Sports

Vancouver Canucks place minor-league farm team in Utica, New York

by Jeff Paterson on June 14th, 2013 at 11:14 AM
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      Unable to work out a deal to move their minor-league affiliate to Abbotsford (where the Calgary Flames farmhands currently play), the Vancouver Canucks set its sights on the other side of the continent.

      This morning (June 14), the Canucks confirmed they will operate their American Hockey League affiliate in Utica, New York, and the team will be known as the Utica Comets.

      For the past two seasons, the Canucks had a minor-league work agreement with the Chicago Wolves, but did not own the franchise—something they had been seeking in order to have full control over their minor league operations. The Canucks purchased the Peoria Rivermen late last season and decided to move them from their Illinois homebase where they were losing money.

      The Canucks first choice would have been to set up shop in the Fraser Valley; however, the Calgary Flames weren’t prepared to give up the sweetheart deal they have with the City of Abbotsford. The Canucks tried to negotiate a deal that would see the Flames minor league team relocate, but that did not happen.

      And so the Canucks have set up shop in Utica, which has been without an AHL franchise since New Jersey moved its affiliate 20 years ago. 

      Jeff Paterson is a talk-show host on Vancouver’s all-sports radio Team 1040. Follow him on Twitter at @patersonjeff.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      HellSlayerAndy

      Jun 14, 2013 at 12:23pm

      Sympathies to the folks in the State of New York who have to cough up 5 million (est.) to renovate an very old building. It's a one year deal.

      Win-Lose

      "Buffalo had the highest poverty level of cities in the state—29.9 percent—followed by Rochester and Syracuse, both with 29.4 percent; Utica with 28.6 percent; and Elmira with 27.6 percent."

      http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2010/03/15/daily22.html?page=all