Baby Ducks leaving Cincy after this season?

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050326/SPORTS02/503260340/1007/SPORTS

"The next time the Hershey Bears come to Rochester, and that won't be until next season, they'll have a new parent team.

The Bears and Colorado Avalanche will part company after a nine-year partnership. Hershey won a Calder Cup in the first season with Avs prospects but, unless they mount a miracle charge, will miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season. That hasn't happened to the Bears in 20 years.

The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are rumored to be the leading candidate to become the parent team in Hershey. The Ducks apparently are looking to leave Cincinnati. With the Cleveland Barons on life support because of nonexistent fans, it's very possible there won't be an AHL franchise in Ohio."

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20050325-115559-4757r.htm

"The speculation concerns the Caps shifting their American Hockey League farm team from Portland, where it has been since 1993, to Hershey for the 2005-06 season. To accomplish that without having what might be an expensive financial settlement, another AHL team would have to replace the Caps' affiliate in Maine. That team is believed to be the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Anaheim's top farm team."

Thread about this at the AHL board:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=136349

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So it's rumored that the Ducks may be headed for Hershey or Portland Maine??

This is the first I have heard of this...any inside info on this from our friends in the Cincy area??

Searched through Cincy's teamsite to find the last article about the affiliation agreement.

http://www.cincinnatimightyducks.com/news/stories/archives/pres-rel/03-04/nhl-ext-affiliation-5.25.04.htm

"The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks announced they have agreed to terms with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on a new extension of their affiliation agreement. The extension continues a partnership that began in 1997 when Cincinnati entered the American Hockey League."

So that was on May 25, 2004. I assume it was only a one year extension then?

To my knowledge is was only a one year agreement....I think that was due to the fact that Anaheim was up for sale. Now we just have to wait and see if the ducks come back next season when the dust settles after the play-off run ends :confused:

It would make sense to find an AHL affiliate from somewhere closer than Maine or Ohio but it also needs the fan support to be financially viable option. How about replacing San Diego Gulls with an AHL team?

Well right now all 30 franchises are owned....so in order for SD to have an AHL team they would have to buy a franchise from someone. I also don't understand why if Anaheim is wanting to move their farm team they would go further east to Pennsylvania or Maine? :dunno: It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Also from what I understand Maine doesn't have good access to an airport and their stadium isn't the best. So even if the Ducks leave Cincinnati, unless someone comes in and buys our franchise out we should have a team for next season (from what I've been told). ;)

Well right now all 30 franchises are owned....so in order for SD to have an AHL team they would have to buy a franchise from someone. I also don't understand why if Anaheim is wanting to move their farm team they would go further east to Pennsylvania or Maine? :dunno: It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Also from what I understand Maine doesn't have good access to an airport and their stadium isn't the best. So even if the Ducks leave Cincinnati, unless someone comes in and buys our franchise out we should have a team for next season (from what I've been told). ;)

But what if San Jose pulls Cleveland out ending the "OHIO Cup" ducksfan4, if the Robinsons own the Cinci Ducks wouldn't u need a name change as well if Anaheim leaves

It would make sense to find an AHL affiliate from somewhere closer than Maine or Ohio but it also needs the fan support to be financially viable option. How about replacing San Diego Gulls with an AHL team?

the closest AHL team is Utah AND THEY Have a 5 year deal with Phoenix, Pepper

It would make sense to find an AHL affiliate from somewhere closer than Maine or Ohio but it also needs the fan support to be financially viable option. How about replacing San Diego Gulls with an AHL team?

San Diego doesn't have an AHL size/quality arena. The Gulls dropped out of the IHL into the WCHL years ago for the same reason.

San Diego doesn't have an AHL size/quality arena. The Gulls dropped out of the IHL into the WCHL years ago for the same reason.

Ah ok.

How about if we make Kings our farm team? :D

How about if we make Kings our farm team? :D

I second this motion :clap: :D

Ah ok.

How about if we make Kings our farm team? :D

THE Kings have a fifteen year agreement in Manchester.....

THE Kings have a fifteen year agreement in Manchester.....

*cough*









wow this is awkward......

Ah ok.

How about if we make Kings our farm team? :D
I think you have that backwards ;)

:shakehead :shakehead :shakehead

No rivalry bashing allowed until there is a NHL season, I mean is there really even a point to it?

Since the Pond is empty, why not move the team to Anaheim? Call them something else, and try and attract Anaheim hockey fans, like the Oilers and Leafs are doing. Keeping them there also helps when they need to make call-ups.

Since the Pond is empty, why not move the team to Anaheim? Call them something else, and try and attract Anaheim hockey fans, like the Oilers and Leafs are doing. Keeping them there also helps when they need to make call-ups.

Would be tough to move an AHL team west of Salt Lake. Would be a very tough travel schedule.

:shakehead :shakehead :shakehead

No rivalry bashing allowed until there is a NHL season, I mean is there really even a point to it?

I'm bored, come on no one was offensive here :dunno:

:shakehead :shakehead :shakehead

No rivalry bashing allowed until there is a NHL season, I mean is there really even a point to it?

