Oilers to suspend Roadrunners; WHL to Edmonton?

[RunTheGoalie]

http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Ho...72464-sun.html

Given how pathetically desperate the Oilers were to duplicate the Flames success with the Hitmen, one has to believe that they would only suspend the Roadrunners if they were expecting or promised a WHL expansion team.

[Fight Guy]

I fthey are getting a team...it won't be till next season with Chilliwack Id imagine. Plus, when or if the NHL comes back this season, it's gonna be hard having an AHL and NHL team.

[The_Vulk]

It is too late in the year for the Dub to approve a relocation of an existing team, and expansion (like you said) definately not until the 2006-07 season (at the earliest).

Definately nothing about it in either the AHL website, nor the Edmonton Road Runner's.

[Chipper]

Edmonton getting a WHL franchise is begining to be the worst kept seceret.

[The_Vulk]

I still would find it surprising Edmonton would not relocate their AHL farm team instead of having it going inactive.

And since their is still not CBA (for the NHL), and no confirmation they are getting a WHL team (this year, yet alone in the near future), having no hockey there is bad management, IMO.

[The_Vulk]

Edmonton Road Runners to fly the coop, Oilers put AHL club on the shelf
posted June 6 @ 19:16, EST

EDMONTON (CP) - Fears of an NHL fan backlash over the protracted labour dispute have prompted the Edmonton Oilers to put their farm team on the shelf for next season.

Club officials said Monday the Edmonton Road Runners could be a distraction to the Oilers' season-ticket drive next year if the NHL resumes play this fall.

The Oilers have asked the American Hockey League to allow them to suspend operation of the Road Runners for one year while they focus on getting NHL fans back to Rexall Place.

When they resume playing, the Road Runners - who moved from Toronto last year and from Hamilton the year before - will be somewhere else, although the Oilers would like to keep them in Canada.

...

The Oilers have been actively trying to purchase a Western Hockey League franchise for Edmonton, believing it will be a better fit with the NHL club. But LaForge said that didn't enter into the decision to put the Road Runners on the shelf.

Oilers to share with Habs

Edmonton and Montreal have previously shared an AHL team in Hamilton.

Sources tell Sportsnet the Edmonton Oilers intend on utilizing Montreal's AHL team in Hamilton, as well as the Dallas Stars American League team in Des Moines as a developmental replacement for the Road Runners.

Edmonton's AHL franchise suspended operations late last week after failing to meet a two week extension imposed by AHL commissioner David Andrews.

The Oilers aren't confident, as hockey starved as Edmonton might be, that the area could sustain two professional teams.

"We didn't want to send mixed messages to the consumer in a year where marketing at the NHL level will be crucial," a source close to the negotiation told Sportsnet.

The San Antonio Rampage also suspended operations, leaving the Florida Panthers without an AHL partner. However, the Panthers are believed to be in discussion with the Toronto Marlies and Chicago Wolves for a shared arrangement as well.