donteatyellowsnow Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 I can't help but wonder if Pegula will somehow swap/switch, something, the Portland Pirates and Rochester Americans once he becomes owner. Nobody goes to Amerks games since Florida became their parent club. I mean nobody, 2000 on a good night. There is a disconnect, you can't follow any players once they leave Rochester. It's only natural and right that Rochester and Buffalo are partners, it's a happy, match made in heaven kind of relationship. Ruff, Regier(sp) and whoever else could hop in the car and go an hour down the 90 and check out the farm, or call someone up and know they are only an hour car ride away, can't do that now. Hopefully Pegula can strike up some kind of deal and swap Portland with Rochester and things can go back to how they used to be around WNY. A happy healthy relationship between Rochester and Buffalo will certainly help the area and each team I think. Thoughts!
carpandean Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 It could happen. The Sabres' current management doesn't like the Amerks' current management (well, actually, the parts that carried over when they were bought, actually) and vice versa. It's possible that TP will be able to work something out with them, but that's assuming that they are realistic about what they want from the relationship. The AHL is a developmental league for the NHL and many AHL owners don't understand that. If TP can buy the team outright, I could see it working, but if he just tries to negotiate an affiliation agreement with the current owner, it will likely fail.
Bmwolf21 Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 It could happen. The Sabres' current management doesn't like the Amerks' current management (well, actually, the parts that carried over when they were bought, actually) and vice versa. It's possible that TP will be able to work something out with them, but that's assuming that they are realistic about what they want from the relationship. The AHL is a developmental league for the NHL and many AHL owners don't understand that. If TP can buy the team outright, I could see it working, but if he just tries to negotiate an affiliation agreement with the current owner, it will likely fail. And many fans, as well.
donteatyellowsnow Posted January 29, 2011 Author Report Posted January 29, 2011 And many fans, as well. This is true! I know a season ticket holder(last 15 years) and that's all that he was concerned about, winning. He would always be upset that the Amerks were not doing enough to bring in career AHLers to help the team win. Or there is too many young kids and they will not be a good team, or something else complaining about not being able to win a Calder Cup. I would be like, well that's not the goal but if it happens it happens and good for them. He would always disagree with me on that. Oh well maybe someday they will learn why things are they way they are.
nobody Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 Actually he is just going to move the Sabres to Rochester.
inkman Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 I would be like, well that's not the goal but if it happens it happens and good for them. He would always disagree with me on that. Oh well maybe someday they will learn why things are they way they are. Living in a "minor league" town, I take exception to this. You can develop players and have winning teams. I for one, would like my organizational players to learn from vets in the AHL on what it takes to win. Just shoving a team full of teenagers into a community, with no chance of success is not benefitting anyone. This is what an AHL roster should look like. (they benefitted greatly from the lockout, but the mix of youth & vets is my point) http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000032005.html
carpandean Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 Actually he is just going to move the Sabres to Rochester. And in honor of their combined Rochester and Buffalo history, the team could revive a long-dead NHL franchise name. :thumbsup: Maybe Western New York Americans?
carpandean Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 Living in a "minor league" town, I take exception to this. You can develop players and have winning teams. I for one, would like my organizational players to learn from vets in the AHL on what it takes to win. Just shoving a team full of teenagers into a community, with no chance of success is not benefitting anyone. This is what an AHL roster should look like. (they benefitted greatly from the lockout, but the mix of youth & vets is my point) http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000032005.html No doubt that young players can benefit from veteran experience and from learning how to win, but the primary goal will always be developing players (and I'm from the same "minor league" town.) If it comes down to playing mostly vets to win or playing your young guys to let them learn, the latter will be chosen. There is a happy middle ground, of course, but it's not win at all cost.