Come on, it was good-natured ribbing with both sides taking it as a joke for crying out loud!

Portland has announced that they have a 5 year deal in hand with a new NHL organization. Anaheim fans want to jump in with your thoughts on whether it is your organization?

I hope its not Anaheim...
Im only a 4-5 hours from Cincinnati and I love being able to watch the guys developinig...

does anyone know when they will announce who the NHL team is that signed the contract?

Since the Pond is empty, why not move the team to Anaheim? Call them something else, and try and attract Anaheim hockey fans, like the Oilers and Leafs are doing. Keeping them there also helps when they need to make call-ups.
:handclap: Now that sounds like a great idea!!

From what i heard recently I do believe the new owners have moved the baby ducks to Portland Maine...and even worse Cincinnati may be without hockey for one full season if we sign Colorado to a deal :( I have my fingers crossed that all this is just speculation, but some of the people saying it are pretty high up in the organizaion. So we better enjoy the play-off run it could be our last hockey here in Cincinnati for awhile.

Also look to see Bryz loaned out to russian and possible Eddy Fehri becoming the back-up goalie to Cassivi during the play-off. Ilya has made it know for some time he doesn't want to be here and Anaheim is ready to give him what he wants at this time if Russia is truly wanting him.

Things are really starting to get interesting around here :eek:

Why would they pick Portland Maine?

thats about as geographically far away from Anaheim as you can get in the AHL.

Going to be a long flight every time a player is recalled.

It's all amount the MONEY!!!

They are will to pay big bucks to get the baby ducks! :shakehead I've heard portland doesn't even have a decent airport!

Why would they pick Portland Maine?

thats about as geographically far away from Anaheim as you can get in the AHL.

Going to be a long flight every time a player is recalled.

Only reason portland makes sense is that its a good smallish city for players to live in and develop.

Only adds about an 1.5 hours to the flight which is relatively nothing. Got an airport in portland, lights and running water too...take a look at the list of best cities to live in and note that portland is always on it.

Personally, as a portland season ticket holder, I don't care who the farm team is for be it washington, colorado or anaheim. If the parent supports the team, the fans will love it. Washington has sucked in its support of portland in the recent past. I'm very sure its not about the money unless cincy was even cheaper than the portland group is. very doubtful. Maybe Leonsis from the caps chipped in some money to close the deal so that he could move his farm team to Hershey.

Why would they pick Portland Maine?

thats about as geographically far away from Anaheim as you can get in the AHL.

Going to be a long flight every time a player is recalled.

The distance between LA and Manchester is pretty much the same.

Not that this is a big deal, but atleast the Ducks and Kings affiliates could actually be rivals now.

End of a season, end of an era

By PAUL BETIT, Portland Press Herald Writer

http://sports.mainetoday.com/pirates/stories/050415lastgame.shtml

In recent weeks the speculation has been that the Washington Capitals, the Pirates' current NHL parent club, are about to move their minor-league operations to Hershey, Pa., and will be replaced in Portland by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Last month a Mighty Ducks official admitted the team may be looking for a new AHL affiliate. Currently Anaheim is affiliated with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, but that affiliation agreement runs out this season.

"I've got a lot of memories here, obviously. I've been here for seven years and the fans have been good to me. There are real nice people up here," Whitfield said.

"It will be sad to see our team move but that's the nature of the game. We'll go to Hershey, or wherever we go, and start over."

The Pirates said earlier this month that they have lined up another parent team for an affiliation that will run at least through 2010. No timetable has been set for announcing the new agreement.

"It's really going to be determined by the outcome of a playoff series," said Brian Petrovek, the Pirates' managing owner/CEO said. "Our new partner is fighting for a Calder Cup, and hopefully that will be a long process."

Speculation has the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim moving their minor-league operations to Portland.

Anaheim's lease agreement with the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks ends this season, and Al Coates, general manager of the NHL team, has admitted the Ducks are looking elsewhere.

http://sports.mainetoday.com/pirates/stori...7washmove.shtml (http://sports.mainetoday.com/pirates/stories/050427washmove.shtml)

Well you really can't blame the ducks, you go where you can get the best deal. The fan support has not been there in Cinc, when your drawing less than three thousand for a playoff game.

I feel sorry for the fans that supported the team but the baby ducks or whatever they call them, will probably be top dog in Portland as far as sports teams go.

Well you really can't blame the ducks, you go where you can get the best deal. The fan support has not been there in Cinc, when your drawing less than three thousand for a playoff game.

I feel sorry for the fans that supported the team but the baby ducks or whatever they call them, will probably be top dog in Portland as far as sports teams go.
Yeah, several times when I was listening to the cybercasts, the announcers talked about how it was sad that the Ducks didn't have many fans attending the games when they were playing so well. It is sad for the fans that did go to the games who no longer will be able to. Hopefully they will get more fan support in Portland.

