NHL lockout: Edmonton Oilers eye Seattle for talks about possible relocation

Toronto Star ^ | 9/25/2012 | Dean Bennett

[RitchieAprile]

EDMONTON—With a deadline looming to complete a deal to build the Edmonton Oilers a new arena, the team’s brass turned up the heat on city councillors by paying a visit to Seattle.

Oilers owner Daryl Katz, team president Patrick LaForge and president of hockey operations Kevin Lowe were in Seattle on Monday for meetings about a possible relocation to the city, the Oilers said in a statement.

“The Katz Group has been listening to proposals from a number of potential NHL markets for some time,” the statement read.

“After more than four years of trying to secure an arena deal and with less than 24 months remaining on the Oilers’ lease at Rexall Place, this is only prudent and should come as no surprise.”

The team added it would not comment on discussions with other potential markets.

Katz’s visit came the same day that Seattle city council approved hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen’s plan for a $490-million arena that both sides hope will be home to an NBA and NHL team. Seattle lost its NBA team, the Sonics, to Oklahoma City in 2008.

Seattle’s hockey market is limited to the Western Hockey League’s Thunderbirds. The city hasn’t had a professional team since the Metropolitans, who won a Stanley Cup in 1917, were disbanded in 1924.

[RitchieAprile]

NHL Hockey in Seattle?

[cmsgop]

Yes, it’s about time!!!!!

[Not A Snowbird]

YES!!!

The city council just voted to allow the arena plan to proceed in the SODO district. I already see Safeco Field and Century Link field from my office; having a hockey team right there too would be awesome!

Still a Canucks fan, though. Could be awkward.

[ConservativeStatement]

If the NBA’s Sacramento Kings relocated, would the new team be called the Seattle Kingdome? /sarc.

[dfwgator]

Sacrilege to move the Oilers. I still remember how back in the 90’s almost every year it was inevitable that the Stars and Oilers would meet in the playoffs.

[Jonty30]

The problem is that Katz wants the city to cover all the expenses, while he takes all the profits.

Edmonton basically agreed to cover 80%, or something such, of the expenses and thought they had a signed deal. He now wants to renegotiate that.

It would be unfortunate to move them, as they are one of the best supported teams in the NHL, but there is only so much a city should do to keep its team.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Another “big sports” shakedown.
Pity, Seattle will probably succumb.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Canada will go absolutely ape-shiite if this happens.
Edmonton is a very small market, but one extremely loyal to hockey. And economically the area is booming due to the oil sands. Will Seattleites walk away from their lattes to root for a team that generally finishes near the bottom of the standings? I doubt it.

[Dr. Sivana]

Sacrilege to move the Oilers. I still remember how back in the 90’s almost every year it was inevitable that the Stars and Oilers would meet in the playoffs.

My wife is from northern Alberta. Her home town had a grain elevator, a convenience store/post office, and a curling rink.

I really don't get this idea of moving Canadian teams to the U.S. when the plurality of players are still Canadian, and when the Canadian hockey fans are far more attached to the game.

Except for real hockey towns like Boston, most of the U.S. relocated teams, and even some of the expansions, are casual fans.

I 'spose after the WHA collapse they tried it the other day, and no one really misses the Quebec Nordiques or the Winnipeg Jets, but the Canadian economy is much better now, and throwing a hockey franchise into Seattle, when Vancouver is not that far, just sounds like it's a consolation prize for losing the Supersonics.

[dfwgator]

The Jets are back now in Winnipeg, they were the former Atlanta Thrashers.

[Jonty30]

Bettman’s southern strategy is failing, slowly.

[Buckeye McFrog]

My wife is from northern Alberta. Her home town had a grain elevator

I saw an amazing documentary about a grain elevator out on the Canadian prairie. It had exactly ONE employee. The guy had been there for 38 years. They followed him through a typical day, and you want to talk about REAL WORK! This admittedly not-very-young man did everything from maintaining and repairing the equipment, to preparing bills of lading and keeping records, to loading and unloading boxcars BY HIMSELF (an amazing process, he'd use a very long pry bar to get the car rolling, actually get it manually building up enough speed to roll in under the hopper, and then climb aboard and MANUALLY turn the brakes as it approached the right spot) He must have worked 75 hours a week. I really wish our EBT takin' slackers could be introduced to that man.

[Dr. Sivana]

The Jets are back now in Winnipeg, they were the former Atlanta Thrashers.

Maybe it's time for the Flames to move back to Atlanta, then!

[gr8eman]

Yep!

1917-Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) beat Montreal Canadiens (NHA) for the Stanley Cup

[RitchieAprile]

I wonder how much WWI losses/Spanish flu had to do with the Habs’ loss?

[airborne]

Hockey Ping!

(let me know if you want on or off the ping list)

[C. Edmund Wright]

The Oiler fans are maybe the best in the NHL. Their home arena atmosphere is awesome and when they came to Carolina for the 06 Stanley Cup Finals, they were so classy. They work hard, have money from the oil sands, and love their hockey. It would really hurt the NHL if they moved.

Plus, it would put more libs into the NHL fan base and remove some good conservatives.

[B Knotts]

The other thing is that there isn’t a facility available in Seattle. There is a perfectly good one in Portland, though.

But, no...the Oilers should not be moved. There are several teams in non-hockey regions that should be moved.

[Colonel_Flagg]

That’d be too bad, IMO. The Battle of Alberta is one of the NHL’s best rivalries.

But then, the NHL doesn’t really care about that sort of thing anymore, unless you live on the East Coast. Franchise relocation has taken away some of the best rivalries the league had going (North Stars / Blackhawks being just one).

[Varda]

Seattle should be a good NHL market. They're doing the right thing with the arena putting it in an area convenient for fans. Phoenix is not a bad market but the arena is placed so that it's difficult for fans to go. Hopefully there will be two expansion teams for Seattle and Quebec or Hamilton.

Edmonton should keep their market but it will never be a big money making location. Teams need revenue streams other than attendance to make it. I'd hate to see fans lose their team and that includes snobby Canadian ones.