps and the Avs. They also are connected to the Chicago Wolves and Hershey Bears.

Not sure if it will have any impact at all, but all the interorginizational connections there are strange.

[QandA 0]

St. John's is going to Toronto, if that has any relevancy. Atlantic Canada has no more AHL team, where 3 years ago we had 3, two here in NB. Now QMJHL is taking over.

[Chadd 916]

Rumors are the Ducks and/or Washington will be the new parent club. It's locally owned so no chance of the team itself moving.

[Adam91 0]

If was Washington and Anaheim share the team do you know whats going to happen to Cincinnati and Portland?

[Chadd 916]

I believe both of those affiliations expire at the end of this season as well. Considering Washington is about 90 minutes from Hershey, they would seem to be the most likely candidate.

[joshy207 15]

-Dallas is setting up shop in Des Moines, they'll be the Iowa Stars.

-Toronto is bringing back the "Marlies" name for the relocating St. John's Maple Leafs.

-Calgary is supposed to be putting a team in Omaha.

-St. Louis is moving the Worcester IceCats to Peoria, where they'll be the Rivermen again. (Not sure what's going to happen to the ECHL franchise?) Rumor had it Washington was looking into moving the Portland Pirates down to Worcester, but Hershey might make more sense...

-Where's Colorado going to go?

[joshy207 15]

I believe both of those affiliations expire at the end of this season as well. Considering Washington is about 90 minutes from Hershey, they would seem to be the most likely candidate.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Anaheim owns the Cincy franchise.

[Chadd 916]

-Dallas is setting up shop in Des Moines, they'll be the Iowa Stars.

-Toronto is bringing back the "Marlies" name for the relocating St. John's Maple Leafs.

-Calgary is supposed to be putting a team in Omaha.

-St. Louis is moving the Worcester IceCats to Peoria, where they'll be the Rivermen again. (Not sure what's going to happen to the ECHL franchise?) Rumor had it Washington was looking into moving the Portland Pirates down to Worcester, but Hershey might make more sense...

-Where's Colorado going to go?

According to the ESPN story and making some assumptions, they may take the CHL or UHL(?) team near Denver and move them up to the AHL. They barely need a farm team right now anyway, they don't have any real prospects.

[Adam91 0]

ya Cincy is Anaheim's farm team. Calgary putting a team in Omaha? I not really sure what they could be thinking

[Crescent Fresh 0]

-Where's Colorado going to go?

There is already a lot of speculation that the Avs are eyeing the Colorado Eagles as a potential AHL team. The Eagles arena, the Budweiser Event Center, is 50 miles north of Denver in Loveland, CO. I work with the Eagles/CHL on a volunteer basis and I live in Loveland. I would be absolutely stoked to have the Avs farm team only 10 minutes from my house!

Denver Post story

The problems as I see it at this point is if the building has enough seating for that level of pro hockey. Right now the arena seats just under 5300. It's not even two years old yet and is part of the Larimer County Fairgrounds. The area is growing rapidly and in my opinion could support an AHL team. I also don't know if Ralph Backstrom would be willing to make that deal. He has a great thing going right now. Every game has been a sell-out.

I wouldn't be surprised if we have the AHL team at the start of the 2006-07 season.

[Crescent Fresh 0]

According to the ESPN story and making some assumptions, they may take the CHL or UHL(?) team near Denver and move them up to the AHL. They barely need a farm team right now anyway, they don't have any real prospects.

Here is one Avs prospect to keep an eye on.

Tyler Weiman

I've been watching him all season. He has the goods.

[blackhawks4ever 0]

The Dallas /DesMoines thing is 99%, Calgary/Omaha is still very much in the works. I'd put it at 30%. Actually, Omaha had a "minor league" team in the past called the "knights" and they were a farm team for the Red Wings. The had Gordie Howe and Sawchuck come through.

[JR Boucicaut 3768]

And as old as you are, you had season tickets!

Ken, where you been!?

[blackhawks4ever 0]

News flash..... Omaha just announced that they will have an AHL team next year (farm for Calgary) called the Aksarben knights. BTW Aksarben is nebraska spelled backwards...kinda corney...how many puns can I run toghter?????