Give Detroit Red Wings and NHL officials credit: they’re looking at utilizing both Comerica Park and Michigan Stadium for Winter Classic activities in 2013. Though there’s a boatload of rumors floating around out there, we’re seeing some semblance of a plan for next year’s signature event for the NHL, which has grown past just a […]
Archive | Features
NHL players shoot down realignment for 2012-2013
In a surprising show of defiance, the NHL Players Association rejected an NHL realignment plan for the 2012-2013 season — but some see this as a bargaining chip in the upcoming CBA talks. The rejection was surprising because players, when interviewed, didn’t really voice many objections to a drastic — and long overdue — realignment […]
Orlando Solar Bears unveil logo
The Orlando Solar Bears, slated to join the ECHL in the 2012-2013 season, unveiled their logo last night. The logo, designed by Joe Bosack, features the popular mascot, “Shades,” and consist of the historical teal and purple color scheme. “A focus group made up of youth hockey players and coaches, past Solar Bears season ticket […]
Falcons extend lease, Blue Jackets affiliation
The Springfield Falcons (AHL) will be playing at MassMutual Center for two more years as a Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate, under two deals announced yesterday. The future of the Falcons has been an open question for months now. Majority Owner Charlie Pompea brought a measure of stability and enthusiasm to the program when he and […]
After successful ’12 Winter Classic, who will contend for ’13?
By all measures yesterday’s Winter Classic was a hit for both players and fans. Where will the NHL hold the 2013 game? The game has morphed nicely into a longer event with plenty of high-school, college and pro matches, with 46,967 showing up yesterday to the Rangers-Flyers game and 45,000 or so showing up to […]
NHL approves extreme alignment
You can’t say the NHL isn’t bold, approving a drastic realignment plan calling for four conferences and home-and-away series with every other team. NHL officials had been mulling several different realignment plans to accomodate the move of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg this season. But once it was apparent there would some level of realignment, […]
Hockey returning to Maple Leaf Gardens
{jathumbnail off} Hockey will be returning to Maple Leaf Gardens next year, as a renovation of the only remaining Original Six arena will bring an ice surface under the white dome. The former home of the Toronto Maple Leafs is in the midst of an audacious $71-million renovation that sees a Loblaws store built on […]
First look at proposed new Allentown arena
{jathumbnail off} Renderings and plans for a new Allentown arena to house the relocating Adirondack Phantoms (AHL) were unveiled by Mayor Ed Pawlowski yesterday. The plan merges the old — the former Dime Bank building — with the new in what was certainly a challenging downtown parcel. Because of changes in grade on the site, […]
Western NHL seeking AHL West: report
Reps from eight Western NHL teams have lobbied NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly about working with the AHL on a western division or establishing a new league, according to TSN. The eight teams — the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks — […]
It’s official: ECHL expands to Orlando for ’12-’13
Two weeks after the Orlando City Council approved a lease for an ECHL team at Amway Center, the league announced an expansion franchise was unanimously approved for the 2012-2013 season. The Orlando membership is owned by Orlando Pro Hockey Operations, L.P., an entity controlled by Joe Haleski, Bob Ohrablo and Jason Siegel. We reported on […]
Realignment hot topic in NHL circles
With Winnipeg entering the NHL, realignment has been a hot topic in NHL circles — and now it looks like a drastic overhaul of divisions and conferences has a change of passage for next season. As first reported by Elliotte Friedman on the Hot Stove segment of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, the plan would […]
New for 2012: Tampa Bay Times Forum
The home of the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) will have a new name at the beginning of 2012 — the Tampa Bay Times Forum — as the naming-rights holder will be undergoing a name change at the same time. The St. Petersburg Times is taking a more regional approach to its branding and will seize […]
