While that may seem like a bargain, the initial wave of NHL expansion the "Next Six" of 1967 paid . By no means is the NHL playing copycat, but until another league shows it can support more than 32 teams, I dont expect the NHL to experiment. In 2009, the SPHL saw a large expansion with three new franchises, in Biloxi, Mississippi,[2][3][4] Lafayette, Louisiana[5] and Pensacola, Florida. "I'll be happy if six or seven of our 13 play in the fall. By Tim Lester. (from NHL Commissioner: No Active Efforts To Bring Team To Houston, Houston Chronicle, 5/3/2019) However, in Sep. 2019, Feritta said hes still exploring options to bring an NHL franchise to Houston. In the meantime, lets hope we see one or more of these cities welcome the PHF into the fold. I was surprised at that. Now, he wants one for Peoria. Coralvilles team recently announced themselves as the Iowa Heartlanders and is expected to formally announce its affiliations until July. The Bobcats are ready and eager to start their chapter in the local and SPHL hockey history books., On behalf of the Board of Governors, we are excited to welcome the Vermillion County Bobcats to the SPHL, SPHL Commissioner Doug Price added. Of course, with that optimism comes a dose of concern. Vermilion County has a lengthy hockey history dating back to mid-1970s with a fantastic fan base and strong commitment to its communities. From U12 to U19 teams, college club teams in nearby Maryland, and the Mid-Atlantic Womens Hockey League, its a safe bet youll get some instant fans and also be able to cultivate some homegrown talent. Atlanta, Louisville, and NOLA are out of the question. I could be wrong). There's no other space for a hockey team to operate out of for home games in that building. Its unclear whether or not theyre still active, but if they are well, hello. Following the 202122 season, the Peoria Rivermen are the reigning President's Cup champions. Even if a lockout is avoided, how the issue of future expansion is addressed if it even is addressed in discussions for a new CBA will give us a better idea of how much of a priority both the league and players consider it. Well, obviously it means the league feels comfortable enough to start looking outside the six teams it already has and really make this a dream come true for athletes everywhere. Also, a huge possibility for homegrown talent to thrive. Lost on the normal fan is the immense financial complexities of having a league thats half in Canada and half in the United States. ", Rivermen lend a hand:The Peoria Rivermen are shut down. Eye of Ra; May 6, 2022; 2. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Massimo Lamacchia - 5'8", 170 lbs Forward, Played with the Manchester Monarchs and the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL before finishing this past season with the Louisiana IceGators of the SPHL . The Rivermen turned in their list of protected 13 players for the 2021-22 season, and the league will announce those for all of its teams on Friday. Players not covered on the. The city was formerly home to one of the World Hockey Associations most successful teams in the Houston Aeros. March 1, 2023 at 12:35 pm Updated March 1, 2023 at 12:35 pm . With the construction of Videotron Centre and its long history, Quebec City already has a leg up on any other potential Canadian market. The 2019 All-Star Game took place in Nashville. Odds & lines subject to change. We're not an expansion team, but it's going to be challenging, a tough year recruiting.". Big changes could be coming in the next 24 hours to the footprint of the SPHL. The 11th team is an expansion entry in Danville which the league is referring to as Vermillion County. State of the Fed: Wolves capture FHL Commissioner's Cup; wild off-season set to begin. preston magistrates' court todays listings; norfolk county police scanner. Following the 2017-18 season, the Mississippi RiverKingssuspended operations while the league searched for new owners. Women's Hockey News, Rumors and Analysis | The Ice Garden, The road to expansion: six cities the PHF could put new teams in, The Ice Gardens NCAA Poll: Conference Chalk. Cons: Of course, even further for the Whitecaps and Canadian teams to travel to. Like basically everything else about this investment, it shows the Board of Governors has the confidence in the league to really give it more than just a passing thought; instead, theyre looking to build it to last. The last of the four major North American sports to expand before the Golden Knights were the National Football League whose Houston Texans became official in 2002 and the National Basketball Association whose New Orleans Pelicans began