OT: Winnipeg ICE sold - Moving to Wenatchee, Washington renamed Wenatchee Wild

[blueandgoldguy]

Comparable seats for the ICE are noticeably more expensive than Seattle as mentioned by superdeluxe. Even after taking into account the exchange rate, ICE tickets are $15 - $20 more per seat.

Assuming the suites are filled they look like they are a little over 4,000 seats sold at this point.

It seems like people are already writing the obituary for the Winnipeg ICE. It doesn't look good, but I'm hearing elsewhere there is a possibility of them teaming up with either the University of Manitoba or with an Indigenous organization to build a suitable arena that would receive substantial government money and get around that pesky agreement True North has with the city/province which will not currently allow public funding of a competing sports facility with a fixed roof.

We shall see what happens.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Quite the team they're putting together for Chilliwack.

Chilliwack GM: ‘We’re not going anywhere,’ but he expects Ice to move . . . Remembering Mickey Mouse Night in Moose Jaw

If you haven’t already done so, you can stroke Chilliwack, B.C., off the list of potential landing spots for the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice. Brian Maloney, the general manager and head coach of the BCHL’s …

greggdrinnan.com

 

[John Agar]

WHL prospect draft went down today... ICE had one third round and one fifth round pick. Two in the 6th, one in the 7th and one in the 8th. I hope Cockell knocked it out of the park on that third rounder, Caelan Joudrey, haha.

The sixth rounder is Nate (well, Nathaniel) Danielson, haha. What, there was no Chad Nychuk available in the draft to go with him?

Airdrie has a very solid program in Alberta...

Caelan has been well coached... good upside...

 

[John Agar]

For those that don't know the ICE's competition...

Here's an article featuring Brad Lambert, but describing other players he is Centering on the Seattle Thunderbirds... yes Lambert is Centering a line...

A short preview...

“It’s been a nice combo — a speedy playmaker (Lambert) and a guy with an elite shot and goalscoring ability (Guenther). And with a big, heavier guy in (Schaefer) that helps the line as well,” O’Dette said. “(Lambert and Guenther), though, have been the dynamic duo from the get-go.”

High praise, indeed, but not the highest O’Dette would dole out during a seven-minute post-practice chat.

That was reserved for this nugget: “We haven’t seen a player with this style of play and skillset since Mat Barzal.”

That’s New York Islanders star centre and 2018 NHL Rookie of the Year Mat Barzal, who won the WHL championship with the Thunderbirds in 2017."

MSN

 

[cbcwpg]

I'm going to the games here, but it has nothing to do with the fact the name "Winnipeg" is in one of the teams' names... it because these are the two best teams in the WHL and I have a chance to watch them play.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Comparable seats for the ICE are noticeably more expensive than Seattle as mentioned by superdeluxe. Even after taking into account the exchange rate, ICE tickets are $15 - $20 more per seat.

Assuming the suites are filled they look like they are a little over 4,000 seats sold at this point.

I took a peek at Ticketmaster and it looks to me like they'll have around 4,000 for both games. Anything over and above that will be gravy... I don't think there will be a huge walkup crowd. My estimate also takes into account that there are probably a lot of group buys by sponsors and not all of those tickets will be used.

That said, this is going to be a pretty big bonanza for the ICE. Even 4,000 is more than double what they pull at Wayne Fleming. And price points are quite high as you point out. I looked at Seattle's ticket website and prices are remarkably low. Most seats are around the US$20 a pop mark. Even with exchange that's pretty cheap, on par roughly with ICE regular season tickets. So that's a pretty big box office haul for the ICE at those prices.

Only downside is that 4,000 people will look lost among the empty seats at CLC. Even with AJ dialing it up to 11 it is probably going to feel like a random Tuesday night Moose game vs. Iowa. I know I'm in the minority here but I think the atmosphere of playing at Wayne Fleming would have been a lot better. And the irony here is that the league's concerns about "image" are pointless since games 1 and 2 aren't on TSN anyway... no one will see the games except people in the building or the diehards with WHL Live subscriptions.