Bmwolf21 Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 This is true! I know a season ticket holder(last 15 years) and that's all that he was concerned about, winning. He would always be upset that the Amerks were not doing enough to bring in career AHLers to help the team win. Or there is too many young kids and they will not be a good team, or something else complaining about not being able to win a Calder Cup. I would be like, well that's not the goal but if it happens it happens and good for them. He would always disagree with me on that. Oh well maybe someday they will learn why things are they way they are. Back when the Sabres-Amerks affiliation was breaking up, there was a lot of back-and-forth on here between the realistic NHL/Sabres fans here and a couple hardcore Amerks fans who swore up and down that the Sabres were essentially torpedoing the Amerks' chances of success because the Sabres wouldn't spring for a bunch of AHL vets to make sure Rochester won the Calder Cup (and that the Panthers were going to be the win-the-Calder Cup-at-all-costs parent club the Sabres refused to be). As ink (and carp) point out, a mix of some vets and the organizational prospects is the best situation possible, but I have to agree with carp - winning the Calder Cup is nice, but the goal should be to develop the prospects first. I think that having that veteran influence is a very good thing to have for the youngsters, and I also think that the organization will learn more about the players and their development if they do get to make a deep playoff run, rather than finish in the middle or bottom of the AHL pack.
Eleven Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 This is true! I know a season ticket holder(last 15 years) and that's all that he was concerned about, winning. He would always be upset that the Amerks were not doing enough to bring in career AHLers to help the team win. Or there is too many young kids and they will not be a good team, or something else complaining about not being able to win a Calder Cup. I would be like, well that's not the goal but if it happens it happens and good for them. He would always disagree with me on that. Oh well maybe someday they will learn why things are they way they are. Anyone who follows the Bisons, and expects the Mets to care about whether the Bisons have a winning record, is equally misguided.
OverPowerYou Posted January 29, 2011 Report Posted January 29, 2011 It would actually be a good thing if The Sabres made their affiliation with the Amerks again. Living in Rochester, I can say that things look dark when it comes to the Amerks -terrible team, nobody likes the Panthers or even knows where they're from or that they are a team/that they're actually affiliated with the Amerks. You'll be lucky to see more than 2000 people at a game, and even luckier if they win.
TheFunPolice Posted January 30, 2011 Report Posted January 30, 2011 it amazes me that there are several AHL teams in NY state, yet none of them are the Sabres' affiliate! It makes absolutely NO sense at all. The Amerks/Sabres relationship made all the sense in the world. Great for the fans, players, and mgt.
inkman Posted January 30, 2011 Report Posted January 30, 2011 It makes absolutely NO sense at all. It made sense to the Sabres at the time because of one under capitalized fat POS named Steve Donner. He single handedly ruined hockey in Rochester and I believe still has a minority share in the team. Maybe when Pegula takes over things will be different but I'm not getting my hopes up. This is very personal for me. My parents had season tics for close to twenty years. The amerks were a fundamental piece of our family history and it was ripped right out from under our feet. I really hope these ties are made again because that abortion of a team down exchange st just makes me sad. :-(
donteatyellowsnow Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Posted January 30, 2011 It made sense to the Sabres at the time because of one under capitalized fat POS named Steve Donner. He single handedly ruined hockey in Rochester and I believe still has a minority share in the team. Maybe when Pegula takes over things will be different but I'm not getting my hopes up. This is very personal for me. My parents had season tics for close to twenty years. The amerks were a fundamental piece of our family history and it was ripped right out from under our feet. I really hope these ties are made again because that abortion of a team down exchange st just makes me sad. :-( Yeah, Donner has screwed up everything he was a part of. Amerks, ESL Sports Centre, lacross teams, etc. Tried to extort extra $$$ from Golisano. Donner is an ass, hopefully he's out of the picture and hopefully Pegula can see the good in getting the Amerks back.
MaineMoxie Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 I do think the Rochester-Buffalo partnership was great and it would be good to see it come back, but as someone who lives outside of Portland it's fun to see Sabres players coming and going locally (just saw the first of two straight games in which Mancari scored a hat trick). And since the P-Bruins are the farm team for the Bruins, I don't know who else the Pirates would fit nicely with (especially since the Whalers and Nordiques aren't around anymore).
shrader Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 I do think the Rochester-Buffalo partnership was great and it would be good to see it come back, but as someone who lives outside of Portland it's fun to see Sabres players coming and going locally (just saw the first of two straight games in which Mancari scored a hat trick). And since the P-Bruins are the farm team for the Bruins, I don't know who else the Pirates would fit nicely with (especially since the Whalers and Nordiques aren't around anymore). But that's always been the story with Portland hasn't it? They're kind of in no man's land when it comes to an affiliation and have bounced around quite a bit.