that same year. I hope whichever city/ownership group it is can bring along an arena with more than 2,350 seating capacity. Cons: Obviously, its more than a little out of the way for the rest of the league. Both Knights teams have rewritten what it means to be an expansion team in professional hockey. Replies 221 Views 5K. Manage Settings When they consider expansion again, who knows what that fee will climb to. In keeping with the even flow of feeding teams, there is hope of equal balance among the three leagues; cue Palm Springs. By . PHOTOS: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Knoxville Ice Bears - 02/18/2023. Unfortunately, we havent heard a whole lot since, which makes this Southern outpost the least likely of the ones mentioned here. SPHL commissioner Doug Price said the teams that opted out of the 2020-21 season were permitted to take back the rights to players that were on their protected 13-player list last summer, or signed to a tryout agreement heading into last fall. The playoffs concluded on May 3, 2022 with the Peoria Rivermen defeating the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in 4 games in the President's Cup Finals, claiming their first President's Cup. Keep up with the latest storylines, expert analysis, highlights, scores and more. [11] In 2015, the Augusta franchise returned and relocated to Macon, Georgia as the Macon Mayhem. Savannah would have less interest than Atlanta. This past week . This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Besides that, I dont have enough info to know which cities have the correct infrastructure to host a team. [6], GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout loss, For 2022, the format returned to the top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualifying for the playoffs. Tallahassee is too close to Pensacola, Alabama (mobile) already has Birmingham. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Across the border, Trois-Rivires of Quebec, Canada, will also join the ECHL this fall. The Iowa Wild of the AHL already hold an affiliation with the NHLs Minnesota Wild, add in the locale and recent relocations to make shorter trips for call-ups between the three leagues and evidence leans toward Minnesota. So possibly Louisville being more likely. Van Ntta Jr. also notes in the story that . "When the league set up the rules for access to players from teams that were opting out of the season, (Pensacola head coach) Rod Aldoff was the guy who called me right away for our players," Trudel said. With the NHLs 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken, set for its expansion draft this summer to join the NHL in 2021-22, Palm Springs was announced as the 31st AHL program. Yes, teams arent evenly divided between the two countries, but between revenue and fanbases you get the point. Two players dressed for the game will be goaltenders. The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) ann. New Orleans, is ALSO a no, population is down since Katrina and there honestly is little to no interest. Peoria's list includes: Defense: Nick Neville, Jake Hamilton, Brandon McMartin. A formal press conference to introduce the team will be held in the upcoming weeks. A fifth Rivermen player from 2019-20 center Alec Baer also had his rights returned to Peoria after spending last season with Birmingham. x indicates team has clinched a playoff spot Call 1-800-GAMBLER. But part of me hopes they walk back juuust a bit and try to look at the bigger picture when it comes to sustainability. Tag: SPHL Expansion Rumors. SPHL players and fans bring the energy every time . Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. It's such a weird season. Some of them are a bit more obvious than others, but I think each of these has its pros and cons when it comes to rounding out a full-fledged league. "The (national) gas shortage hit our area hard, and was impacting Pensacola, too," Price said, laughing. Following the lead of Vegas and Seattle, it might be a city where minor league hockey was successful in the past. [2][3], .