Hamilton OHL team too?

Just an update. Vote has been postponed.

[url=http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/677391--council-postpones-vote-on-bringing-ohl-team-to-hamilton]http://www.thespec.com/news/local/artic ... o-hamilton[/url]

It would be great if Mr. Andlauer, who has shown commitement to hockey here in Hamilton, decided to go full steam ahead with an OHL team. Then I say forget the Otters unless he wants to acquire them.

Actually it would be in his best interest to pack up and leave town and find a place that will support a team that has nothing to do with the leafs.

And the OHL ...

sure bring em in ... history shows we'll keep em around for 3-4 years them they will move

You might want to brush up on your history…

and also the OHL commissioner has publicly stated “…But there has been no presentation or position to the league. That would lead me to feel comfortable in saying at this particular time that there won’t be an OHL franchise transferring to Hamilton, or any other location for that matter, for next season.”

[url=http://www.goerie.com/article/20120228/HOCKEY01/302289932/OHL-commissioner%3A-Erie-Otters-not-moving-to-Hamilton]http://www.goerie.com/article/20120228/ ... o-Hamilton[/url]

take it as you may

Suffice it to say that at this point in time this is all a big mystery and I don’t think the city really has a position on the OHL at all and without the city’s support, Branch will say it’s a no go, obviously.

I think this also reinforces my earlier post as the same thing that happened with the Coyotes seems to be occuring. The Coyotes have a lease that is unworkable and the team can’t make a profit with it (although that’s just another reason among many as to why the Coyotes can’t/won’t make a profit) same with the Otters. The city (somewhat understandably) doesn’t want to adjust the terms of the lease or wants to negotiation the lease because they lose a lot of potential money by doing so. So the owner wants to get rid of the team to cut his losses, but the league doesn’t want to just let the owner arbitrarily move the team and possibly rock the boat with the other owners/effect his TV revenue.

Unlike the Coyotes situation though, the owner of the Niagara Ice Dogs sees a Hamilton OHL franchise as a boon, not a hiderance (unlike the Leafs and Sabres) and welcomes them. That and the TV revenue situation is a lot different between OHL hockey (which is limited to Canada and maybe the North East States and Washington State) then the international NHL.

Edit: Who knew the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL are based out of Cleveland and not Erie.

I think that’s a first rate analysis there Hammer. I think that might be the hope to salvage this thing, the other local clubs might see this as cost savings and a rivalry builder. I especially like to see this franchise come to Hamilton, it’s the one that won two Memorial Cups for Hamilton, it needs to come home…

Edit: I knew that Lake Erie played in Cleveland… :smiley:

Not just St. Catharines wants to see a team in Hamilton, speaking with my brother who worked for the London Knights for some years, all the OHL teams in southern Ontario would love to see a team back in Hamilton. The more the merrier for rivalries around here.

And agree Hammer with what Evil says about your thoughts.

A team in Hamilton would be a huge improvement for the OHL. Erie doesn't have the best reputation, I read a story about a young player being assaulted on the streets there a few season back.

Erie is the worst team in the OHL this year and it is very hard to rebuild a team when players will not report to your team because of the location of your franchise. Erie is located in Pennsylvania, and you have to remember these are 16 year old kids moving out and leaving there parents for the first time, a lot of parents just arent comfortable sending there kid across the border and into a city with a bad rep. Now obviously the border part does not apply to players from the States.

The top players in the OHL are mostly from the GTA and I believe parents would be a lot more comfortable as well as players would be, sending their child to Hamilton which is just a short trip down the QEW, as well parents would be able to attend more home games and such.

The top 96' prospect for this draft has said he will report to whatever team drafts him, but trust me, this is not usually the case. (he however is not the top prospect for the draft but I'm not even going to get into all that junk :stuck_out_tongue: )

Just something to think about...

Interesting there is a Hamilton Spectator trophy in the OHL but Hamilton has no team in the league any longer, just reading this. :wink: :?

[url=http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2012/03/knights-playoff-push/]http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2012 ... yoff-push/[/url]