AHL to the Lower Mainland?

The Calgary Flames have confirmed plans to make application to relocate their AHL affiliate to Abbotsford, B.C.
At present, the Flames operate the Quad City Flames, who are based in Moline, Ill. The AHL team is completing its second season there and has been anything but a financial success. In fact, the Quad-City Times has reported that a local group has lost more than US $4 million.
That may have something to with average attendance this season being 2,876, down from 3,532 last season.
The attraction in Abbotsford is a 7,000-seat arena that is close to completion at a cost of $65 million.
The NHL club will need the approval of its AHL partners in order to make the move to Abbotsford, and that likely isn’t a slam dunk, especially given that the closest team would be the Winnipeg-based Manitoba Moose.
And let’s not forget the impact this might have on the WHL.
While in Kamloops on Jan. 28, WHL commissioner Ron Robison addressed the AHL-to-Abbotsford issue. Here is what I wrote at that time:
Robison admitted that the WHL has cut a deal with the American Hockey League that will keep it out of Winnipeg. The Manitoba capital is home to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
“One of the most attractive markets for us has been Winnipeg . . . and we have agreed with the American Hockey League not to enter that market because we don’t believe two teams of similarly equal leagues could co-exist in that market,” he said.
At the same time, he said, the WHL is monitoring the situation in Abbotsford, which has been rumoured as the future home of the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate.
“Bring a team into Abbotsford and combine that with the (WHL’s) Chilliwack franchise,” he said, “and we believe both would be impacted.
“We are monitoring that very closely and in discussion with the AHL and they certainly know our views on that.”
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Yesterday, Flames president Ken King told Randy Sportak of Sun Media: “Abbottsford is the most compelling opportunity. We're going to pursue that opportunity."
Abbotsford is just a few slapshots west of Chilliwack, which, of course, is home to the WHL’s Bruins.
The Flames own the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. In fact, King is the major junior team’s president and governor. He also has become an influential member of the WHL’s board of governors.
Yes, it is going to be interesting watching this one unfold.