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}z indicates team has clinched William B. Coffey Trophy (regular season champion) and a playoff spot I live in mobile and go to most of the home games in Pensacola and I think theres a decent following in the surrounding areas I know a lot of people who would go to games there. The 1967 expansion fee was so low in comparison because the league and its revenues were a fraction of what they are today. The name evokes what we are all about, redefining what it means to lead with heart in the rink and community.Iowa Heartlanders.https://t.co/sLAZE0wp2P pic.twitter.com/NMreucGINx. what foods to avoid after bbl sphl expansion rumors. The SPHL's history traces back to three other short-lived leagues. While they have announced an affiliation with the AHLs Laval Rocket and NHLs Montreal Canadiens, their name remains unknown and their color scheme likely the bleu, blanc, and rouge shared between the existing programs also remains a secret. While that may seem like a bargain, the initial wave of NHL expansion the Next Six of 1967 paid $2 million apiece (from Cost of NHL Expansion Team Goes From $2 million To $500 million, Las Vegas Review Journal, 6/22/2016). Date Players Videos. Several cities on this list fit that description, as well as a place for some of the immense NCAA and ACHA talent in the Midwest to continue their post-secondary hockey careers. The season has been abbreviated to 56 games. With the announcement on Jan. 18 of the Board of Governors $25 million investment in the PHF came a bit of a buried lede: that being the expansion of the league to 10 teams come the 2023-24 season. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. With the current NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) extension expiring in 2026, another lockout may be on the near horizon. One of those teams was placed in the very non-traditional hockey market of Las Vegas. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 201920 season was curtailed and no champion was named. Pros: Obviously, built-in rivalry and ease of travel for the Whitecaps, plus can help provide a place for even more NCAAers to play after college, which is always a good thing. https://www.fieldpassbrand.com/postprice-talks-state-of-the-league-and-expansion, Trades and Free Agency - 2022/2023 Trade Deadline Edition, New Orleans Pelicans @ Portland Trail Blazers, Carolina Hurricanes @ Vegas Golden Knights, Advanced Forum Stats, Ignore/Block Essentials by. I reckon Greensboro, NC could host a team. sphl expansion rumors. Im optimistic, yet still so very, very cautious. A look at GM @RonFrancis10 the moment we got pick number two https://t.co/0FKtUJWJB3 pic.twitter.com/1xwsKKaegL. Jon Wilner. All players eligible for the Columbus Cottonmouths' protected list were also available for the draft . Voted winner: Draw (50%) - Voted rating: 0 Vote / Details . Prior to the Golden Knights and Kraken franchise, the NHL last expanded in 2000 with the addition of the Columbus Blue Jackets and if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',823,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-medrectangle-3-0');Minnesota Wild. In a world where a salary cap is expected to bring parity, gone are the days of bottom-feeding for new franchises. One of the inaugural SPHL teams, the Columbus Cottonmouths, suspended operations in 2017 after failing to find a buyer while an expansion team called the Birmingham Bulls were accepted into the league as the tenth team. [12] In that same game Erin Blair and Katie Guay became the first female officials to referee an SPHL game.[12]. The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) on Wednesday announced the results of the expansion draft held for the new Vermillion County franchise. 3 Pd 11:50. With a fanbase ready for the return of hockey, whats holding the NHL back? CHRDANHUTCH "South Atlantic Professional Hockey League"? 2006-Present FloSports, Inc. All rights reserved. One of the inaugural SPHL teams, the Columbus Cottonmouths, suspended operations in 2017 after failing to find a buyer while an expansion team called the Birmingham Bullswere accepted into the league as the tenth team. You are using an out of date browser. Updated as of May 3, 2022. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This would be awesome. Running on empty: SPHL commissioner Doug Price, who is based in Charlotte, N.C., did not attend Game 1 of the championship series in which Macon played at Pensacola. The long-awaited Montreal franchise will reportedly make its debut next season, along with a not-yet-mentioned U.S. team reported to be in the Eastern time zone, according to an article by Marisa Ingemi for the Seattle Times on Jan. 27. Professional hockey has not been protected from pandemic-based cutbacks, stalemates, or modifications, but it has methodically powered on across the ECHL, AHL, and NHL with new franchises to show for it. Of these cities welcome the PHF into the fold into the fold but between revenue and fanbases get... Expiring in 2026, another lockout May be on the near horizon other space for a team. Clinched a playoff spot Call 1-800-GAMBLER NC could host a team announced themselves the... 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