NSFW: Lars Eller is a TANK.

I think I know what micro wants.

72off: mirtle reported that canadian networks are interested in AHL games - KHL games seem like a bad fit because of the time difference and the fact that both sides are just cashing a paycheck

oh ok, thx

yeah i'd probably watch more AHL if it was on TV, not quite sure why there isn't more. like even with local/community TV the Heat aren't on (despite the fact that they air random WHL games), which is weird bc i know they have a closed circuit feed of the game that plays in-house. they can't even run that in the bar across the street? i mean is there a huge leap from the cc feed to adding announcers and putting it on a channel somewhere? CBC used to have a featured AHL game of the week type thing in a limited run, not sure if they're still doing that or not.

and i guess TSN would be showing CHL games, but Rogers Sportsnet probably owns the rights given their Sunday night game of the week thing (and Memorial Cup coverage, etc). wonder if Sportsnet might expand their coverage once baseball is over, assuming the lockout is still ongoing.

i suppose my main question is about how TSN is planning to fill their massive hole in coverage without the NHL. can't imagine they want to go on too long with old Canada Cup games, and hot new movies like "Tin Cup", lol.

Says the guy whose team pays both Kovalchuk and brodeur. Lulz.

They don't show Heat games because people simply don't watch them. People actually do watch WHL stuff.

But yes, I suspect there will be more AHL games shown this year in Canada and US. NBCSN in US has already stated they will expand number of NCAA and minor league televised games if lockout continues.

St johns and Toronto already have a lot of local TV coverage of their games that can be expanded. Hamilton has a fair amount as well. Abbotsford hasn't really done their games on TV before...just videoboard and POG internet tv stuff like everyone else. Some operations are bigger than others.

I would expect a lot of Toronto Marlies games being seen elsewhere is possible.

St. John's home opening weekend is Oct 19-20 against Adirondack which is the Philly affiliate with Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier. Certainly think there's a good chance somebody picks up the local TV feed of that to show it across Canada or swoops in to do their own national telecast.

I've heard rumours that Vancouver would like to move its affiliation to Abbotsford, that fans do not want to watch future Flames.

When does their deal with Chicago finish?

I know one Canucks fan who can't afford tickets [or can't get tickets] who really loved seeing The Moose when they went to BC.

It doesn't matter when their affiliation with Chicago finishes if Calgary wants to stay in Abbotsford.

Rumors you are referring to are pretty much everyone speculating on crap they don't really know much about for the most part. But obviously very few people in Vancouver care at all about watching a bunch of Flames minor league guys. Nothing new there and everyone is aware of that.

$how ur work? i mean how can you say people won't watch if it's never been tried?

like i mean lots of WHL games are shown on a local/cable access type equivalent channel, i can't imagine that the ratings are significant or even necessary. but i guess it's either money thing for the AHL rights, or they don't want the games on TV because attendance is already bad enough as is.

probably has more to do with the Heat's contract in Abbotsford, as i believe they're heading into year 3 of a 10 year deal. the city would love to get the Chicago Wolves in here, but it's probably not possible unless they can get rid of the Heat somehow. the AHL Canucks games are always among the busiest nights of the year, and sell out often (or close to it). meanwhile the other nights? not so much. and the city is losing millions per year because they built and own the rink. yeah people can't quite get into the AHL Flames bc most people hate the NHL Flames, and their system hasn't had much in the way of exciting AHL prospects lately. maybe Baertschi will help?

except for the idiots who were in charge of putting this whole deal together in the first place...

They have tried televising AHL before as you already mentioned. It doesn't do as well as major juniors games. Selling out an AHL game in an NHL arena is different and not reflective of TV ratings generally. Hamilton always does well in their one or two home games in Montreal. Cheap ticket to go see the Baby Jabs in that great arena setting. Doesn't mean anyone in Montreal cares that much about watching Hamilton games on TV....at least not when there isn't a lockout anyway.

But yeah, there will be more this year anyway so be happy about that.

