For the first time since 1967 when the Leafs last won the Stanley Cup - a pro Toronto hockey team is champions. Marlies winning Game 7 of the AHL Calder Cup final over the Texas Stars at a packed Ricoh Coliseum tonight.
Some players we saw on the ice for the Leafs at times this year like the speedy Andreas Johnsson leading the way. Johnsson named MVP.
Congrats to the Marlies, my cousins in Toronto will be celebrating with my cousin's son Rich Clune a member of the Marlies, one of the older players if not the oldest. Better congratulate them on FB now. Mom, Dad and son, all happy campers right now and well into the night I'm sure!
Finally - a Toronto based team with a Maple Leaf logo wins a championship!!
While the other Leafs are golfing.......
Congratulations Marlies . Looks like great hockey from the hi lights .They have some great talent in the A .
IMO the season ending so late June 14th is a little dampener on the championship .
The AHL might want to finish at least before the NHL .
Great seeing Toronto fill the building for it but it might have been a little sweeter with a greater GTA attention if it wasn't near the start of Summer 7 days away .
Still it was a nice moment for the Marlies players and fans .
I was thinking the same thing Hank about the AHL wrapping it up earlier before the SC. It would be better to keep more interest.
Yup - June 15th - about a week after the Stanley Cup is a bit ridiculous - especially when you consider they were at training camp in Niagara Falls on September 15th.
Nice win for the Marlies and another title for MLSE. Hopefully this translates to the big club down the road.
Agreed, the late timing seems odd. Even the AHL regular season starts later. I'm wondering if that has to do with the NHL pre season/training camp so it takesbit longer to get AHL rosters finalized.
Yay for the Marlies!
I saw the Hamilton Bulldogs win the Calder Cup in 2007 against the Hershey Bears at Copps Coliseum. Sadly I couldn't make it this year due to a couple of circumstances.
It's also far easier for me to get behind the Calder Cup playoffs than to get excited about the Maple Leafs. Unlike the Stanley Cup playoffs, there's no question that the Calder Cup playoffs are more about the sport of hockey than the business of hockey.
MLSE invested in veteran players with the Marlies. How this for AHL salaries, my cousin once removed and not part of the Leafs plans, at all, going forward, Rich Clune, makes a whole heck of a lot of money as someone really “on the way out”. I’m sure some CFL guys are looking at this and saying “hmmm”… 
How many “has beens” in the CFL are makiing $350,000 per year? I would say none. Mind you this is MLSE and the Leafs farm team so it’s hard to compare that with anything in Canada pro sport wise, a whole different gestalt.
[b]Salaries for Marlies veterans[/b] [i]Colin Greening: $750,000[/i] [i]Vincent Loverde: $700,000[/i] [i]Ben Smith: $650,000[/i] [i]Chris Mueller: $400,000[/i] [i]Rich Clune: $350,000[/i]https://mapleleafsnation.com/2018/05/07/the-toronto-marlies-have-invested-heavily-in-their-veterans-and-its-paid-off/
I have no objection to AHL players earning more than livable salaries. What I actually find bothersome is this rule:
Why? How does limiting the number of veteran players improve the games for the ticket buying fans?
What annoys me of the AHL is that the league seems more than willing to function as the NHL's bumboy. No effort whatsoever is made to present an image of independence, a league beholden to none other than the paying customer.
Worst of all, some AHL clubs are actually owned by their "parent" NHL clubs which is a clear and blatant effort by the NHL to preserve its monopoly over professional hockey in North America. I don't understand why the competition tribunals in Canada and the United States allow this situation to persist.
The Marlies are one of those teams actually owned by an NHL team, and I hate the fact that I'm supporting the fat arrogant Maple Leafs organization whenever I buy a ticket to a Marlies game.
Hey Fox, how much does a regular season ticket cost for the Marlies ? Mid range....Haven't been to see the Marlies in years. I watched quite a few AHL games this year though.
I thought they did that pro limit thing to give the yougins a better chance and some teams were stashing players, weren't they ? That's what I remember. Maybe I'm wrong. Long time ago.
Excellent read Baltic! And that is what the majority of CFL fans don't want to see, the CFL as the NFL's bumboy. MLSE, whatever ticket you buy in Toronto for sports, even the Blue Jays I would think that aren't actually part of MLSE, I would bet my bottom dollar goes to support the multimillionaire admin people in MLSE and Rogers and CTV. Whether that should bother anyone from a psychological aspect, no idea, that is up to each person's take on it I suppose.
Actually more and more AHL teams are owned by the NHL 'parent' club to maximize the use of their AHL affiliates in helping develop players for the 'big' team.
