CWHL expands to Alberta

[beantownchica4u]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

The draft is supposed to be July 21 or July 22nd but don't understand why they wouldn't have players try out first before then?

I guess the players will be placed on draft list and teams will contact players which hasn't happened yet.

It is not even clear yet if players get to select where they play.

[brokentwigg]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

From the little I've heard most of the talent is pretty set on where they want to play, and a lot want to come to Calgary which was the only reason they felt the need to set up a team here in the first place. The WWHL isn't the CWHL so keeping the best players in the latter was more important than actually thinking about the logistics of having a team a 5 hour flight away.

If you go to Montreal you're at least playing and training with the best, if you're one of the NT players and come to Calgary you can set up your life for a few years through the centralization period and train with all the other Olympians in the meantime. If you stick with the GTA you've got one of three teams that you may not care to play for and all the headaches that go with it.

I know most of the players who went to Calgary for centralization went because they had to as it was a necessary tool leading up to the Olympics. The majority of the players returned to their home provinces not because they had to, but because they wanted to! There were exceptions i.e. GF, GK but for the most part, the JA, GA, BJS, CO, KSP's etc. etc. returned home. I do not for one second believe that thinking has changed!

Having a stacked team in Calgary and one in Montreal may look good..but in the end, what purpose does it serve? You will get games that will not be competitive and if that is what the Nat team players are looking for, well, then maybe they should set up two teams in Calgary, divide evenly and play amongst themselves. There should also be two teams in Montreal as there was before with the Quebec entry. That team should never have been cut loose by the Grand Poobah herself! Now they are talking about having another team in Montreal.....they NEED another team in Montreal as that team is stacked.

We could go on and on with this one...but the CWHL needs to stop, and dare I say it, they need to stop catering to the so-called elite in the league as they make up a very small minority and if there was ever a revolt by the other "class" of players, the CWHL would be finished and no amount of empty promises by the Grand Poobah and her puppet "commish" would be able to stop the levy breach!!

[west]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

I know most of the players who went to Calgary for centralization went because they had to as it was a necessary tool leading up to the Olympics. The majority of the players returned to their home provinces not because they had to, but because they wanted to! There were exceptions i.e. GF, GK but for the most part, the JA, GA, BJS, CO, KSP's etc. etc. returned home. I do not for one second believe that thinking has changed!

Calgary has produced one national team player in the past 12 years as far as I can tell (two if you want to count Wickenheiser), yet it had perhaps the premier women's hockey team in the world over that period and that was simply because its where the players were. When the money dried up and the team folded, the players disappeared because they wanted to play with the best they could. Some would have left regardless for one reason or another, others left reluctantly. Most winter Olympians live in Calgary and with the development of the Athletic and Ice Complex at COP even more are coming and the hockey players are no different, they just need a team. If you're an amateur athlete who needs to train like a professional, it is the place to be.

Having a stacked team in Calgary and one in Montreal may look good..but in the end, what purpose does it serve? You will get games that will not be competitive and if that is what the Nat team players are looking for, well, then maybe they should set up two teams in Calgary, divide evenly and play amongst themselves. There should also be two teams in Montreal as there was before with the Quebec entry. That team should never have been cut loose by the Grand Poobah herself! Now they are talking about having another team in Montreal.....they NEED another team in Montreal as that team is stacked.

I don't think anybody thinks having two stacked teams is good, it's just what the reality dictates. The CWHL can't just decide where players play and ship them out there, they need to put teams where the players are going to be (then decide who they're going to play for...if applicable).

We could go on and on with this one...but the CWHL needs to stop, and dare I say it, they need to stop catering to the so-called elite in the league as they make up a very small minority and if there was ever a revolt by the other "class" of players, the CWHL would be finished and no amount of empty promises by the Grand Poobah and her puppet "commish" would be able to stop the levy breach!!

The spirit of the CWHL is something that is needed: a place for the best players to play after they've finished college. But somehow that got muddled into thinking that the best league had to be professional in every sense. Once they get that sorted out then there will be progress. You can't cater just to the elites and expect good things to happen, but trying to go anywhere without the elite players wouldn't help women't hockey either. You may need butts in the seats but even the little girls you need to come watch en masse are coming to watch the ones they've seen on TV.

[beantownchica4u]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

The draft is supposed to be in a month yet players are not even on a draft list.

[brokentwigg]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

The draft is supposed to be in a month yet players are not even on a draft list.

West..here is something for you.

Calgary, although they have said they will want to participate in the CWHL...have told the CWHL that will not happen unless they get a MAJOR sponsor. So the CWHL decides to put it out there anyway to bring themselves the much needed publicity that this league craves despite the fact that is not a sure thing! Have we not heard this before...hmmm...coaches, managers and players getting paid to play, and the NHL affiliation that has been confirmed!! The last two have not happened nor will they..interesting to see the Calgary situation unfold!!

If this is true, hopefully it is a wake-up call for current and future players that you cannot trust either BA or SJS to make a legitimate claim!!

[west]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

West..here is something for you.

