axecrew
Registered User
- Feb 6, 2007
- 2,299
- 603
The only thing I don't agree with is the part about the NHL footing the bill in the event of a lawsuit...I can't see the other 31 teams willing to pony up money to fight a lawsuit that carolina's owner created by breaking the agreement they have in place right now. Although I don't know if the agreement is up at seasons end I just can't see the NHL paying for a lawsuit involving the AHL. Can you imagine Phoenix or any of the other lower revenue teams being told ok you have to spend at least $63 million on players oh and we need you to kick in another X for this idiotic lawsuit we've decided to bankroll.There is precedent the AHL could go the route of Norfolk, threaten not to schedule them. The AHL could also grant a provisional franchise to Carolina like they did with Cedar Park, or the AHL could have Carolina share a franchise with another NHL team.
Every one of those scenarios carry more questions than answers at the moment....
What if Carolina doesn't want to share? What if another NHL franchise doesn't want to share with Carolina? What if the NHL doesn't want Carolina to be left alone? How the NHL respond? 21 of the 32 teams are currently owned by NHL clubs with another half dozen having a very close relationship with their NHL parent club. What is preventing the NHL from forcing Chicago out by shuttering the league, and moving to a new developmental league? While Chicago's owner has money, the NHL has money as well, and those players are assets so a lawsuit while not preferred, I do not believe scares the AHL because the NHL would foot the bill.
Again, I'm not saying Chicago will or won't be an independent, but its not going to happen in a vacuum.
Plus I have to think the other 10 privately owned teams would be watching very closely to what happened and maybe even secretly rooting for Chicago behind closed doors, in spite of their close relationship with their current partners. Not because they LOVE Chicago but more so because it provides them leverage in their situations.