AHL

Eons ago, long before Florida was ever a gleam in the eye of Gary Bettman or Reggie Dunlop, Jacksonville had a team in the Eastern Hockey League. It was called the Rockets. The EHL also had teams in Nashville, Knoxville, Greensboro and Charlotte, among other places. From what I understand, these teams were all fairly well-received by the fans there, particularly the NC teams.

The key, though, was they would fill mid-sized arenas like the ones in Pencil Dick's town. Put the same number of fans in a 20,000-seat building and, while the level of enthusiasm might be the same, it's going to look pathetic by comparison.

Hockey will work in the South. It has worked there for 50 years. But all it will ever be there is a niche sport, ideal for places (most of them non-major league markets) where the local team can be the biggest deal in town.

 

Given the choice of going to AHL game or MLS match what would you do?

 

I'd watch a Peewee house league hockey game before I'd watch MLS.

But that's just me.

 

Depends on the teams and players involved, boots. If I was seeing an MLS with guys like Beckham, Ronaldhino, Adu and some very skilled players, put me at the stadium.

If I'm seeing some top-notch AHL competition, I'll take the hockey.

I only can imagine how good the AHL and IHL were back in the 6-team NHL days.

 

If this tells you anything ...

The goaltenders in the 1950 Calder Cup Finals:
Terry Sawchuk (Indianapolis) -- in his 2nd year in the AHL
Johnny Bower (Cleveland) -- who played in the AHL until he was nearly 30

Both are now in the HHOF.

My familiarity is most with the Indianapolis franchise that existed from 1939-52, but among their roster were goaltenders Harry Lumley, Sawchuk and Glenn Hall, all of whom played at least one full season and are in the HHOF. Had Joe Turner not been killed in action in WWII, he might have been in that group, too (instead, the IHL named its championship trophy for him).

About 5 or 6 other Hall of Famers spent time in Indy. The AHL would've been incredible to watch at that time.

I talked to someone who played in the IHL in the mid-1950s, and he spoke of guys who should've been in the NHL. He (a goalie) had a shot with the Rangers, but he ended up being the No. 2 guy in camp in an era when teams carried one goaltender.

From its expansion in the mid-1950s until about 1987, the IHL was a second-tier minor league, about the same level on the food chain as the ECHL/CHL/UHL are now (although, at least pre-1967, one that featured a lot of good hockey).