I don't think the teams have to change, just the affiliations.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/H...381/story.html

Yes, the affiliations would have to change. That is what we are talking about. And that is not going to happen in the foreseeable future.

How far can you see?

It's not happening this year..that's for damn sure. If there is some way for them to weasel out of their contract then I guess they can try.

But Calgary has no incentive to let them go imo. Have their players relatively close in a good facility. Calgary couldn't care less about the awful attendance in Abbotsford. They are happy to have a decent place to develop their guys. They don't want to be in Chicago or anywhere else further away any more than Vancouver does.

If some other possibility opens up that works for Calgary somehow then maybe they can mutually agree on terminating the agreement. I thought maybe Victoria would be a possibility but they left ECHL to go WHL instead.

I do think west coast expansion of AHL will happen at some point. West coast NHL teams are bringing it up. With more and more player moves up and down every year it just becomes too annoying for Winnipeg, LA and SJ to be in St Johns, Manchester NH and Worcester MA. Phoenix right now is with Portland Maine. When these teams have a last second call up they frequently struggle to get the guy there in time. Or have to call him up two days before just so he can be there even though they aren't sure they need him. Plus it is a budget concern. A fringe guy can go up and down 5+ times in a year. On the east that just means a short drive for a lot of guys. Way easier.

But the AHL is at 30 teams now. You can't really have more AHL teams than NHL imo. If somebody is going to go west it has to come from a team back east folding up shop. That will take time as the different markets morph around and make their own hard decisions.

So VAN in ABB or somewhere else closeish...no idea if or when. General western additions to AHL...eventually but probably looking 5-10 years.

I think Winnipeg could have gone just about anywhere and chose St. John's. It would have been profitable to keep them here.

Winnipeg does not own the St John's team.

St john's sells out every single game and is a tremendous market deserving of a team.

I think they do own the team.

Thought true north sold it when they got the NHL. maybe they just leased it somehow. Regardless, st john's made an attractive enough offer apparently and I got the impression that the Ahl really wanted to be back in St John's. I think the AHL prez said that actually but I'm not positive.

It very much seemed like a forgone conclusion that when WPG got the Nhl that they would have to move their AHL team. And that St John's thing happened super fast after that. It's not like it was a long and drawn-out search and application process. I think it was pretty much decided by league and true north ahead of time...but I can't promise any of that. Just guessing.

I heard Randy Turner on a podcast from last Saturday talking about his book on the first year of the Jets return and he said they were able to move both teams in that short period of time because they had much prepared the previous year when they came within ten minutes of owning the Coyotes.

such a shame......a little flashback while no puck



In 1989, the Red Wings used a couple of late-round draft picks to take two foreign defensemen: Nick Lidstrom and Vladimir Konstantinov. Each made the All-Rookie Team in 1992, won Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998, and made memories for the fans of Hockeytown that go well beyond hockey.

Wangzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

WOW! Just heard about this "caravan" league. I suggested this idea to my pops when talking about what NHL players should be doing during the lockout. I'm really glad some GOQBs had the same mindset.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2...ing-next-week/

What good guys. I always knew that Max Talbot was a great guy. Just traveling around, giving the fans what they want and raising money for charity. Total class act these guys are. That's the TRUE hockey spirit.

ATTA BOYS

White, while that is generally true I think it is also just one more sign of the players knowing they won't be accepting any nhl deals at all. I mean, we already know that anyway so no biggie. But it is disappointing how they have pretty much already decided, you know? But I agree it is still a cool think. Talbot, fleury, giroux all good guys.

They're putting their egos aside and traveling around to give fans who normally wouldn't get to see these guys play, a chance to see them play. They're not taking jobs away from any hard working guy overseas and they're just good Quebec boys having fun. Class acts all of them.

John Davidson resigned today as president of the Blues, as part of an agreement with the new ownership group to buy out the remainder of his 3-year, $6 mil contract...no one else thought that was postworthy?

There were significant rumours out of Calgary early in the summer that the Flames were interested in bringing JD over to replace Ken King as club president, which would be like the greatest thing ever and send me over the moon. Still hope it happens, somehow.

huzzah?