[tr][td]NHL TEAMS[/td]
[td]NHL affiliations with Minor Leagues (ownership indicated if NHL team owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Anaheim Ducks[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:San Diego Gulls(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Utah Grizzlies/b –Signed a multi-yearextension on Feb. 20, 2016 for2016-17+)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Arizona Coyotes[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Tucson Roadrunners(NHL owned) – Coyotespurchasedthe formerSpringfield Falconsfranchise, relocated it to Tucson andrenamedthe team. It willbegin play in 2016-17 season.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Fort Wayne Komets/b – Coyotesannouncetheir 1-year affiliation for2017-18with the Komets, July 31, 2017.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Boston Bruins[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Providence Bruins/b[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:AtlantaGladiators(Affiliation; Bruinsextendtheir affiliation for 2 more years through2018-19.)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Buffalo Sabres[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Rochester Americans(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Cincinnati Cyclones/b [Cyclones announce their affiliation with Buffalo, May 25, 2017; Sabresannouncement.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Calgary Flames[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Stockton Heat(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Kansas City Mavericks/b [Calgaryannouncedtheir affiliation with the Mavericks, June 8, 2017][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Carolina Hurricanes[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Charlotte Checkers(NHL Influenced Affiliation; Checkers owner Michael Kahn is one of the minority owners of the Hurricanes)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Florida Everblades(NHL owned – Owner Peter Karmanos Jr. is majority owner of both Hurricanes and Everblades)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Chicago Blackhawks[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Rockford IceHogs/b [Chicago and Rockfordrenew their affiliationfor 5 more seasons through2021-22][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Indy Fuel(Affiliation through 2018-19);5-year affiliation agreementsigned April 2, 2014 through2018-19.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Colorado Avalanche[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:San Antonio Rampage(Affiliation through2019-20; from 2015-16 season with a5-year agreement)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Colorado Eagles(Affiliation through2019-20) – [Colorado Avalancheannounceda new 4-yearaffiliation with the Colorado Eagles (July 20, 2016) andendedtheir affiliation with the Fort Wayne Komets with 1-year remaining].[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Columbus Blue Jackets[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Cleveland Monsters/b [Team owner Dan Gilbert hasrenamedthe Lake Erie Monsters as the Cleveland Monsters, to more closely connect tohisNBA Cleveland Cavaliers, August 9, 2016][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Dallas Stars[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Texas Stars(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Idaho Steelheads/b [Dallasrenewsaffiliation with Idaho through end of2017-18season][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Detroit Red Wings[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Grand Rapids Griffins/b [Griffins and Red Wingsrenew their affiliationfor another 5 years through2021-22, July 6, 2017.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Toledo Walleye/b [Red Wingsrenew their affiliationwith Toledo through2017-18, Aug. 30, 2016.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Edmonton Oilers[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Bakersfield Condors(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Wichita Thunder(affiliation for2017-18)[Wichita Thunder announced affiliation live, June 20, 2017][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Florida Panthers[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Springfield Thunderbirds/b [New team name and logorevealedJune 15, 2016; the Portland Pirates franchise wassold and movedto Springfield, MA for 2016-17 season; May 23, 2016: Floridaannouncedmulti-year affiliation with the team beginning in2016-17][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Los Angeles Kings[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Ontario Reign(NHL owned – AEG)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Manchester Monarchs/b [Aug. 4, 2016: ECHL’s Board approved the Transfer of Controlling Interest of the Manchester Monarchs from Anschutz Manchester Hockey LLC to PPI Sports LLC, a group led by New England businessmen Marc Casper and Brian Cheek. Cheek will serve as the team’s CEO.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Minnesota Wild[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Iowa Wild(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Rapid City Rush/b [Minnesota Wildannouncedthe affiliation with the Rush, June 24, 2017][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Montréal Canadiens[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Rocket de Laval(NHL owned) Inaugural season2017-18.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Brampton Beast/b [Montréalrenewedtheir affiliation with Brampton for another season through2016-17. June 8, 2016][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Nashville Predators[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Milwaukee Admirals/b[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Norfolk Admirals/b – Norfolkannouncedtheir NHL affiliate May 4, 2017. [Owners:Media Mango Group. The Edmonton Oilers (Oilers Entertainment Group)soldtheir ECHL franchise to Mango Media Group, Sept. 29, 2016.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]New Jersey Devils[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:BinghamtonDevils(NHL owned) [Formerly the Albany Devils. The New Jersey Devilsannouncedthe move of their AHL club from Albany to Binghamton (Jan. 31, 2017).][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Adirondack Thunder(Affiliation, 2017-18) [New Jersey Devilsannouncea 1-year affiliation with the Thunder, August 8, 2017][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]New York Islanders[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Bridgeport Sound Tigers(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Worcester Railers/b Islandersannouncedaffiliation for2017-18.[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]New York Rangers[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Hartford Wolf Pack(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Greenville Road Warriors(Affiliation; New York Rangersextendedthe affiliation with Greenville for2016-17 &2017-18. June 7, 2016.)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Ottawa Senators[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:BellevilleSenators(NHL owned) [Formerly the Binghamton Senators; Ottawa Senatorspurchase the Binghamton AHL franchiseand moved it to Belleville, Ont. for 2017-18 season. (Sept. 26, 2016)][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Philadelphia Flyers[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Lehigh Valley Phantoms/b[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Reading Royals/b [Renewedamulti-year affiliationas of July 10, 2016][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Pittsburgh Penguins[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Wheeling Nailers(Affiliation through2017-18) [Renewed2-year affiliation as of August 17, 2016][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]San Jose Sharks[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:San Jose Barracuda(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL: –[b]Allen Americans/b[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]St. Louis Blues[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Chicago Wolves(St. Louis willloanplayers to theChicago Wolves for2017-18season, but they are no longer their NHL affiliate (May 16, 2017). [Previously there wasnewsthat the Blues would move their AHL affiliate to Kansas City at the end of the 2016-17 season.]
