Major Hockey League (3 on 3 league) Postponed Until 2025

[Ossific]

I've been following the MHL story, just because summer is boring and I knew this would fail, and shocker - they have postponed the inarguable season to 2025. From what I hear they could not find any players. But this is an excerpt from their press release on August 19th:

"Major League Hockey Corp. Announces Postponement of Inaugural 3-on-3 Professional Hockey League Season to October 2025

Victoria, B.C. Max Chambers, the Chief Executive Officer behind the highly anticipated Major League Hockey (MLH), has announced today that it will postpone the launch of its inaugural season until October 2025.

MLH did not make this decision lightly, as its investors and team worked tirelessly to bring this innovative and exciting new 3-on-3 product to life. However, postponing the launch is the best course of action due to unforeseen medical challenges regarding the CEO's health and the need for additional time to ensure every aspect of the League meets the highest standards."

Full statement can be read at Major League Hockey Corp. Announces Postponement of Inaugural 3-on-3 | Major League Hockey

Anyone else surprised that this didn't work out? Wouldn't be surprised to hear this completely fall apart over the next year. Lol!!

Click to read more...

 

[Oilslick941611]

lol

for some reason this gives me WHA2 vibes from the 05 lockout.

 

[bossram]

Who could have seen this coming!

 

[Machinehead]

There's barely a market to sustain the hockey that already exists.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Not shocking

 

[tarheelhockey]

Max Chambers is the man behind Major League Hockey. He has a history of not delivering

Players and coaches are being offered contracts from a supposed startup three-on-three hockey league. They're trying to determine if it's real.

www.therinklive.com

Title of the article says it all.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Nobody wants to see this crap

 

[Seedtype]

More like Mediocre Hockey League.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

3on3 hockey sucks. It's barely watchable at the NHL level.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

for some reason this gives me WHA2 vibes from the 05 lockout.

Ha! That’s because it’s the same guy… dude is a straight up charlatan, he has a track record of a bunch of shady ventures that never get off the ground

Max Chambers is the man behind Major League Hockey. He has a history of not delivering

Players and coaches are being offered contracts from a supposed startup three-on-three hockey league. They're trying to determine if it's real.

www.therinklive.com

Title of the article says it all.

An all time great lede:

GRAND FORKS — David Waronker answered his office phone in Florida last month.

He was asked about a man he crossed paths with 20 years ago named Max Chambers.

“He in jail?” Waronker asked.

 

[kaiser matias]

lol

for some reason this gives me WHA2 vibes from the 05 lockout.

At least they had a player named (Ed Belfour, who was going to own the Dallas team).

They also had a lot if updates. I was a close follower of the league, it was fun watching it slowly build, until it didn't.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

"Highly anticipated"

 

[Faterson]

Normalizing the aberration isn't going to work.

 

[TrufleShufle]

Nobody wants to see this crap

If this was at a smaller local arena on some random weekend with affordable tickets I would 100% go.

I love hockey and will spend the money to go to an NHL game a couple times a year between tickets and travel. But I'm also not too pretentious to enjoy something "hockey like" that could be fun while spending the extra saved money on beer because its not "muh sport."

 

[Brodeur]

Not surprised after hearing/reading the background of the guys starting the league. I do feel bad for the handful of (North American) pros who thought there might be a new viable league to play closer to home. From the sounds of it, a few of them kicked the tires and then realized they couldn't turn down a European contract offer (that might not be there a few weeks later) once MLH looked more like a pipedream.

 

[End on a Hinote]

lol

for some reason this gives me WHA2 vibes from the 05 lockout.

A lesser known story from 2004 was when someone (Can't remwmber who exactly he was or what he did) attempted to bring hockey back to its true Canadian roots but creating the Federal Hockey League. IIRC he had a layout on the website that there would be 8 Canadian based teams and hosted tryouts for a roster spot for $1000 per person.

The reported covering the story was really grilling him with questions about arenas leasing, etc. Not too much to my surprise, I've never heard anything else from the league since then.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Nobody wants to see this crap

I actually think there’s merit in the concept, but nothing is going to work if it’s run poorly. Maybe the NHL can figure out something to do with this, I’d be down for a summer 3v3 league.

 

[Mirka the Turka]

I think a 3on3 league is a great idea.

Or even if it was a 4v4 league. The problem with pure 5v5 is it can get too defensive and play can become repetitive (pass puck to the point get guys in front of the net) if teams are not creative. Powerplays spice things up though but in general it can create boredom.

I, for one, welcome the 3v3 league. It will bring on a lot of excitement and the tiktok generation may resonate with it more.

 

[TheNumber4]

I like 3 on 3 Hockey. I like it at the NHL level as a 5 minute novelty. Makes for more exciting overtimes than 4 on 4. Gives the game a different look, a possession and individual skill game with high risk and high reward.


I wondered if 3 on 3 would work for a whole game or whole league in the past. But I know half the NHL community hates it, so never thought anyone would try to make it a thing. I'm curious to see it.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

how is that any different than 3 ICE.....

 

[uncleben]

Not shocking
At best it would be a glorified senior league with retired players and former junior players - but those guys can already go to LNAH for pro hockey or ALH for amateur

3 on 3 is going to better succeed embracing 3ICE's model, with minor pro players playing in a summer league

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

how is that any different than 3 ICE.....

Thrice would have been so much better. Then you can trot out a band that was dope 15 years ago and make it a whole thing.

 

[uncleben]

how is that any different than 3 ICE.....

MHL wanted to have a 16 team league spread across the continent with liveable wages ($30-million salary cap for rosters of 14 players and $100,000 bonuses for each win), and would play as a winter league (putting them in competition with the 5 on 5 pro leagues)

3ICE is a summer league. They're expanding next season with more teams, and spread out, but started with way less teams and travel until gaining some momentum. They do pay pro wages too, but playing a short season in the summer, it's more like the players are getting a small bonus, not an actual salary.

 

[Brodeur]

how is that any different than 3 ICE.....

3ICE model is tough since they started without city designations and instead toured through different cities. In the most recent season they tried to have a city/region represented. I think the Premier Lacrosse League went through a similar transformation.

3ICE would have a day long 8 team tournament with a full game being two 8 minute halves. I'm not sure if MLH's intent was to have an entire three period game played three on three.

At any rate, it seemed overly ambitious to compete not only against the NHL, but also the AHL/NCAA/CHL hockey in the fall. It might be fun to get a one off game of North Dakota vs. Minnesota alums who aren't NHL caliber, but would the demand be there for an entire season? And would those college fans reserve their time/money to watch the current college club instead?

 

[HellebuyckOurSaviour]

Just bring back Pro Beach Hockey already