AHL Future in Binghamton

[wildcat48]

Las Vegas ownership has already said they plan on sharing next season. When they are ready to purchase an expansion franchise it will be placed in the Pacific Division. It's part of the deal made with the western NHL teams to create the Pacific Division.

So if Albany is out, which I doubt is the case, that would likely point to Hartford being the team moving to Binghamton. Honestly, I think anything is still possible including no team replacing the Senators leaving Binghamton.

 

[ek93]

So if Albany is out, which I doubt is the case, that would likely point to Hartford being the team moving to Binghamton. Honestly, I think anything is still possible including no team replacing the Senators leaving Binghamton.

I would agree that it seems like Hartford is the most probable/logical.

As for no team replacing them, I don't think that is as likely. The way vice president Tom Mitchell is talking, it sounds as if they already have something in place. Of course that's what he has to say, but I remember him saying it was in the contract that Ottawa had to help them find a new team, and they did that. The way he keeps saying, "we'll announce it when the timing is right" makes me feel optimistic.

Hopefully I'm not just getting my hopes up.

 

[Devils Dominion]

What years did nyr have their AHL affiliate in Binghamton?

 

[210]

what years did nyr have their ahl affiliate in binghamton?

1990-1997

 

[Devils Dominion]

1990-1997

Oh, a short stay.
I thought it would be longer based on prior comments in this thread.

 

[wildcat48]

I would agree that it seems like Hartford is the most probable/logical.

As for no team replacing them, I don't think that is as likely. The way vice president Tom Mitchell is talking, it sounds as if they already have something in place. Of course that's what he has to say, but I remember him saying it was in the contract that Ottawa had to help them find a new team, and they did that. The way he keeps saying, "we'll announce it when the timing is right" makes me feel optimistic.

Hopefully I'm not just getting my hopes up.

I hope its the case... We were all told in Portland the team was close to an extension on the arena lease and affiliation on May 2nd and two days later the team was sold so pardon me if I'm skeptical.

 

[zeeto]

So if Albany is out, which I doubt is the case, that would likely point to Hartford being the team moving to Binghamton. Honestly, I think anything is still possible including no team replacing the Senators leaving Binghamton.

I don't even know what to think at this point, I just hope there's something next year. In one of my beer leagues one guy is saying "Welp, I heard it's definitely the Rangers coming back." Then two days later a couple guys, in my other beer league, are saying "Nope, not the Rangers, it's the Devils who will be here next year."

I just remember growing up in Utica when the Devils were there, and each year the teams they brought in were worse and worse, until "pro" hockey pretty much went away. Hopefully that doesn't happen here.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I don't even know what to think at this point, I just hope there's something next year. In one of my beer leagues one guy is saying "Welp, I heard it's definitely the Rangers coming back." Then two days later a couple guys, in my other beer league, are saying "Nope, not the Rangers, it's the Devils who will be here next year."

I just remember growing up in Utica when the Devils were there, and each year the teams they brought in were worse and worse, until "pro" hockey pretty much went away. Hopefully that doesn't happen here.

How long ago was that in Utica?
You can't seriously be using that as a reference.
And you got see Brodeur in Utica.

Albany made the semis last year, was a top team that's also off to a good start this season.

 

[zeeto]

How long ago was that in Utica?
You can't seriously be using that as a reference.
And you got see Brodeur in Utica.

Albany made the semis last year, was a top team that's also off to a good start this season.

That last quote wasn't about the Devils but about the teams they brought in after they left. I'm saying I hope that doesn't happen here in Binghamton. Probably should have been something like this:

I just remember growing up in Utica when the Devils were there and then they left. After that, the teams they brought in were worse and worse, until "pro" hockey pretty much went away. Hopefully that doesn't happen here.

 

[tenpinsplit]

Oh, a short stay.
I thought it would be longer based on prior comments in this thread.

Binghamton is Rangers territory. was before and is after. that's why most people want Hartford to move here.

