Report: NHL To Las Vegas A "Done Deal..."

((HT: The Score))

After word of Victor Coleman wanting to be a part of the idea of Seattle getting an NHL franchise, there's now word trickling out of Vancouver that Vegas is already there.

In an article in the Vancouver Province newspaper, columnist Tony Gallagher has it pegged that some arena in town will be hosting a team sooner rather than later:

A new team close to the newly renamed Arizona squad and California’s big three is all but assured, the only question being when and with which other city. Or should that be plural?

With all the activity going on in the Seattle area in the last little bit it would be quite a stretch to imagine that much time and effort being spent by so many wealthy men being frittered away for nothing.

Adding two teams in the west to get to an even 32 makes sense- especially if the ECHL reorganization would lead to a 31-team league and the AHL would finally have it's true western division in the 2015-16 season. Also, moving the Florida Panthers to Quebec City to placate the Canadian fan base from all the American movement would also be a solid part of the equation with a teram hemorrhaging money and not getting their way when it comes to the new arena the owners are looking for at present.

The ECHL Wranglers have their niche, and there is a history of NHL games in Las Vegas dating back to 1991.
((HT: NHL Network))


There's simply too much money in place in Quebec with Quebecor Media and the pieces are there for all of this...

And another cash-in day for the National Hockey League...

Wranglers Moving Up In The World, Literally...

((HT: KLAS-TV))

The ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers used to play in the Orleans Hotel Arena, but they couldn't agree on a new lease...

So, they were this/close to leaving town until the leadership of the franchise came up with a unique idea to keep them around...

Like... renovating the top of a parking structure...

Here's the live shot from downtown to talk about it...
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It is interesting to see a double-a hockey franchise investing seven figures to keep themselves in town...

It will be just as interesting to see how well the franchise adapts to being a property owner as the project goes forward...

The Night Of The Condor (OR: The Risk Of Live Animals At Sporting Events)

((HT: Bakersfield Condors their own selves/youtube))

First thing the HQ thought of when we heard about what happened in Bakersfield, California at the ECHL game between the host Wranglers and the Condors was this...


But, the HQ also knows that the minor leagues are all about promotion. We get it...

The home ECHL team in the HQ's back yard, your Gwinnett Gladiators, are fighting to stay in first in their division. Our favorite move is their annual "Teddy Bear Toss" that reigns havoc- for the sake of charity...

The Condors and Wranglers got to unveil a real endangered species before their game Friday, but not without consequences...

Here's the run of the bird in full...


All they really needed was Marlon Perkins allowing Jim Fowler to go chasing and the whole saga would have been over with sooner than the length of time above...

Oh, Vegas won 4-1... Just so you know...