AHL Overhall?

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Article by Darren Dreger

Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Phoenix, Colorado, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary attended a private meeting with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly earlier this month, where the group conceptually talked about the introduction of a western wing to the American Hockey League to ease the burden of travel on prospect players, as well as provide NHL teams with a more hands on approach in day to day development.

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The possibility of creating an entirely new league primarily based to serve some of the NHL's pacific and northwest division teams has also been suggested by some involved.

I can appreciate the western teams wanting more contact with the prospects, especially in the cap world. Sounds like they are talking outta both sides of their mouths telling current AHL teams they are happy with their arrangements while trying to change it.

[joshy207 156]

They're simply exploring the option. The western teams aren't necessarily unhappy with the jobs their eastern affiliates are doing for them, but it's a major hassle to have to fly a guy back and forth across the country if they need to call someone up or send them down. I can see the NHL working with the AHL and ECHL to realign those leagues to beter fit the needs of NHL organizations.

[Guest Shoreline]

I remember before leaving the Bay Area (California), and confirmed when I talked to a cousin of Logan Couture when taking my daughter to the ER last week, that the travel amongst certain NHL players called up from their affiliates is ridiculous, costly, and does take it's toll, which include's Couture two seasons ago being tired out from countless call-ups.

Certainly it's a good thing if teams out west can get closer affiliates.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Shoreline

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

I remember before leaving the Bay Area (California), and confirmed when I talked to a cousin of Logan Couture when taking my daughter to the ER last week, that the travel amongst certain NHL players called up from their affiliates is ridiculous, costly, and does take it's toll, which include's Couture two seasons ago being tired out from countless call-ups.

Certainly it's a good thing if teams out west can get closer affiliates.

Also from the article:

Syracuse, NY to Anaheim --- 3,745km

Manchester, NH to Los Angeles --- 4,143km

Worcester, Mass to San Jose --- 4,263km

Portland, Maine to Phoenix --- 3,773km

Cleveland to Denver --- 1,974km

[dobbles 252]

its not realistic for the ahl to span america. the travel costs incurred by teams would be enormous. nhl teams can manage to fly all over. how are ahl teams going to afford it???

before i go any further, i think we need to once again talk about how much bulls*** this excuse about needing players close for callups... lets look at the abbottsford heat for a second. while the flames/heat may have closer callups than the oilers/oilers, how many times a year is that even needed?>??? additionally, how many times are both teams at home when a callup is needed? say the flames are playing in Minnesota. its just as easy to get a guy there from the midwest or Texas than it is abbottsford. lets say the heat are on the road in the midwest and Calgary needs someone. then its just as long of a trip as when they had their farm team in the midwest.

lets look at the other side though. right now abbottsford has an insane travel schedule going back and forth across the continent all the time. so the players are constantly fatigued and unable to get any sort of rhythm established. so when Calgary does need a callup, they are totally f-ed because they spent the last week traveling around the midwest on one of their extended roadtrips.

so in order to save 2 hours on the callup flight, they spend all season exhausting their players with unnecessary travel. its too small of a reward for too big of a sacrifice.

now lets look at travel a bit more. when calling a guy up or sending him down, he will be flown. when coaches or scouts need to see the other team, they will be flown. whats the easiest part of flying??? the part in the air. you can relax, do work, or whatever. its the getting to the airport, getting to the hotel, getting to the arena, etc that is difficult. so really, whats the big deal about 1 long flight?

when the wings need someone they call grand rapids. he hops in his car and drives across the state on 96. it takes several hours. so how is that any different than minnesota calling down to houston and putting a guy on a direct flight there? both trips will take the same amount.

additionally, the ahl is still a league with concerns of its own. if it spreads out across north america, all of a sudden rivalries lose steam. no longer do you have fans that can carpool to away games. no longer do you have rivals because of close proximity. costs go way up for teams causing further relocation and turnover.

the ahl does not have the resources to fly teams all over the country. no way could they even afford it. if they expect teams to have that sort of budget, then they will need to change how the ahl work. it would have to work more like minor league baseball where the parent team covers all the travel and other expenses.

[VM1138 1,921]

A new league sounds like a good idea. I don't think the AHL can handle that sort of expansion, but a new league could be an interesting way to go. That way, if it fails, it won't bring down an established league like the AHL and they can always go back to their old partnerships.