272 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

I don't know why Houston is never considered for an NHL team. Huston, does it have a problem?

Seriously though, it's the 4th largest city in the US. Dallas does just OK (although ownership of the Texas Rangers clouds the picture a bit) and would be a good rival.

[aastra]

You'd think the AHL would have been keen to get more teams in the west, no? Makes you wonder what the future holds for the Abbotsford AHL team.

[Moosebeer]

The Heat averaged 3,677 per game last season which ranks 26th out of 30 teams. If this continues the west coast experiment could come to an end though I would suspect with Chilliwack out of the equation the Heat should see their attendance numbers rise.

The average attendance in the AHL is 5,145.

[Greg]

So we can finally agree that RG Properties just flat out screwed this up right?

Getting harder and harder to be excited about watching teenagers playing at SoFA.

[VicHockeyFan]

So we can finally agree that RG Properties just flat out screwed this up right?

Getting harder and harder to be excited about watching teenagers playing at SoFA.

I dunno, what if they didn't move when they did? The Moose situation is not certain yet.

[Mike K.]

I don't know why Houston is never considered for an NHL team. Huston, does it have a problem?

Seriously though, it's the 4th largest city in the US. Dallas does just OK (although ownership of the Texas Rangers clouds the picture a bit) and would be a good rival.

Seattle doesn't have an NHL team, either. There are well over six million people (probably closer to 7 million) in the Seattle/Vancouver/south Island corridor and not a single professional team to have a rivalry with.

Once upon a time there were the Grizzlies and the Sonics, but that flopped even faster than the Salmon King's stint in Victoria.

[Greg]

I dunno, what if they didn't move when they did? The Moose situation is not certain yet.

Seemed pretty clear that it was only a matter of time until Winnipeg got a team. And we had the Salmon Kings. There was absolutely no urgency to make a move that blocked us from having the Canucks AHL affiliate.

[VicHockeyFan]

Seemed pretty clear that it was only a matter of time until Winnipeg got a team. And we had the Salmon Kings. There was absolutely no urgency to make a move that blocked us from having the Canucks AHL affiliate.

It seems pretty clear to me that the WHL (board of governors) BoG would never oppose a Victoria team, but the AHL BoG would have to think long and hard about a Victoria team in their league.

[Moosebeer]

It seems pretty clear to me that the WHL (board of governors) BoG would never oppose a Victoria team, but the AHL BoG would have to think long and hard about a Victoria team in their league.

You would think that since there is a team in Abbotsford already that having a second west coast team in Victoria would be something the AHL BOG would have an easy time accepting. Making a trip to the west coast would make more sense if there were more than one team to play (i.e.: Abbotsford and Victoria).

[Bernard]

The Abbotsford Heat are not doing well, the only time they get a good crowd is when the Moose come into town.

[Victoria Watcher]

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT – The ECHL Board of Governors has approved the Transfer of the Controlling Interest in the Utah Grizzlies’ Membership from Grizzlies Hockey Club, LLC to Pro Hockey Partners, LLC, who will relocate the team to Trenton, NJ, at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
 

The team is committed to making this final season in Utah a memorable one, dedicated to the generations of fans who have supported the team through every high and low.
 

"This was a difficult decision, but it is one that we feel is in the best long-term interest of the franchise," said D.G. Elmore." Our focus right now is entirely on the fans and the community that have supported us for three decades. We are dedicated to delivering the best possible experience for our final season and celebrating the incredible memories we've made together."
 

For 30 years, the Utah Grizzlies have been an integral part of the local sports landscape, creating countless moments of joy and excitement. The organization extends a heartfelt and profound thank you to the dedicated fans who have filled the stands, to the members of the booster club who have provided a sense of home to our players and coaches, and to the community partners who have supported the team through every season.
 

Further details about the upcoming season, including special events and tributes to the team’s history, will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

https://utahgrizzlie...upcoming-season

[Victoria Watcher]

Members of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association are on the verge of staging a strike in the ECHL if the union and the league cannot come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.

 

The PHPA announced Monday that its ECHL membership has served a strike notice that would be effective Friday, when play is scheduled to resume following the holiday break. Players voted Friday to authorize their bargaining committee to call for a strike, executive director Brian Ramsay said Monday.

 

 

“Our members have made it very clear that they’ve had enough,” Ramsay said on a video call with reporters. “Unfortunately, this is a league that would rather bully us than bargain.”

 

The sides appeared no closer to a resolution on Tuesday based on an update from Ramsay, even after he said the PHPA offered the option of reaching a settlement through mediation or arbitration.

 

“The ECHL responded within minutes, rejecting any interest in this solution and demanding ‘significant movement’ and concessions from the players,” Ramsay said in a released statement. “This approach continues to align with the increased threats our membership has faced over the past 18 hours."

 

[...]

 

“This is a league that has taken almost a year to concede that we should be entitled to choose helmets that properly fit us and are safe,” Ramsay said. “This is the league that still supplies our members with used equipment. This is a league that shows no concern for players’ travels and in fact has said the nine-hour bus trip home should be considered your day off. We have had members this year spend 28 hours-plus on a bus to play back-to-back games on a Friday and Saturday night, only to be paid less than the referees who work those very same games.”

 

https://www.sportsne...o-avoid-strike/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 December 2025 - 02:42 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Victoria’s hockey roots will be front and centre this month, as the city’s two top teams dip into the archives to honour the eras that helped shape the game on the Island. The Victoria Royals (WHL) and Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) will each roll out throwback jerseys tied to former franchises, celebrating the Salmon Kings and the Salsa during upcoming heritage nights.

Read more at: https://vicnews.com/...rowback-nights/