Sigh.

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong has released the following statement regarding the Vegas Golden Knights' purchase of the American Hockey League's (AHL) San Antonio Rampage:

"We are aware of the news regarding Vegas purchasing the San Antonio organization. The Blues will finish the remainder of the 2019-20 season with San Antonio as our AHL affiliate. In the meantime, our pursuit of a new minor league affiliate will begin immediately. We will have no further comment on this topic at this time."

And I bet if I'd told you yesterday that I could guarantee Klim Kostin wouldn't play another game for the Rampage after this season and not because he'd been traded, you'd have been ecstatic.

Family arena?

Peoria?

Will there be a non-affiliated AHL team starting next season? If NOT, they might end up sharing roster space with another NHL team AND possibly, a handful of career AHLers. That sounds like it will cause similar problems as those from when they split their prospects among Chicago Wolves, Rampage and ECHL, and CHL rosters, and some prospects were forced to play at too low a level, and a couple had to be loaned to non-affiliate teams.

The Blues need to figure something out to get an affiliate in KC...also what is up with the Golden Knights stealing our AHL teams constantly?

Well, hopefully they can find a partner and get an AHL team. I agree with Robb and don't want to backtrack on the debacle we had with the Wolves.

Just start their own team, play at the family arena and pay homage to the Blues and call them the St. Louis 67’s

NHLTIM wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:12 pmJust start their own team, play at the family arena and pay homage to the Blues and call them the St. Louis 67’s

Every one of those ideas sucks, TIM.

I have no idea how big of a group this is, but this sucks for San Antonio based Rampage fans. Vegas is applying to relocate the team to Nevada.

Dave's a mess wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:31 pmI have no idea how big of a group this is, but this sucks for San Antonio based Rampage fans. ...

As a minimum, these guys.

ETA: According to hockeyDB, the Rampage have averaged 6210 per game attendance last season. I'd bet that's a wee bit overstated, but still a lot of people losing a hocke team.

JMC-STL wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:29 pm

NHLTIM wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:12 pmJust start their own team, play at the family arena and pay homage to the Blues and call them the St. Louis 67’s

Every one of those ideas sucks, TIM.

Probably ....but at least it comes from the heart

Dave's a mess wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:31 pm I have no idea how big of a group this is, but this sucks for San Antonio based Rampage fans. Vegas is applying to relocate the team to Nevada.

They’re 12th in AHL attendance this year, so strange to see a team like that being moved.

Can they go back to Peoria if they promise to return the washing machine?

Dave's a mess wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:31 pm I have no idea how big of a group this is, but this sucks for San Antonio based Rampage fans. Vegas is applying to relocate the team to Nevada.

That is a real dick move on Vegas' part.

according to https://theahl.com/

there is 31 AHL teams, so which team has no affiliation with an NHL team so we can merge with them?

according to this https://theahl.com/nhl-affiliations-2019-20

seems the wolves will re-open up so we can re-merge with them?

Ozzies09tc wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:46 pm according to https://theahl.com/

there is 31 AHL teams, so which team has no affiliation with an NHL team so we can merge with them?

according to this https://theahl.com/nhl-affiliations-2019-20

seems the wolves will re-open up so we can re-merge with them?

The Wolves are independently owned and call their own shots. Doesn’t leave a lot of control for the Blues.

NHLTIM wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 6:27 pm

Ozzies09tc wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:46 pm according to https://theahl.com/

there is 31 AHL teams, so which team has no affiliation with an NHL team so we can merge with them?

according to this https://theahl.com/nhl-affiliations-2019-20

seems the wolves will re-open up so we can re-merge with them?

The Wolves are independently owned and call their own shots. Doesn’t leave a lot of control for the Blues.

im assuming its the same situation for the knights, currently, which is why they bought the rampage?

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 3:55 pmFamily arena?

Peoria?

No (because facility upgrades to AHL standards would cost a significant amount that St. Charles County would not finance)

Not very likely (because there are still strong feelings of resentment toward the Blues in that town since they sold their last AHL affiliate to the Canucks, and because the Carver Arena already has a minor pro hockey tenant who has a good working relationship with the City who are the arena owners; BUT the SPHL Rivermen lease does expire at the end of this season, so I guess you could conclude that slim chances remain ...)

Ozzies09tc wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:46 pmaccording to https://theahl.com/

there is 31 AHL teams, so which team has no affiliation with an NHL team so we can merge with them?

according to this https://theahl.com/nhl-affiliations-2019-20

seems the wolves will re-open up so we can re-merge with them?

I presume you answered your own question? At least I hope you figured out that there are 31 AHL teams *AND* 31 NHL teams, so the answer was pretty clear from the git-go.

JMC-STL wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:50 pm

Ozzies09tc wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:46 pmaccording to https://theahl.com/

there is 31 AHL teams, so which team has no affiliation with an NHL team so we can merge with them?

according to this https://theahl.com/nhl-affiliations-2019-20

seems the wolves will re-open up so we can re-merge with them?

I presume you answered your own question? At least I hope you figured out that there are 31 AHL teams *AND* 31 NHL teams, so the answer was pretty clear from the git-go.

Idk. im allowed to be dumb. im american

Ozzies09tc wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:52 pm

JMC-STL wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:50 pm

Ozzies09tc wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 5:46 pmaccording to https://theahl.com/

there is 31 AHL teams, so which team has no affiliation with an NHL team so we can merge with them?

according to this https://theahl.com/nhl-affiliations-2019-20

seems the wolves will re-open up so we can re-merge with them?

I presume you answered your own question? At least I hope you figured out that there are 31 AHL teams *AND* 31 NHL teams, so the answer was pretty clear from the git-go.

Idk. im allowed to be dumb. im american

You've got a point there.

Foster child of the AHL

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:37 am Foster child of the AHL

I would prefer Charlotte over the independently controlled Wolves. I wonder if they'll re-consider trying to get their own team again and add a 32nd to the "A."

Cotton McKnight wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:26 pm

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:37 am Foster child of the AHL

I would prefer Charlotte over the independently controlled Wolves. I wonder if they'll re-consider trying to get their own team again and add a 32nd to the "A."

Team #32 is already arranged to coincide with the Seattle expansion. I expect some franchise musical chairs over the next few months, and I wouldn't count out the possibility that the Blues decide to wade back into the pool of owning their own AHL affiliate and look to buy an existing team.

MissouriMook wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:37 pm

Cotton McKnight wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:26 pm

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:37 am Foster child of the AHL

I would prefer Charlotte over the independently controlled Wolves. I wonder if they'll re-consider trying to get their own team again and add a 32nd to the "A."

Team #32 is already arranged to coincide with the Seattle expansion. I expect some franchise musical chairs over the next few months, and I wouldn't count out the possibility that the Blues decide to wade back into the pool of owning their own AHL affiliate and look to buy an existing team.

As long as run it, I'll be happy. I'm really thinking that San Antonio would have to be paying some form of penalty for backing out of a deal so prematurely.