[Beginning in the2018-19season St. Louis will sign a 5-year affiliation withSan Antonio RampageaccordingtoJeremy Rutherford of theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Tulsa Oilers/b[Tulsa Oilersannounce1-year affiliation with Blues, August 8, 2017][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Tampa Bay Lightning[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Syracuse Crunch/b[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Toronto Maple Leafs[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Toronto Marlies(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Orlando Solar Bears (Affiliation;renewedthrough2016-17, with option to renew another season)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Vancouver Canucks[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Utica Comets(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Kalamazoo Wings/b [Vancouver Canucks and Kalamazoo Wingsannounce1-year affiliation for2017-18, July 12, 2017.][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Vegas Golden Knights[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:[b]Chicago Wolves/b [Vegasannouncea multiple season affiliation with the Wolves, May 16, 2017. The St. Louis Blues willloan players to the Wolves, but they are no longer the Wolves’ AHL affiliate. Crain’s Chicago Business newsreportsthe Vegas affiliation is for 5-years through2021-22. (May 16, 2017)][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:Quad City Mallards(affiliation –2017-18+) [Vegasannounceda multi-year affiliation with Quad City Mallards, June 1, 2017][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Washington Capitals[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Hershey Bears(Affiliation; Washingtonrenewstheir affiliation with Hershey for 4 more years, through2019-20, October 6, 2016.)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:South Carolina Stingrays(Affiliation;Renewedthrough2017-18on March 21, 2016.)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]Winnipeg Jets[/td]
[td][/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]AHL:Manitoba Moose(NHL owned)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td][/td]
[td]ECHL:[b]Jacksonville IceMen /b[/td]
[/tr]
[tr][td]
[/td]
[/tr]
Pat, do you like the CFL operating as an independent league or would you rather it operate as the AHL does with the NHL, in this case the CFL operating as such with the NFL like that?
The CFL is a different enoughanimal from the NFL that I can't see anything like that ever happenng.
There are different rules, different roster rules. So I can't ever see it being in any way 'officially' affiliated in any way with the NFL. The NHL often dictate to the AHL and has them do things for the NHL like test potential rule changes - things like changing the icing rule or crease rules etc. were always tested in the AHL before being introduced to the NHL. I can't see the NFL ever telling the CFL to do something in that way.
I know they work together on honuring each others contracts etc. and have done some joint things like their flag football iniative, some officiating cooperation etc. But just those lose affilitions on minor things are as far as I see it ever going.
But what arrangement would you personally like to see with the CFL and NFL? That's all I'm asking, knowing that if the CFL were to operate as the AHL does with the NFL there would probably be some more rule changes in the CFL to be more "in line" with the NFL if it was to operate like the AHL with the NHL.
I can appreciate that it is very difficult to compare the two situations though, so much different history with football in NA compared with hockey in NA and how things have evolved with respect to professionalism in football and hockey in NA. Very difficult to make any comparisons really.
Frank Cosentino, where are you?
Personally I think the relationship is fine the way it is. Some cooperation where it makes sense to have it - but otherwise two different leagues with no affiliations beyond that.
I'm a fan of both and I don't want to see CFL rule changes just to test something out for the other guys.
With you on that.
In the area of $30.
Haven't been to see the Marlies in years. I watched quite a few AHL games this year though.Huh? Where then have you been watching AHL games?
I thought they did that pro limit thing to give the yougins a better chance and some teams were stashing players, weren't they ? That's what I remember. Maybe I'm wrong. Long time ago.That's precisely why it was done, with a view to facilitate the development of more young players. But for whom are these players being developed? For none but the NHL! The desires, opinions, preferences of the fans buying the tickets to AHL games hasn't been a consideration to the league governors for decades. Like I say, the AHL has been content to march to the tune called by the NHL, and that makes me angry!
Actually more and more AHL teams are owned by the NHL 'parent' club to maximize the use of their AHL affiliates in helping develop players for the 'big' team.NHL affiliations with Minor Leagues (ownership indicated if NHL team owned)
In fact a couple of years ago I sent emails to the bureaucrats at the competition tribunals in both Canada and the United States demanding to know why a blind eye was being turned to the anti-competitive actions of both the NHL and MLB. I received no reply from the comfortable fat-cats drawing their cushy government salaries which of course have been coming out of my pocket.
>:(