I'd say it all but done that the baby ducks will be leaving Cincy next season. :cry: I will miss them, but hope we do get another team...so far nothing has been announced to us here in Cincinnati.

But if you listen to how many people show up in Milwaukee and other towns we aren't much different.

Play-off games are announced with little notice...people like myself with unconventional jobs have to have time to ask off work. I've been pretty lucky so far and will miss my first home game this Friday ;( I've done the very best that I can over the past eight years to support the ducks...I will truly miss the team.

I hear is it more about marketing and a fresh start away from anything Disney than attendance, but it really doesn't matter what the reason is...we lose our hockey team and that is just plain sad :shakehead :(

article from the cincy enquirer Packin For Maine (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050428/SPT/504280392)


While it doesn't say it directly it does seem to confirm the move

today's Cincy Enq article (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050513/COL03/505130438/1082/SPT)

and another article

link (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050513/SPT/505130439/1062)

That's just sad. It's scary to think that if Henry Samulei hadn't bought the Anaheim Ducks we'd be seeing the same kind of story in our papers... BLAH.

sorry for the fans in Cincy - I hope it works out for AHL hockey in Cincy in the future.

Ducks announcement news (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050516/SPT/505160373/1078/spt)

The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks announced today their affiliation with the National Hockey League's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim has ended. The announcement closes the book on an eight-year relationship with the Anaheim franchise.

http://www.cincinnatimightyducks.com/news/stories/press-rel/04-05/affiliation-ends.5.16.05.htm

http://www.mightyducks.com/pressbox/pressbody.asp?id=1020

“We would like to thank Pete Robinson and his entire staff for their efforts over the last eight years,” said Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Senior Vice President/Interim General Manager Al Coates. “We also thank the loyal hockey fans in Cincinnati for their support.”

another article...

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050517/SPT/505170401/1078/SPT

:shakehead That is just so sad for the fans in Cincinnati, I can understand their feeling a little bit like they are being abandoned. Hope things work out for the best.

The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks franchise has applied for and been granted a voluntary suspension for the 2005-06 AHL season due to a lack of an available NHL affiliation.

Link (http://www.theahl.com/AHL/News/2005/05/18/1045316.html)

http://sports.mainetoday.com/pirates/stories/050517ducksleaveoh.shtml

The Portland Pirates announc- ed Monday they have scheduled a press conference Monday, May 23, to introduce their new NHL affiliate.

The news came just hours after the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the team long rumored to be the Pirates' new parent club, an- nounced they were moving their minor-league operation out of Ohio.

As a Pirates season ticket holder I think it is safe to say those of us up in Portland will be glad to have your team on board and the change of scenery with the Caps.

Pretty solid looking team this year in Cinci and I'm excited to see what the influx of more youth (and no NHL LOL) will do to the further expansion of talent in the A. Portland had grown stale under the Caps and I think it will be an exciting change.

Anyway as I have for the last couple years I'll do my best to give first hand accounts of the action.

As a Pirates season ticket holder I think it is safe to say those of us up in Portland will be glad to have your team on board and the change of scenery with the Caps.

Pretty solid looking team this year in Cinci and I'm excited to see what the influx of more youth (and no NHL LOL) will do to the further expansion of talent in the A. Portland had grown stale under the Caps and I think it will be an exciting change.

Anyway as I have for the last couple years I'll do my best to give first hand accounts of the action.

Welcome to our board. :)

We may have to rely on Cincinnati Fans like McDonald19 though JR at least initially cause when was the last time Portland saw the Anaheim affiliation in Cincinnati play here.

thx for the response and welcome to the Pirates family McDonald19 :) .

http://www.portlandpirates.com/newsarticle.asp?Id=879

The Portland Pirates announced today a new, long term, five year affiliation agreement with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim effective with the 2005-2006 AHL season. The announcement was made today by Pirates Managing Owner/CEO Brian Petrovek and Ducks’ Senior Vice President/Interim General Manager Al Coates.

Joining Petrovek and Coates were Pirates Chairman/Governor Lyman Bullard, Pirates President/COO Brian Williams, Ducks’ Assistant General Manager Chuck Fletcher, first year pro Tim Brent, who this season played in 46 games with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, first year pro and former Maine Black Bear, Dustin Penner, who appeared in 77 games this season along with Mighty Duck’s mascot Wild Wing and Pirates mascot Salty Pete.

http://www.mightyducks.com/pressbox/pressbody.asp?id=1022

The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim announced today that the club has signed a five-year affiliation agreement with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL).

“We are very excited to be coming to a traditional hockey market and working with the Pirates’ ownership and management team,” said Mighty Ducks’ Senior Vice President/Interim General Manager Al Coates. “Having our players in a marketplace conducive to both on and off-ice development with a group committed to winning is sure to be healthy for continued development over the next several years.”

“Portland will be a terrific place for our young, talented prospects to continue their development,”
said Mighty Ducks’ Assistant General Manager Chuck Fletcher. “We are looking forward to a tremendous partnership with the Pirates.”

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nice picture of Wild Wing shaking hands with the Pirates Mascot. :propeller