inkman Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 But that's always been the story with Portland hasn't it? They're kind of in no man's land when it comes to an affiliation and have bounced around quite a bit. Montreal is 5 hours away, 2 hours closer than Portland. Shouldn't all the affiliations be geographically close. I guess that doesn't work too well with baseball. It makes you wonder how the minor league affiliations have gotten to where they are, a lot of strained relationships over $$ I'm guessing.
shrader Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 Montreal is 5 hours away, 2 hours closer than Portland. Shouldn't all the affiliations be geographically close. I guess that doesn't work too well with baseball. It makes you wonder how the minor league affiliations have gotten to where they are, a lot of strained relationships over $$ I'm guessing. There's a bit of politics involved in making sure Montreal has a canadian affiliate.
SwampD Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 Montreal is 5 hours away, 2 hours closer than Portland. Shouldn't all the affiliations be geographically close. I guess that doesn't work too well with baseball. It makes you wonder how the minor league affiliations have gotten to where they are, a lot of strained relationships over $$ I'm guessing. I've been thinking a lot about this lately and think just the opposite (I think). By easily moving players from one club to the other, I think you are artificially improving both clubs. It seems like the farther away they were, the more committed you would have to be to the players you have on both teams. If you're stuck with them you better make sure they're good.
Guest Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 Ted Nolan has already made it clear that Rochester WILL NOT renew it's affiliation with Florida after this season. He went as far as to say that Rochester would/could run independently next year if a new parent team wasn't in place. I don't know how successful that would be. Nolan also stated that even though the Sabres and Pirates have a contract in place to work together for the next few years, that the contract could be broken fairly easily and cheaply. He sounded very optimistic, almost as if the Amerks have already had conversations with TP, that once new ownership takes over in Buffalo that the Sabres/Amerks affiliation could be renewed. This would benefit both organizations greatly. I remember when they had to expand the Blue Cross because the games were drawing between 8-10 thousand fans and selling out wknd games regularly. Now all those new seats they added are always covered with advertising tarps and you can easily walk up to the ticket window on game night 5 minutes before the puck drops and buy front seats to any game. Hockey here has become pathetic in a once proud hockey town.
Eleven Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 I remember when they had to expand the Blue Cross because the games were drawing between 8-10 thousand fans and selling out wknd games regularly. Now all those new seats they added are always covered with advertising tarps and you can easily walk up to the ticket window on game night 5 minutes before the puck drops and buy front seats to any game. Hockey here has become pathetic in a once proud hockey town. Just curious...how much of that is due to the cessation of the affiliation with Buffalo, as opposed to the decline in Rochester's economy (which started well after the decline here in Buffalo)? Some of each? For the record (and sorry, wildcat), I do hope the Sabres move the farm operations to Rochester. It just makes sense on every level, as long as Donner isn't going to be mucking it up.
wildcat48 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 It's not happening.... not anytime soon however. Spoken to both organizations and the current deal run through 2016 and with the renovations taking place on horizon the Sabres are actually looking at moving their prospect camp to Maine has part of a year round training facility for all their prospects.
X. Benedict Posted January 31, 2011 Report Posted January 31, 2011 It's not happening.... not anytime soon however. Spoken to both organizations and the current deal run through 2016 and with the renovations taking place on horizon the Sabres are actually looking at moving their prospect camp to Maine has part of a year round training facility for all their prospects. 2016? Wow. Who is calling the shots on that? Regier?
carpandean Posted February 1, 2011 Report Posted February 1, 2011 It's not happening.... not anytime soon however. Spoken to both organizations and the current deal run through 2016 and with the renovations taking place on horizon the Sabres are actually looking at moving their prospect camp to Maine has part of a year round training facility for all their prospects. I can tell you that things aren't that certain even with the current Sabres' owners ... now try a new one. Nolan is right, affiliation agreements are easily broken and plans around them (e.g., moving the camp) easily changed. Portland has been great and if Rochester is never a serious option again, then we'd all be pretty happy with the continued relationship with the Pirates. That's a big "if" though.
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