WESTWARD HO! PACIFIC DIVISION SET FOR NEXT SEASON
Feb 8, 2015By Tom Witosky
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Professional hockey has never been shy about making changes and recently fans got another example of it.
Reminiscent of when the National Hockey League doubled its size in 1967 by adding St. Louis, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and California to the original six, the American Hockey League went west in a big way by approving the relocation of five NHL-owned franchises to California. As a result, a new Pacific Division with teams located in San Diego, Ontario, Stockton, Bakersfield and San Jose will begin play next season as the AHL celebrates its 80th year in operation.
It was the first major move by the league since 2001 when AHL officials accepted six former members of the International Hockey League including the then Minnesota Wild affiliate Houston Aeros. With the purchase of the Norfolk Admirals franchise by Anaheim, last week’s development also marks the continuance of the trend by NHL teams to own and operate an AHL franchise in a nearby location. Now half the teams in the AHL are owned by NHL clubs.
The recent announcement spurred speculation throughout the hockey world that three remaining western NHL teams – Winnipeg, Colorado and Phoenix, would soon be in the market for an AHL franchise and a place to play a lot closer to them.
Dave Andrews, AHL president, described the decision as a “monumental shift in the geography of our league.”
“Relocating five teams is a complex process and we are very excited to have brought this initiative to a successful out,” Dave Andrews, AHL president, said. “The Western-based NHL clubs have been in dialogue with our for almost three years and today’s announcement launches a new era for the American Hockey League and for professional hockey in California.”
For the rest of the league, particularly the Iowa Wild, it is likely to mean another shifting of divisions, but Jim Mill, the Iowa general manager, said that the move last week simply is more evidence of the wisdom that led the Minnesota Wild to move its AHL franchise to Des Moines from Houston two years ago,
“It is very similar to what we have done by moving our franchise from Houston to Des Moines,” Mill said last weekend. “It gives us the great ability to call guys up and send guys down in just three and half hours.”
Mill also said that Minnesota now considers Iowa a part of its marketing footprint that can lead to greater opportunity for fans to get know Wild players as they are moving up the ladder to play in Minnesota. Already, the NHL Wild has five Iowa alums on its roster – Darcy Kuemper, Erik Haula, Jason Zucker, Matt Dumba and Christian Folin. Seven players on Iowa’s roster – Tyler Graovac, Brent Sutter, Stu Bickel, Justin Falk, Jordan Schroeder, Jon Blum and John Curry -- have been on the Minnesota roster this season.
“It’s nice and close, right in our backyard,” Mill said. “Those teams out west do the same. The Kings will consider Ontario a part of their marketing footprint. The Ducks will consider SD in much the same way.”
The only questions remaining will be how the new division will impact the league’s divisional alignment and scheduling. Three of the new Pacific Division clubs are relocating from the AHL’s Eastern Conference and two from Western Conference including Oklahoma City which now plays in the Western Division with Iowa.
Mill said that final decisions on conference and division alignment would be made in May when the AHL Board of Governors meets in Chicago. He said that the league is working on a plan, but details need to be worked out along with schedules.
“The question for us is whether will end up going east or west,” Mill said. “I think it is also possible we will get a chance to see some of those teams here in Des Moines that we haven’t seen before.”
Using this year’s schedule as a model, the Wild easily could replace its 12 games against North Division foes with a similar number of games against the new division. Iowa would play at least one home and home with each team.
Mill suggested that the AHL Wild might even be able to schedule its West Coast games to coincide with the Minnesota club’s trips there.
“It could coincide when Minnesota is out there. It is a great thing for those teams on the west coast and nationally too,” he said.
The remaining schedule would be split between most of the teams already in the Midwest and Western Division. Iowa’s scheduled this year has 32 games within its division and another 32 with Midwest Division teams including 24 against Milwaukee, Rockford and Chicago.
“There are still some questions about there, but I think this will have a big impact on everyone in the league including Iowa,” Mill said. “It is a great thing for the league and great thing for western teams to get a division.
Here is my guess of for the new divisions in the Western Conference:
North: Hamilton, Toronto, Lake Erie, Grand Rapids and Milwaukee. Midwest: Chicago, Iowa, Rockford Texas and San Antonio. Western: Bakersfield, Ontario, Bakersfield, San Jose and San Diego.