 

[ek93]

Binghamton is Rangers territory. was before and is after. that's why most people want Hartford to move here.

Yeah, definitely. I'm a Sabres fan but I'm still hoping for the Rangers over all the other teams mentioned just because it would be a great fit (in my biased opinion). But I'd be happy with anyone, as long as we still have AHL hockey.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Binghamton is Rangers territory. was before and is after. that's why most people want Hartford to move here.

care to explain why Hartford is closer to MSG than Binghamton if the current MO is to cut down travel expenses between the NHL club and its affiliate as evidenced by the Pacific Division alignment as well as the philosophy of squeezing out privatized ownership...

 

[ek93]

care to explain why Hartford is closer to MSG than Binghamton if the current MO is to cut down travel expenses between the NHL club and its affiliate as evidenced by the Pacific Division alignment as well as the philosophy of squeezing out privatized ownership...

Hartford is 113 miles to MSG, Binghamton is 180. It's not like we're talking about a huge difference.

Also, not that it relates to geography, but doesn't NYR also have the highest affiliate fee in the league right now?

 

[Psuedo Omega]

It's true that the affiliation fee would be more expensive for the Rangers. Ottawa will have to buy the current team from Tom Mitchell, so money shouldn't be a huge issue in that regard. However, the costs for renting the Maines Arena in Binghamton could offset those.

I know in 2012 The Whale were paying about $25,000 to rent a game at the XL center. Multiply that by 38 and that's about $950,000 a year. I used the source below, it's possible things have changed since.

http://articles.courant.com/2012-06...athletic-director-warde-manuel-college-hockey

Compare that with the fact that FL Maines Arena in Binghamton charges $2,000 a game rent (about $76,000 a year) and that's about $876,000 worth of savings a year to have the team in Binghamton based on rent alone (depending on if The Rangers would sell the team to Mitchell or decide to own the team themselves)

Of course other factors will play significant roles, but it's an interesting way of looking at the situation, and seeing how attractive Binghamton could look even if it is a bit further from MSG.

 

[ADK34]

If Hartford moves to Binghamton, possible ECHL in Hartford?

Good rivalries with MAN, WOR, ADK, ELM, REA, (Portland ;])

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

If Hartford moves to Binghamton, possible ECHL in Hartford?

Good rivalries with MAN, WOR, ADK, ELM, REA, (Portland ;])

with the climate there in Hartford is the question I'd doubt there would be a group interested there unlike Portland, and that's not a guarantee yet, but would have to be an existing franchise going there but with the way DDP became an issue when they acquired that from New Britain.

ECHL Might be capped at 30 and throw in Vegas on top of that 31 +31 to match?

 

[Tommy Hawk]

with the climate there in Hartford is the question I'd doubt there would be a group interested there unlike Portland, and that's not a guarantee yet, but would have to be an existing franchise going there but with the way DDP became an issue when they acquired that from New Britain.

ECHL Might be capped at 30 and throw in Vegas on top of that 31 +31 to match?

There are currently only 27 teams in the ECHL right now

 

[Bruins1233]

If Hartford moves to Binghamton, possible ECHL in Hartford?

Good rivalries with MAN, WOR, ADK, ELM, REA, (Portland ;])

No, Hartford wants to be an NHL city, they felt insulted by the AHL, and they would be angered by the ECHL.
Look at UConn Hockey vs Wolf Pack Attendance last year, UConn is almost double. Add to that Quinn and Yale draw more than the Wolf Pack, its not that there is no appetite for Hockey in Connecticut, there is no desire for AHL Hockey in CT.
Now should Hartford see itself as a tier above other minor league cities like Providence, Grand Rapids and Rochester? no, but they do.

 

[royals119]

Binghamton is Rangers territory. was before and is after. that's why most people want Hartford to move here.

care to explain why Hartford is closer to MSG than Binghamton if the current MO is to cut down travel expenses between the NHL club and its affiliate as evidenced by the Pacific Division alignment as well as the philosophy of squeezing out privatized ownership...

