SPHL level of players

[Hockey_South]

I don't know how many have thought of this, but with the ECHL now only having 20 teams, the CHL with 15 teams and the IHL with 7 teams, there are not enough "AA" teams to support all the draftees or returning "AA" players. To me this means that most of the SPHL players should or will have had "AA" or higher level playtime. No I'm not going to say that the SPHL will be equal to "AA" level of play, but then again "AA" level hockey was laughed at in the begining also.
I remember when the ECHL had 20 Eastern teams, but the league was always changing. I believe that the ECHL tried to claim the market as the only official "AA" league of the NHL...I guess what I'm leading to is that if the SPHL and the IHL keep to there "bus league" ideals they should have no problem growing in the minors as the ECHL slowly fads back into a "just a regular" minor league.

[Maillewrers]

Ahhh I didnt read the second minor. Anyway most people would consider the CHL and IHL AA as the ECHL does. The A level in terms of level of play looks like this: SPHL, EPHL/AAHA. With the possibility of the AAHA being a little lower than the EPHL.

[mrsummitcitypigskin]

The IHL is expanding to 10 teams in 2010-11. Evansville, In. is
def confirmed and 2 more are expected. But, look for the IHL to
keep it's upper Midwest regional footprint. Word is they're gonna
add 1 from the CHL and 1 from the ECHL. Present League Commissioner
Dennis Hextall would like to have a 10 or 12 team league tops...

[preeths]

Isn't Evansville dependent upon a new arena? Is that currently being built?

[puckbuster]

Attendance wise, Evansville is currently the "Big Fish" in a tiny pond, my question is, will the attendance increase enough to make it economically feasable.

[nksports]

The IHL is expanding to 10 teams in 2010-11. Evansville, In. is
def confirmed and 2 more are expected. But, look for the IHL to
keep it's upper Midwest regional footprint. Word is they're gonna
add 1 from the CHL and 1 from the ECHL. Present League Commissioner
Dennis Hextall would like to have a 10 or 12 team league tops...

Not sure who the IHL could take from the CHL that would make any sense. If they are looking at the RiverKings to go with Evansville, that would still put the RiverKings out of realistic reach of any other IHL cities. Otherwise, you'd be looking at Independence, Tulsa, Bossier-Shreveport, Wichita and Rapid City. Wichita is still owned by Horn Chen, so I'd say they wouldn't jump. The other three are still long trips to the nearest IHL team.

[mrsummitcitypigskin]

Yeah Mr. Preeths. I believe the "new" arena is under construction.
As far as being locked & loaded for the 2010-11 season, it'll be close.
But Dennis Hextall (league commiss.) thinks it should be a go. He was
interviewed between periods of the Ft. Wayne game last Friday night.
He is real pleased with the final result regarding the ownership snafu
in Dayton. He feels the currant group should be solid for years to come.
Hextall says including Evansville, 2 other franchises will be in the mix for
2010-11, adding negotiations are going on with teams from the CHL & ECHL
and other cities. He says, "The league would be perfect with 12 teams, with
a divisional setup, regionally based". 12 seems to be the magic number. But
which teams or cities, he did not elaborate on...

[Hockey_South]

I can see the "I" expanding, but the "E" is going to do all it can to keep Johnstown, and maybe Youngstown will have hockey again, but like they bribed Kalamazoo to join, they will do all they can to keep the "C" & the "I" from getting bigger!