Has anyone seen any injury reports heading into tonight's game?

 

[Joe Hallenback]

I would I have liked to see them offer all the tickets at 35 to 40 bucks and try to pack that arena

 

[jetsmooseice]

I would I have liked to see them offer all the tickets at 35 to 40 bucks and try to pack that arena

There are still plenty of the cheapest $31 tickets left so I don't know that price is really the issue here.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

There are still plenty of the cheapest $31 tickets left so I don't know that price is really the issue here.

The price for those 100 seats seems to be. Probably just pick up some 31 dollar tickets and move down or wait and maybe they dump the price down before the game

 

[Halfy]

I think if you can have both sides decently full it won’t look that bad. Hopefully alll those reserved seats will actually be used by people. Ice had a big problem this season with having tickets “sold” but not used.

 

[superdeluxe]

For those that don't know the ICE's competition...

Here's an article featuring Brad Lambert, but describing other players he is Centering on the Seattle Thunderbirds... yes Lambert is Centering a line...

A short preview...

“It’s been a nice combo — a speedy playmaker (Lambert) and a guy with an elite shot and goalscoring ability (Guenther). And with a big, heavier guy in (Schaefer) that helps the line as well,” O’Dette said. “(Lambert and Guenther), though, have been the dynamic duo from the get-go.”

High praise, indeed, but not the highest O’Dette would dole out during a seven-minute post-practice chat.

That was reserved for this nugget: “We haven’t seen a player with this style of play and skillset since Mat Barzal.”

That’s New York Islanders star centre and 2018 NHL Rookie of the Year Mat Barzal, who won the WHL championship with the Thunderbirds in 2017."

MSN

Odette is right. Lambert has many of the tools that will allow him to be a great center, and his shot is better than barzals

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Whoever wins this series at least we in Winnipeg win. We either have the Ice in the Mem cup or Brad

 

[superdeluxe]

Does seem like a win-win for jets fan for sure

 

[Guardian17]

 

[Teppo Numenor]

Ice Merch flying off the racks in the concourse

 

[macmaroon]

Ice Merch flying off the racks in the concourse

I saw that coming in to the arena. I've got my rally towel and I'm ready to go...

 

[macmaroon]

At the end of the second, the Ice lead 3-0 over Seattle...

 

[RetroWinnipeg]

 

[macmaroon]

Ice held on to win 3-2...

 

[Guardian17]

Western Hockey League

Headquartered in Calgary, Albert, the Western Hockey League (WHL) consists of 22 Member Clubs located throughout Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

whl.ca

 

[CaptainUgly]

Was at the game. Solid atmosphere would be nice to see the entire lower bowl sold out tomorrow

 

[Halfy]

Pleasantly surprised at the attendance and atmosphere at the game. Felt cool

 

[roccerfeller]

Very cool! (Pun not intended) Is there anywhere to watch the highlights?

 

[Teppo Numenor]

Very cool! (Pun not intended) Is there anywhere to watch the highlights?

Highlights at whl.ca

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

I was at the game last night. My first Ice game!

I have tickets for Saturday night as well!

The game was fast and entertaining.

For those that sit on Their asses on the couch and miss out on this level of hockey entertainment …… “ your whacked”

Well worth the &44 per seat in the P3 section of the arena ( middle pricing- not the highest - not the lowest).

My Jets seasons are P3…. And I think my regular season P 3 seats ( that I’ve had since 2011) are top end p3 that I would not exchange for 1/2 of the P2’s or P1’S even if they were at the same price point. I got tickets for both game 1 and game 2 in different P 3 locations to get a different perspective for watching the game. I sat in section 113 last night and changed my seat every period- starting at ice level and then moving back 5-6 rows every periord.

Tonight Im siting in a different P3 location with totally different vantage point.

If you’re on the fence……. Get on the right side of it and get yourself a ticket to tonight’s game…..

It would be GREAT if “the word gets out “ and the series goes 7 games and Rink is jammed packed for game 6 &7!!!!