DevilsJunkie
Registered User
Let's not forget that, until recently, Bell was a defenseman. The ECHL might be the best place for him to hone the finer points of being a forward at the pro level.
I just thought Bell was going down to the ECHL for conditioning cause he missed all of camp. If he's really down there maybe that was the reason why it was such a long holdout, because they wanted to send him there and he wanted to play in the AHL?
Kelly Zajac's not a guy that should ever be playing in the NHL, Bell's still young enough with tools enough to dream of that someday. But future NHL players don't usually start in the ECHL unless they're goons.
Kelly Zajac's not a guy that should ever be playing in the NHL, Bell's still young enough with tools enough to dream of that someday. But future NHL players don't usually start in the ECHL unless they're goons.
Jon Quick spent some time in the ECHL.
AHL roster is full, let Bell dominate the ECHL and earn a call-up like Kelly Zajac did. Nothing wrong with that.
haha i was in a rush at work leaving the office. i work for the state and i am in albany alot with my new position and ive been fortunate enough to catch a few games (terrible attendance btw) going from new jersey to albany is something else but decent rink for albany too bad they cant draw fans
Why don't they draw fans? Is it a NJ club in NY that is the issue? Does Albany pay the Dev's to play there? Can't see how anyone is making $$$ up there though.
Feel from a devils perspective they would be better off in NJ as well. Stick them in a populated area, where fans can go see a game for dirt cheap. Get young kids to become Devil fans at an early age.
The problem is there is no viable hockey rink for an AHL team in New Jersey.
Supposedly, they are revamping that whole area in Sayreville where the parkway, Route 35, and Route 9 all meet, where that abandoned movie theatre is. In the beginning, there was rumors of a baseball stadium or even an arena being a part of the plans. If the Devils could somehow get behind an arena right there, that could put an AHL team at the heart of the NJ fan base. I'm sure they would see a significant boost in attendance there from Devils fans, plus the accessibility of the AHL team being ~20 minutes away.
A cheaper, barely different minor team in the same zone as the NJD would also be cutting off your nose to spite your face. They'd be crushing themselves. Plus, there's no money to made at the AHL level. They are, for the most part, propped up by their NHL counterparts. Maybe someone like the Marlies makes money... Or perhaps Portland or Rockford where they truly are the only game in town?
Also, from a logistical standpoint, it's not a great idea to have your teams that close to each other. It lets players stay too close when they get called up or down and can lend to negative situations for younger players too easily.
A cheaper, barely different minor team in the same zone as the NJD would also be cutting off your nose to spite your face. They'd be crushing themselves. Plus, there's no money to made at the AHL level. They are, for the most part, propped up by their NHL counterparts. Maybe someone like the Marlies makes money... Or perhaps Portland or Rockford where they truly are the only game in town?
Also, from a logistical standpoint, it's not a great idea to have your teams that close to each other. It lets players stay too close when they get called up or down and can lend to negative situations for younger players too easily.
I would think it's better then just funneling money into a team that you get nothing out of.
I'm sure you can get a good amount of Devils fans to go to the teams AHL games, especially to see the younger guys in action. It's hard to sell a Devils team in a Rangers or Bruins market.
A cheaper, barely different minor team in the same zone as the NJD would also be cutting off your nose to spite your face. They'd be crushing themselves. Plus, there's no money to made at the AHL level. They are, for the most part, propped up by their NHL counterparts. Maybe someone like the Marlies makes money... Or perhaps Portland or Rockford where they truly are the only game in town?
Also, from a logistical standpoint, it's not a great idea to have your teams that close to each other. It lets players stay too close when they get called up or down and can lend to negative situations for younger players too easily.
While I agree it generally serves cross purposes to have both here, don't/didn't the Phantoms play in the Spectrum in the same area as the Wells Fargo center? I don't think it's affected attendance though we probably couldn't get away with doing it in any case.
Apparently they were at the Spectrum from '96-09 which is longer than I even thought.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Phantoms
Adirondack the last few years was the stopgap for their new arena.
And also if you don't want teams too close, you also don't want them too far away either. Both because it makes it more inconvenient to get call ups and because you risk having zero market. Nobody outside the tri state area is going to give a hoot about a Devils farm team.
And also if you don't want teams too close, you also don't want them too far away either. Both because it makes it more inconvenient to get call ups and because you risk having zero market. Nobody outside the tri state area is going to give a hoot about a Devils farm team.
Wow, yeah... I had no idea about that. But I wonder how it worked cause they were such a long established team?
Definitely true, but do people care who the farm team is for? Meaning, does a Sabres fan in Albany not go A-Devils games cause of that? Or do they go for cheap, good hockey? Who knows...
I just thought Bell was going down to the ECHL for conditioning cause he missed all of camp. If he's really down there maybe that was the reason why it was such a long holdout, because they wanted to send him there and he wanted to play in the AHL?
Kelly Zajac's not a guy that should ever be playing in the NHL, Bell's still young enough with tools enough to dream of that someday. But future NHL players don't usually start in the ECHL unless they're goons.
Burlon is getting pretty close to UFA eligibility.....or goalies.
Regarding Helgeson: with Volchenkov and Fayne gone the team will want to take a look at in house physical defense ahead of the others on the AHL roster. There's puck moving cover in the seventh NHL position. Burlon has also upped his physicality and I wouldn't want to see him jettisoned. He still has upside and multiple years in the Devs system.
You have two options. You can get a Devils ticket for $25-150. You can get an A Devils ticket for $10-25. Which do you do? Tickets to NHL Devils games would drop by at least a third, probably half. Doesn't make any sense.
Also, how do you make back the millions it cost to build the arena in the first place? Where do you build parking? What do you do with the arena besides the anchor tenant in the over-crowded culture of NY Metro?
It is not feasible at any level.