Calgary, although they have said they will want to participate in the CWHL...have told the CWHL that will not happen unless they get a MAJOR sponsor. So the CWHL decides to put it out there anyway to bring themselves the much needed publicity that this league craves despite the fact that is not a sure thing! Have we not heard this before...hmmm...coaches, managers and players getting paid to play, and the NHL affiliation that has been confirmed!! The last two have not happened nor will they..interesting to see the Calgary situation unfold!!

If this is true, hopefully it is a wake-up call for current and future players that you cannot trust either BA or SJS to make a legitimate claim!!

It was the Calgary "owner" who announced the whole thing out here, I imagine it was to help build a bit of buzz in order to help get a sponsor rather than the CWHL just jumping the gun. The X-Treme at least had the weight of the most notable women's players to parade for sponsors (Wick, Campbell and Goyette) but if they don't have any star power they'll have trouble finding one (and if they don't have a team, they're not going to get any players).

As for getting a sponsor that should be interesting. I still have a hard time believing the $300K per year figure that the X-Treme apparently cost to run is accurate, but if it is I doubt it gets off the ground (the Canadian bobsled team is having trouble finding an $80K sponsor for new sleds). The situation will indeed be interesting.

[brokentwigg]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

It was the Calgary "owner" who announced the whole thing out here, I imagine it was to help build a bit of buzz in order to help get a sponsor rather than the CWHL just jumping the gun. The X-Treme at least had the weight of the most notable women's players to parade for sponsors (Wick, Campbell and Goyette) but if they don't have any star power they'll have trouble finding one (and if they don't have a team, they're not going to get any players).

As for getting a sponsor that should be interesting. I still have a hard time believing the $300K per year figure that the X-Treme apparently cost to run is accurate, but if it is I doubt it gets off the ground (the Canadian bobsled team is having trouble finding an $80K sponsor for new sleds). The situation will indeed be interesting.

In business...you should never release anything until it is finalized and in writing. The CWHL burned the NHL bridge after a meeting and then leaking the information out that an "affiliation" with the NHL was imminent. Brian Burke's "we would rather support 1000 girls at the grassroots level than 100 pro players" looks more like the NHL telling the CWHL to scram as every day passes!!

To lose the Canadian Tire deal because of one individuals ego and how much she thought she was "entitled" too makes me laugh and scratch my head at the same time!! Just because you have a Stanford degree...does not entitle you to having business savvy!!

[Save the Jets]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Let me be the first to congratulate! You really did Save the Jets! Welcome home!

Belated Thanks, 5 4. Yes, we knew it would happen eventually; just needed the NHL financial moons to align, have our local economy chugging along, and find a Mayor who would lead us in a conga line. Looking forward to the season; managed to snag some tickets, but I might have to visit Cowtown in March to watch your Flames fizzle out. After all these years, I can finally say again "Go Jets Go"

[5 4 Fighting]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Belated Thanks, 5 4. Yes, we knew it would happen eventually; just needed the NHL financial moons to align, have our local economy chugging along, and find a Mayor who would lead us in a conga line. Looking forward to the season; managed to snag some tickets, but I might have to visit Cowtown in March to watch your Flames fizzle out. After all these years, I can finally say again "Go Jets Go"

Don't think you will have to wait till March to watch the Flames fizzle out...

I think I'll always remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard those fateful words " ...and in the first round the Winnipeg Jets select..." Beauty!

Enjoy!

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Winnipeg Jets [/B]select..." Beauty!

Probably detoxing in a Calgary drunk tank.

[5 4 Fighting]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Probably detoxing in a Calgary drunk tank.

Hah! Funny...

Beats livin on Psoriasis Lane down there in Caly....

[brokentwigg]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

22nd of July is the historic day for the 1st ever draft in female.....ahhh...wait, hasn't that already been done

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Toronto announced its entry into the Lingerie Football League yesterday....those girls don't get paid either...do the dinosaurs at the Big "O" and SJS and company have anything to do with this too?? Sounds like a similar business model...except they have sponsors!!! And half naked women playing tackle football...now THERE'S a hook!! OMG!!!

[CanHockGuy]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Toronto announced its entry into the Lingerie Football League yesterday....those girls don't get paid either...do the dinosaurs at the Big "O" and SJS and company have anything to do with this too?? Sounds like a similar business model...except they have sponsors!!! And half naked women playing tackle football...now THERE'S a hook!! OMG!!!

SeemoreFootball.......

[brokentwigg]

Re: CWHL expands to Alberta

Toronto announced its entry into the Lingerie Football League yesterday....those girls don't get paid either...do the dinosaurs at the Big "O" and SJS and company have anything to do with this too?? Sounds like a similar business model...except they have sponsors!!! And half naked women playing tackle football...now THERE'S a hook!! OMG!!!

Seymore...have you been gone that long that you have forgotten that you shouldn't put the OW ladies and lingerie in the same sentence!!! My god, there goes my lunch and my ability, or desire, to look at lingerie ever again...LOL..

Oh and by the way....I knew Toronto was getting a team last year and already had my box secured!! Now...not so sure I even want to attend!!!! Is there a charitable organization I can donate my box to?? Oh yes, wait, I almost forgot about the CWHL...LOL

On a positive note....I went to the U2 concert last night and it was phenomenal!!!!