Barons Update

[Dubya61]

Do you think there ought to be a limit (for the sake of parity in the AHL) to how many NHLers can be on the AHL payroll? Is that even something that can be policed? I think the Barons did GREAT last season and I'd hate to see, say, the Marlies shelve their AHL talent to keep the Leafs (is that the associated NHL team?) playing and therefore blow out the rest of the AHL.

[White Peacock]

It would be difficult to figure such a limit out, I think. I think many/most rookie players get signed with two-way agreements that allow for them to be sent up and down at will, and any NHL player recovering from an injury could be sent down to the affiliate to get back in shape.

But yes, I think it would be good to work out some kind of limit, in case one team has a larger percentage of players willing to go to the AHL as opposed to players that would go for the big money in the KHL. I'm just glad that a lockout doesn't affect the AHL schedule at all.

[White Peacock]

It's official: OKC will be getting a number of players from Edmonton, including the skilled Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This is great news!

[Fantastic]

It's official: OKC will be getting a number of players from Edmonton, including the skilled Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. This is great news!

Very nice

[White Peacock]

Unfortunately, Linus Omark is no longer with the Edmonton organization. He was always evidently upset that he had to play here in OKC, where he played remarkably well. But whenever he was called up, he played just ok. He wasn't the stellar addition that they'd hoped. Ultimately, he denied Edmonton's offer for this season (which was probably to require him to stay in the AHL), so now he's playing for Switzerland's National League A. Yes, he left the NHL/AHL for a league called National League A. Best of luck to him.

[RoboNerd]

Better news: looks like Taylor Hall is coming down here too, once he's medically cleared.

Hmmm, season tickets are starting to sound attractive...

[White Peacock]

Better news: looks like Taylor Hall is coming down here too, once he's medically cleared.

Hmmm, season tickets are starting to sound attractive...

Hall and Nugent-Hopkins on a line together...holy sh¡t. They play awesomely at the NHL level, so they could utterly dominate down here.

[BlackmoreRulz]

I really need to get to a game or five this year, I've been a hockey fan since the Blazers days at the Fairgrounds. Wife and I went to a lot of the Stars' games when they were affiliated with the Leafs. Went to a couple of the resurrected Blazers games but it wasn't a very good product on the ice, this was blaringly obvious after seeing the exhibition game that was played at the then Ford Center between the Oilers and Islanders. Haven't been to a game since.

[Dubya61]

There are some news reports that the Edmonton Oilers Ownership Group are shopping around for a new host city, since their home ice (the Rexall Arena?) contract will expire in 2014. Rumor has it that the OKC Barons parent/affiliate NHL team are looking in Seattle. Awkward. Ironic.

[Jake]

There are some news reports that the Edmonton Oilers Ownership Group are shopping around for a new host city, since their home ice (the Rexall Arena?) contract will expire in 2014. Rumor has it that the OKC Barons parent/affiliate NHL team are looking in Seattle. Awkward. Ironic.

Wow, that really is awkward and ironic. If it comes to fruition it'll be...interesting.


Anyway, I'm planning on going to at least a few Barons games this season. It's been far too long since I've seen a hockey game.

[White Peacock]

There are some news reports that the Edmonton Oilers Ownership Group are shopping around for a new host city, since their home ice (the Rexall Arena?) contract will expire in 2014. Rumor has it that the OKC Barons parent/affiliate NHL team are looking in Seattle. Awkward. Ironic.

I heard this today...the prospect sickens me! There are proposals for a new convention center in Edmonton, and I really hope they are made a reality. This may be Edmonton pulling a Pittsburgh in order to get stuff done. If you recall, Pittsburgh threatened to move the Penguins to OKC in light of a crumbling arena, and it led to a brand new arena being built for them - it was all a bluff, and they got what they wanted. I'd love if the same happened in Edmonton. Seattle Oilers just doesn't have a nice ring to it, and an Edmonton without NHL hockey would be tragic.

[Dubya61]

I heard this today...the prospect sickens me! There are proposals for a new convention center in Edmonton, and I really hope they are made a reality. This may be Edmonton pulling a Pittsburgh in order to get stuff done. If you recall, Pittsburgh threatened to move the Penguins to OKC in light of a crumbling arena, and it led to a brand new arena being built for them - it was all a bluff, and they got what they wanted. I'd love if the same happened in Edmonton. Seattle Oilers just doesn't have a nice ring to it, and an Edmonton without NHL hockey would be tragic.

concur. NHL needs to maintain as many Canadian teams as possible. One blogger up there likens the Oilers to a bully and the city of Edmonton to a poor defenseless kid who loses his lunch money. What he fails to realize is the benefits the Oilers bring to Edmonton, and how much value building a new arena would be. Maybe the terms of the arena favor the team overmuch -- I don't know all the details -- but Edmonton needs to work with the Oilers here.