Not exactly sure what your question is chrdanhutch. I assume you missed a question mark between the word "why" and "Hartford", and therefore you are asking either "Why is Binghamton Rangers territory?" or "Why do most people want Hartford to move Binghamton?". Otherwise it looks like you are asking "Why is Hartford closer t.o MSG than Binghamton?" and that makes no sense.

Why is Binghamton Rangers territory? He means most people in that area are Rangers fans. They probably are because it is the closest NHL team to Binghamton and people in that area tend to identify with NYC teams.

Why do most people want Hartford to move to Binghamton? Realize that he is talking about most people in Binghamton and the answer is obvious. He just said they are mostly Ranger fans, they want to have the Rangers farm team in their town so they can see Rangers prospects instead of Senators or Devils prospects. Those who aren't Rangers fans probably realize that having the Rangers AHL team means better attendance and therefore more likelyhood the team stays around, so they are hoping it will be the Rangers also.

The fact that most NHL teams are moving their AHL team closer to their home market doesn't have any bearing whatsoever on what Joe Hockey Fan in Binghamton wants to have happen.

 

[mmazz22]

Royals your post hit the nail on the head!

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Not exactly sure what your question is chrdanhutch. I assume you missed a question mark between the word "why" and "Hartford", and therefore you are asking either "Why is Binghamton Rangers territory?" or "Why do most people want Hartford to move Binghamton?". Otherwise it looks like you are asking "Why is Hartford closer t.o MSG than Binghamton?" and that makes no sense.

Why is Binghamton Rangers territory? He means most people in that area are Rangers fans. They probably are because it is the closest NHL team to Binghamton and people in that area tend to identify with NYC teams.

Why do most people want Hartford to move to Binghamton? Realize that he is talking about most people in Binghamton and the answer is obvious. He just said they are mostly Ranger fans, they want to have the Rangers farm team in their town so they can see Rangers prospects instead of Senators or Devils prospects. Those who aren't Rangers fans probably realize that having the Rangers AHL team means better attendance and therefore more likelyhood the team stays around, so they are hoping it will be the Rangers also.

The fact that most NHL teams are moving their AHL team closer to their home market doesn't have any bearing whatsoever on what Joe Hockey Fan in Binghamton wants to have happen.

Binghamton fans seem to have forgotten that the BC Icemen experiment how well did that work out, I'm wholehardtedly disagree that Binghamton needs the Wolf*Pack franchise back there because shouldn't they have fought the Rangers/MSG harder to keep them in Binghamton instead of being forced out of the league until the Senators reestablished the market.... that's the MO THAT THE AHL established in the West and pretty soon there won't be many AHL Markets in the East.... how many more cities and private owners such as is in Binghamton, imo, are being forced out, whether the NHL Club has a hand in it as Ottawa did by buying the current B-Sens franchise, OR WHAT JUST occurred in Portland and Springfield w/ Arizona taking the same MO as the the Pacific and Anaheim doing that to Norfolk the year before, the reward being a leased lower-tier franchise in return for the rights to bring the AHL to San Diego, SO WHAT DOES Springfield Hockey do in response to that move unbeknownst to everyone including Florida, they poach another city's franchise......


you'd feel a lot differently, royals, if Reading lost its franchise the way we've seen AHL markets disappear/relocate and the loyal members who were regulars here on this forum and other forms of sites dedicated to this league. How dare you question that, and it's insulting to those members involved with those franchises that are essentially waiting for another opportunity or are waiting for pro hockey at any level to return

 

[GarbageGoal]

The AHL barely draws flies in Hartford. The ECHL will not go over well.

