Gregg Drinnan over a TN has some info on the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate applying to the AHL to move their AHL franchise in Moline, Illinois - the Quad City Flames; coached by former Kootenay Ice head coach Ryan McGill - to Abbotsford where they are putting the finishing touches on a 7000-seat facility.
This will no doubt impact the Chilliwack Bruins and perhaps even the Vancouver Giants but I'd bet it'd be the former rather than the latter. Could Victoria, who have a similar-sized venue at the Save-On-Food Centre (7000), look at getting an AHL franchise there also? Two AHL clubs in the same neck of the woods would make more sense travel-wise. As it stands right now the club's closest rival would be Winnipeg (Manitoba Moose).
Published reports have the taxpayers of Abbotsford, through travel subsidies, helping to fund the visiting teams travelling to the Fraser Valley. Wonder how long would be last in today's economy? Here's a link to the story in the Calgary Sun.
Saturday . . .
1 hour ago
1 comments:
Being from Abbotsford, this is great for our city. In all honesty, it would have been ideal for the Bruins to come to Abotsford originally. Sadly, we didn't have the arena then. This could hurt the Bruins, but I see them surviving either way. If they put a quality team on the ice the fans will come.
Go Ice!
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