As expected, it was announced on Monday morning that the Montreal Canadiens will be moving their AHL affiliate team from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Laval, Quebec for the 2017-2018 season.
Place Bell in Laval will be the home to the Canadiens' @TheAHL affiliate as of 2017. https://t.co/fD1kO5KHYu pic.twitter.com/zdGJoLPv7C
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 11, 2016
This move comes as no surprise as when the Canadiens left Hamilton and signed with the Ice Caps just over a year ago, it was only for a two year term. Hopefully the Ice Caps will convince another NHL team to make the Rock their home for for their farm team as St. John’s supports minor hockey and they deserve a team there. If not the AHL, perhaps it could sustain a QMJHL team.
It is entirely understandable that the Canadiens wanted to have their AHL team closer to home. The travel expenses will be significantly less and the proximity will allow for management to keep a closer tab on their prospects and coaching staff. The staff behind the bench will be under greater scrutiny. Be it the previous Hamilton Bulldogs or this year’s Ice Caps, the Canadiens minor league affiliate have not made the playoffs since Sylvain Lefebvre became head coach four years ago. There has not been one prospect who has sung the praises of the minor league coaching staff. Place Bell has a capacity of 10,000 people. The Canadiens have to put a competitive and entertaining product on the ice in order to keep the fans and fill the stands when the novelty wears off. Hopefully tickets are priced reasonably, especially for families.
In order to get the fans involved from the beginning, the Canadiens are holding a ‘Name the Team’ contest:
The #Habs "Name Our AHL Affiliate" Contest is already open! Submit your suggestions here: https://t.co/jcu5ycuYNs #HabsOn690
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) July 11, 2016
It was also the first opportunity that Canadiens owner and president Geoff Molson had to publicly comment on the P.K. Subban/ Shea Weber trade:
#Habs Molson: "When Marc said he wasn't shopping Subban, it was the truth. But a Shea Weber is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
— Chantal (@pucksnlife) July 11, 2016
#Habs Molson says that making that trade "took a lot of courage." He says the goal is to win and feels confident the team has improved.
— Chantal (@pucksnlife) July 11, 2016
To play the devil’s advocate, perhaps David Poile feels that a P.K. Subban is a once in a lifetime opportunity? Sometimes you do not know what you had until it is gone (cough, cough Ryan McDonagh). The Trade has been discussed and debated countless times since it happened. At this point, we all must wait and see what happens on the ice over the next few years as no further analysis will shed any new light during the off-season.
Once more, please send your questions for the upcoming mailbag!
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