 

[royals119]

Binghamton fans seem to have forgotten that the BC Icemen experiment how well did that work out, I'm wholehardtedly disagree that Binghamton needs the Wolf*Pack franchise back there because shouldn't they have fought the Rangers/MSG harder to keep them in Binghamton instead of being forced out of the league until the Senators reestablished the market.... that's the MO THAT THE AHL established in the West and pretty soon there won't be many AHL Markets in the East.... how many more cities and private owners such as is in Binghamton, imo, are being forced out, whether the NHL Club has a hand in it as Ottawa did by buying the current B-Sens franchise, OR WHAT JUST occurred in Portland and Springfield w/ Arizona taking the same MO as the the Pacific and Anaheim doing that to Norfolk the year before, the reward being a leased lower-tier franchise in return for the rights to bring the AHL to San Diego, SO WHAT DOES Springfield Hockey do in response to that move unbeknownst to everyone including Florida, they poach another city's franchise......


you'd feel a lot differently, royals, if Reading lost its franchise the way we've seen AHL markets disappear/relocate and the loyal members who were regulars here on this forum and other forms of sites dedicated to this league. How dare you question that, and it's insulting to those members involved with those franchises that are essentially waiting for another opportunity or are waiting for pro hockey at any level to return

I don't have any feelings about it either way. I'm not saying Binghamton deserves a team more than Portland, or Hartford, or anything of that sort. I didn't question anything or insult anyone. I was just trying to understand what you were asking, since your reply/question didn't really relate to the post your quoted. Sorry if you are offended, I just don't know what all that has to do with Binghamton, and why you think the fans there aren't allowed to wish for the Rangers affiliate if they are going to get another team. They aren't trying to hurt the Hartford fans, and they have no power to change what is going to happen. They are just speculating and wishing based on the announcement that there will be a team there next year.

 

[HWP1997]

No, Hartford wants to be an NHL city, they felt insulted by the AHL, and they would be angered by the ECHL.

Just because they want the NHL doesn't mean it will ever happen.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I don't have any feelings about it either way. I'm not saying Binghamton deserves a team more than Portland, or Hartford, or anything of that sort. I didn't question anything or insult anyone. I was just trying to understand what you were asking, since your reply/question didn't really relate to the post your quoted. Sorry if you are offended, I just don't know what all that has to do with Binghamton, and why you think the fans there aren't allowed to wish for the Rangers affiliate if they are going to get another team. They aren't trying to hurt the Hartford fans, and they have no power to change what is going to happen. They are just speculating and wishing based on the announcement that there will be a team there next year.

The POINT I'M basing my objective opinion on, royals, is this: What economic factors have changed since 1997, to convince MSG to return to Binghamton, the same business decision they made by filling the hole left by the Whalers relocation to Carolina, what I'm trying to get you to respond to is this: Give me one reason to convince the majority here that the Rangers should be considering Binghamton now that the deal is apparently sewn up/known that Belleville has landed this Senators franchise (btw, this current Senators franchise was awarded in 1972 and spent 20 years in New Haven as the Nighthawks Before spending 1 season as the New Haven Senators, it has only been in Binghamton since 2002, after a 3-4 year stay in Charlottetown, PEI; now home to a QMJHL franchise called the Charlottetown Islanders.) Last I knew both Albany and Hartford have valid leases through 2018/19, and Albany has not been ruled out yet as a replacement via the rumor mill since Belleville has already been announced.... I just don't want to have Mitchell saying Ottawa has been cordial in securing Binghamton's next affiliation/team and then have what happened here in Portland occur there even though there were possibilities that Arizona pulled the buy card and could've exercised it instead of playing that card this offseason forcing Springfield Hockey into playing the resulting acqusition of the Pirates.

Excluding Hershey, which is a trust decree, how much longer will we see the AHL Affiliates become fully owned/operated by the parent NHL Clubs, squeezing out those like Mitchell and THE Springfield ownership.... that's the danger risk this league, its fanbases, past, and/or present franchises must decide.

Do I like this trend, No, I just don't want to see the ECHL trend that way in 20 years, either.