80 replies to this topic

[Miracle on Vanrick]

News-Sentinel/Blake Sebring: Komets looking at future in CHL meetings

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Franke said the Komets' options are basically to remain in the CHL or possibly join the ECHL. He said the team hopes to have everything finalized for next year by May 1.

"A lot of our future is dependent upon what happens to a lot of the teams that are up in our region right now,'' he said. "That's kind of what we're interetsed in hearing and finding out what's going to go on. Our brethren would be Dayton and Evansville and Quad City and Bloomington and to an extent Missouri and Rapid City so it will be interesting to see what their plans are for next year. The regional teams will really go a long way in helping us decide what we're going to do.''

Quote

Franke said the Komets already have all the information they need from the ECHL after looking at that alternative two years ago when the International Hockey League teams decided to join the CHL for two years.
"We're just in kind of a wait and see mode right now,'' he said.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Would love to know if anyone with ECHL ears is hearing any scuttle about the Frankes sniffing around the ECHL right now, or if this is them trying to look like they are doing this.....but really are putting the IHL3 back together.

Please GOTO the ECHL Frankes.

It is your destiny.

[JR1]

I think if this happens then many Komets fans (including myself) may owe Mr. Pickard a few cyberspace apologies........ It would appear he and the K-wings saw the writing on the wall well before the rest of us...

In my defense, my eyes were still partially clouded at the time...lol

[Hit Somebody!!!]

If this happens....Komets in the ECHL......How Epic would opening night be vs. the k-Wings?

[Mr Ricochet]

Nice work, Blake............ If I'm a follower of The Orange I'm in the garage drinkin some Blue Moon and rockin some happy music right now.

Then I read HS throw some common sense into the ring

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Would love to know if anyone with ECHL ears is hearing any scuttle about the Frankes sniffing around the ECHL right now, or if this is them trying to look like they are doing this.....but really are putting the IHL3 back together.

A real possibility, HS. But I'm still gonna hope you Komet fans barrage the club offices with a request for the ECHL, and it's taken seriously.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Thanks for the kind wishes.

We are hopeful that the frankes wake up and smell the ECHL roses.

[Miracle on Vanrick]

JR1, on 09 January 2012 - 07:58 PM, said:

I think if this happens then many Komets fans (including myself) may owe Mr. Pickard a few cyberspace apologies........ It would appear he and the K-wings saw the writing on the wall well before the rest of us...

In my defense, my eyes were still partially clouded at the time...lol

Two and half years later.....Ironic to say the least, eh?

[knowyourrole]

During the kelly cup finals i heard from a source within the wings organization thay the frankes were again exploring the echl option. They wanted to get in to have closer rivals.

I was just thinking the other day after seeing a video on the old saginaw gears of the 80s, a couple videos of the old muskegon lumberjacks with mark recchi against the k-wings, then a video of the rennovation of lc walker in muskegon. Hockey is dead in muskegon now. I remember going up to that old barn for some intense rivalry battles. I remember the first time i came to the colesium and was in awe for the playoffs. Anyway i could go on and on, but my point is i miss being able to drive to see away games. I miss seeing wings crawling with komet and furyjack fans. I make an effort to talk to anyone that comes to kzoo in a jersey.

I saw last weekend a man in a fury jersey at wings. I stopped and talked to him, he was devastated the furyjacks are gone. For a fan the ushl does not fill the void of minor pro hockey. He said he would rather drive the extra hour to kalamazoo because the old minor hockey brns have an intimacy. You dont get that watching the griffins. I told him that i missed those games too.


As for the echl i immediatly noticed a difference in speed from the ihl2. There were some really heated battles not so much within the division, but teams like trenton, florida, and charlotte. This is the first year games with toledo and cincy have even been entertaining, now you have chicago which mine as well be the rockford icehogs. Its getting that feel back.

Im all for fort wayne making the jump. I think most of us want you back, we never wanted to leave you, but the hockey sucked, seeing the same 5 teams all year was a joke. The politics were getting old as well.

The travel isnt that bad. When you make a trip down south you pretty much hit all the southern cities, rarely hit the east coast. I noticed some schedule flaws but that could be arena availability on the other end. Like playing at home friday traveling to wheeling saturday, back home sunday for example.

Going to toledo isnt bad, but the arena is like van andel, big commercial, and not a great atmosphere, mainly cause they arent that good i guess.
If this happends its good news for all of us.

[JR1]

Komets to have meetings with ECHL this week...

[Cyclonesdiehard]

For selfish reasons I want Dayton and Fort Wayne to join the ECHL. It would be great to see my beloved Cyclones against the Gems and Komets in enemy barns.

[minor life]

Dayton, Bloomy and Arizona are on life support in the most generous sense of the phrase. At least 2 other cities have made NAHL applications. Welcome to the ECHL Komets and Icemen. Mizz may go as well, and St. Charles is in play.

[artie fufkin]

Cyclonesdiehard, on 17 January 2012 - 07:39 PM, said:

For selfish reasons I want Dayton and Fort Wayne to join the ECHL. It would be great to see my beloved Cyclones against the Gems and Komets in enemy barns.

The ECHL has no interest in putting a team in Dayton unless there's a new arena.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Super Excited about this news. There have been alot of clues about this since the summer.

MC getting new dasherboards/structure this coming summer.....I think K-zoo did the samething prior to joining the ECHL if I recall correctly.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I can see an opening weekend home and home series with K-Zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

EPIC

[Miracle on Vanrick]

Hit Somebody!!!, on 17 January 2012 - 10:11 PM, said:

Super Excited about this news. There have been alot of clues about this since the summer.

MC getting new dasherboards/structure this coming summer.....I think K-zoo did the samething prior to joining the ECHL if I recall correctly.

Just out of curiosity Hit why are you so excited? A few summers ago you were at war with the Kzoo management and Pickard on here for making a decision that looks brilliant now.

Ironic how things work out and peoples agendas change with time.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I was wrong.

i am happy to goto the ECHL because it is in the best interest of this town's hockey future.

People make mistakes.

Kill me.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Plus it will be fun kicking the K-Wings ass just like old times.

[Miracle on Vanrick]

I have no problem with your viewpoint just curious why the excitement when you blasted the league and an organization in the league two years ago.

Considering how the Wings have made an entrance these past three years in the ECHL you better hope to hell the Franke's don't bring along that CHL/IHL talent with them. Or else last year will look awfully familiar again but in a different change of scenery.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Plus, this news is nice for this forum. i would imagine the traffic here will pick-up a ton. The UHL/IHL days this forum was good for 100 post topics within hours of a thread being started. Would love to see this place hopping again.

[Miracle on Vanrick]

Hit Somebody!!!, on 17 January 2012 - 10:36 PM, said:

Plus, this news is nice for this forum. i would imagine the traffic here will pick-up a ton. The UHL/IHL days this forum was good for 100 post topics within hours of a thread being started. Would love to see this place hopping again.

I agree 100% with that statement and hope it all does play out. We are all the ones that win the most out of this.