[White Peacock]

concur. NHL needs to maintain as many Canadian teams as possible. One blogger up there likens the Oilers to a bully and the city of Edmonton to a poor defenseless kid who loses his lunch money. What he fails to realize is the benefits the Oilers bring to Edmonton, and how much value building a new arena would be. Maybe the terms of the arena favor the team overmuch -- I don't know all the details -- but Edmonton needs to work with the Oilers here.

For sure. Even with a losing record as of late, the Oilers are the hottest show in town. I've been up there a couple times, and you're lucky if you find an available ticket on day of game from the box office (we never could), and the ones going on Craistlist are astronomical in price. I say this with only slight hyperbole: there will be riots in Edmonton if they lose the Oilers. The Canadians are a very calm, friendly people, but when it comes to their hockey, they don't f*ck around.

[Richard at Remax]

I heard this today...the prospect sickens me! There are proposals for a new convention center in Edmonton, and I really hope they are made a reality. This may be Edmonton pulling a Pittsburgh in order to get stuff done. If you recall, Pittsburgh threatened to move the Penguins to OKC in light of a crumbling arena, and it led to a brand new arena being built for them - it was all a bluff, and they got what they wanted. I'd love if the same happened in Edmonton. Seattle Oilers just doesn't have a nice ring to it, and an Edmonton without NHL hockey would be tragic.

I assume you mean Kansas City. Cause the Sprint Center had just opened and were in talks with the Penguins. Never heard anything about OKC.

[White Peacock]

I assume you mean Kansas City. Cause the Sprint Center had just opened and were in talks with the Penguins. Never heard anything about OKC.

Nope, OKC was one of the teaser cities. I only mentioned OKC because this is an OKC forum. We all love feeling relevant.

The possible relocation sites about which there was the greatest speculation and discussion were Houston, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Hamilton, Ontario.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Business leaders in Oklahoma City pass on Penguins - NHL - ESPN

[Richard at Remax]

Yeah I should have rephrased it, I didn't ever hear of anyone here in OKC trying to lure them here or it would have been more publicized, like when they were trying to get the then Florida Marlins along with San Antonio. I guess it is a good thing. The NHL is in trouble if they let this lockout go on. They are just not recovering from the last one.

[White Peacock]

Yeah I should have rephrased it, I didn't ever hear of anyone here in OKC trying to lure them here or it would have been more publicized, like when they were trying to get the then Florida Marlins along with San Antonio. I guess it is a good thing. The NHL is in trouble if they let this lockout go on. They are just not recovering from the last one.

Business for the NHL has actually been booming since the last lockout; it's much more profitable. However, two lockouts within a decade might be too much for the public who aren't yet die-hard hockey fans. You don't want to throw your rabid sports emotions into a sport that might not always be there on schedule. On the short term, OKC is deriving benefit from the lockout, since we're getting some excellent NHL draft picks playing at the AHL level, which is very promising for the Barons. But in cities that don't have AHL or other minor league franchises, and depend on the NHL team in whose market they happen to be, it sucks, and some people will lose interest.

Regarding the Penguins, OKC was one of the selected teases because we'd just built the Ford Center, which was originally designed as a hockey arena. I don't think the Pens ever really intended to move the team here, or anywhere else; it was a bluff for the city of Pittsburgh. Sort of a "see, they have a new arena. Why don't we?" thing. I'm glad it never panned out that they come here; I couldn't stand to live in the same city as Sidney Crosby. haha

[White Peacock]

Damnit! Looks like Hall's a no-go for OKC.

Oilers’ Taylor Hall will have to find hockey overseas during NHL lockout | NHL | Sports | National Post

[Praedura]

Time lapse of the ice installation at Cox for the OKC Barons:



I don't know much about hockey, but that's interesting to see.

[jedicurt]

Don't forget that the first home game is Friday night, and then there is another one on Saturday

[White Peacock]

I went to the Saturday game. An unfortunate loss, but it's nice seeing the Eberle / Nugent-Hopkins line on the ice. They're quite skilled in the puck handling department.

[Dubya61]

Also went. Good hockey. Still like the venue. I was a ardent Blazers fan and despised the idea of needing to go "up" a level (especially with a year off), but there is a clear difference between the level of play in the CHL and that of the AHL. It was a good time.

[jedicurt]

i hope attendance is better this year... had 6300 on friday, but just under 3000 on saturday. There is another game tonight, but sadly, i won't be able to make it

[Richard at Remax]

The game was actually really fun last night. The quality of play, esp with the NHL players sprinkled in, is leading to some entertaining and enjoyable hockey. The attendance last night had to be around ~2500, which is more than I thought would be there for a tuesday night.

[jedicurt]

The game was actually really fun last night. The quality of play, esp with the NHL players sprinkled in, is leading to some entertaining and enjoyable hockey. The attendance last night had to be around ~2500, which is more than I thought would be there for a tuesday night.

according to the AHL boxscore numbers, the attendance last night was 2143

through 3 games the official numbers have us averaging 3,788 per game (that's 4th from the bottom)

the league as a whole is currently averaging 5,708 per game