Originally Posted by
moon
Well goes to show there are a still 32% (and a couple of posters here) that are complete morons. Unbelievable that anyone could vote no on this vote and even more unbelievable that the league doesn't just say screw and kick this joke of a franchise out of the league.
Move it?
To where? What city has a better arena, bigger population base, better history of junior hockey and (very important for the league) a prime location that makes scheduling so much easier?
Winnipeg? a horrible option with the size of city and a NHL team already there plus a crap city for traveling to. Nanaimo? Absolutely a crap city to travel to, smaller city than Lethbridge, smaller arena, already a team there that would have to be kicked out. Fort Mac? Horrible for travel, population with zero connection to the city and non traditional work schedules.
The if you allow for a sale the team will be moved boogie man is a BS scare tactic that makes zero sense, especially when there are willing owners in Lethbridge with more than enough money to buy and run the team.
For the WHL Lethbridge has a great population base ~100,000 making it likely around 10-11th in the league, a very good (not great) arena that is the right size for the market, it is located in a perfect location for scheduling being within 3-5 hours of Cal, RD, Edm, Koot, MJ, Swift, MH and it has a tradition of junior hockey already in place so that they don't have to kick out an already popular team (ie AJHL, SJHL, BCJHL) team that the community has ties to and may feel bitter about losing.
The only issue that the Hurricanes have is god awful leadership on and off the ice. Anholdt is better than what we have but is still a bottom 5 GM in the league. His past results have been pretty terrible and his time in Lethbridge only look good in comparision to the garbage that we have had in Preston and Robson. He is not close to being good enough to create the kind of team to overcome the morons on the board and make the team a success.
This team needs competent management both at the President/Owners level and GM/Coach level and while that isn't guaranteed by a Private owner we have seen already that it is guaranteed not to be there if we continue with the community ownership model we have now.
That vote represents a very sad day in Lethbridge sports as the only threat to the WHL staying in Lethbridge is continued community ownership.
Enjoy the games this year shushu (and I am not being sarcastic I hope truly hope you enjoy them), I am sure you and the 1,000 other folks that attend the games will have a good time and put enough money into the teams pockets to not only break even but make up for the huge debts these morons have built up for the team.