Post by gbpuckfan on May 11, 2008 17:03:25 GMT -5
Ohio folds. Players left transferred to Fargo. Fargo will be in the west, Des Moines moves back to the east. No expansion draft Tuesday.
a few thoughts:
Well, a few thoughts.
* Instead of having to carve a "team", Blais get a corps of 12 (or so) players that already know each other. This could either be a plus or a minus, depending on how they are with each other. Blais knows what he's doing, I would think this will work out.
* No more odd number of teams. THANK GOD. The season is already too long. This will eliminate at least a week or two, not to mention eliminating a number of Tuesday and Wednesday games. Not a bad thing.
* The Ohio experiment clearly didn't work. While the NHL tie-in was nice, I guess, we (should) all know that this league works best where it is the top hockey option (GB, SC, SF, TRIC, WLO, CR, LIN) or has been well entrenched (DM, OMA). It struggles in the transition from pro hockey (IND, TPK, Tulsa) This league struggles/fails against much bigger competition like Ohio faced (CHI, STL, TWN CT, MAD). For future growth, the league needs to focus on either new markets (like Wausau, Wis.). Even those struggling IHL cities which are attractive geographically (Bloomington) are crapshots, I think.
* Yes, some teams will benefit from this - either not losing players or if they get their draft picks back (which I don't think they should.) However, let's face it, the Ohio situation needed to end. After that, I think the teams just had to deal with what was left.
* Thank you to those who decided to not to make a decision to place Ohio elsewhere without doing due dilligence, having the financials in place, etc. We don't another team to fail.
* Do I feel for the Ohio players who got "traded"? Hmmm, not really, no. C'mon, it couldn't have been any fun playing in front of no one in Ohio. Many players have loved getting out of there. They get to keep their teammates. They still have one of the longest bus rides, though. But, let's face it, one of the tradeoffs of the exposure, facilities and equipment provided in the league, however, is that you could be traded at any time. As a housing parent who's had a player come home and say he needs to be in another city the next day, I know how tough it is. But, all in all, for hockey, I'd see a trade to Fargo and Blais as an upgrade.
* Gee, I wonder what Green Bay's coach thinks of all of this. Oh, wait, that's right, we don't have one.
a few thoughts:
Well, a few thoughts.
* Instead of having to carve a "team", Blais get a corps of 12 (or so) players that already know each other. This could either be a plus or a minus, depending on how they are with each other. Blais knows what he's doing, I would think this will work out.
* No more odd number of teams. THANK GOD. The season is already too long. This will eliminate at least a week or two, not to mention eliminating a number of Tuesday and Wednesday games. Not a bad thing.
* The Ohio experiment clearly didn't work. While the NHL tie-in was nice, I guess, we (should) all know that this league works best where it is the top hockey option (GB, SC, SF, TRIC, WLO, CR, LIN) or has been well entrenched (DM, OMA). It struggles in the transition from pro hockey (IND, TPK, Tulsa) This league struggles/fails against much bigger competition like Ohio faced (CHI, STL, TWN CT, MAD). For future growth, the league needs to focus on either new markets (like Wausau, Wis.). Even those struggling IHL cities which are attractive geographically (Bloomington) are crapshots, I think.
* Yes, some teams will benefit from this - either not losing players or if they get their draft picks back (which I don't think they should.) However, let's face it, the Ohio situation needed to end. After that, I think the teams just had to deal with what was left.
* Thank you to those who decided to not to make a decision to place Ohio elsewhere without doing due dilligence, having the financials in place, etc. We don't another team to fail.
* Do I feel for the Ohio players who got "traded"? Hmmm, not really, no. C'mon, it couldn't have been any fun playing in front of no one in Ohio. Many players have loved getting out of there. They get to keep their teammates. They still have one of the longest bus rides, though. But, let's face it, one of the tradeoffs of the exposure, facilities and equipment provided in the league, however, is that you could be traded at any time. As a housing parent who's had a player come home and say he needs to be in another city the next day, I know how tough it is. But, all in all, for hockey, I'd see a trade to Fargo and Blais as an upgrade.
* Gee, I wonder what Green Bay's coach thinks of all of this. Oh, wait, that's right, we don't have one.
