And They Want an NHL Team?
By Eric Rosenhek
What is wrong with hockey fans in Hamilton?
For years, this city has demanded a professional hockey club. Some have even argued that Canada’s steel city is more than deserving of a team.
But it appears Hamilton’s hockey faithful have completely forgotten that they have a professional club; a club that just concluded one of its best regular seasons.
The American Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs wrapped up their 2009-10 campaign with an impressive 52-17-3-8 record, setting a franchise mark for most points (115). Further, the Montreal Canadiens affiliate clinched the AHL’s North Division title.
The Bulldogs’ roster also picked up several individual accolades.
Guy Boucher was recently named the AHL’s most outstanding coach, goalies Cedrick Desjardins and Curtis Sanford clinched the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the fewest goals during the regular season.
And defenceman P.K. Subban was selected to the AHL’s all-rookie team and first-team all-stars.
Centres David Desharnais and Brock Trotter finished fifth and sixth respectively in league scoring. Trotter also finished fourth in goals scored.
And yet, no one in Hamilton seems to care.
Despite their success, the Bulldogs ranked 15th out of 29 teams in attendance this season. They were literally in the middle of the pack. An average of 4374 fans attended 38 home games at Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum. That’s almost 5200 less fans than the AHL’s top team in attendance, the Hershey Bears.
Being in the middle is certainly better than being at the bottom. But when the numbers are crunched, Hamilton’s attendance figures are embarrassing.
Copps Coliseum has a seating capacity of 17,838 for hockey. That means the arena was about 25 per cent full – give or take – for a game.
In comparison, the Bears averaged 9520 fans at the 10, 500-seat Giant Center. Almost 91 per cent filled to capacity. The Lowell Devils, who had the lowest AHL attendance mark, averaged 2498 fans at the (approximately) 6500-seat Tsongas Centre; almost 38% filled to capacity.
A top Canadian professional hockey team playing in an arena that’s only a quarter full is simply ridiculous.
How can hockey fans in Hamilton claim they would support an NHL team when they can’t support the team they already have? These are the same people who were willing to put down deposits when Jim Balsillie nearly brought the Nashville Predators and later the Phoenix Coyotes to town.
It’s not a financial issue. Tickets range from $16-$26. Therefore, the main reason why the Bulldogs get little support has to do with the league they play in.
Fans have sent a clear message: The AHL is beneath them. They only want the NHL.
That kind of mindset will only hurt Hamilton’s chances of landing an NHL team.
The city’s hockey community looks completely foolish ignoring a team that has had great success in the last few years, including a Calder Cup victory in 2007.
If they really love hockey and want to prove to the NHL that their city is worthy of a franchise, then Hamiltonians should get behind their local team, regardless of the league they play in.
The AHL playoffs have begun and there’s a part of me that hopes I’m mistaken about Hamilton. I’m hoping hockey fans will pack Copps Coliseum and cheer on the Bulldogs as they battle the Manitoba Moose in the first round.
I want them to prove me wrong.
Support your Bulldogs, Hamiltonians! Don’t promote yourselves as hockey snobs. Don’t ignore your team just because there’s no N next to the H and L.
Eric Rosenhek said:
Hamilton's not Toronto. Toronto is a Leafs town. They look the other way when it comes to Marlies/Majors/Batallion etc. Hamilton clearly wants an NHL team; so I'm asking why can't they support the team they have now while they wait for the NHL. It would show Hamiltionians are passionate hockey fans and not hockey snobs.
Dan said:
The Buffalo Sabres would fold up and leave town within 5 years of Hamilton securing a franchise. Nearly 40% of their attendance comes from Canada, notably Hamilton and the surrounding area. That is why they have the Canadian national anthem regardless of who's visiting.
That said, an NHL team in Hamilton would bring that percentage from Buffalo that the Bulldogs don't get. Therefore Buffalo would be done.
Here's an argument you can appreciate Eric; if Toronto can't support an AHL franchise how can Hamilton be expected to? I know Toronto has an NHL team but they also have a much bigger population.
Eric Rosenhek said:
I don't think fans are that selfish and that snobbish; at least I hope not. AHL players are solid role models
Bryan Kirkham said:
Sure , they would have a bunch of no names to start with but thats not forever as they unlike the Bulldogs would have options to sign or trade players and they are the ones calling the shots not a higher entity who dicides for them. Sure the NHL limits the number of callups but all it takes is one callup of your best player then its see ya ie Carey Price , soon to be PK Subban and most likely our head coach. I don't share your views about AHL players as it might be inspiring to know how these guy's live off the ice, the fans only care about the on ice product as the AHL may be filled with "warriors" skill and goal scoring always rule and those players don't stick around.
Eric Rosenhek said:
I disagree. The AHL is a league of warriors, unsung heroes, the hardest working people in pro hockey. I wrote an article about it too: http://www.hockey54.com/editor...-a-the-ahl
Let's say Hamilton gets an expansion franchise. That team will also have a roster of throw aways; most of whom would be used to aquire other players and develop a system.
Also, the NHL limits the number of callups. I think each team was only allowed to make six from Feb. until the end of the season. So most of the Hamilton players stay with the bulldogs.
Bryan Kirkham said:
No not at all if the predators or coyotes moved to Hamilton they would have their own identity in the community and they would loose their ties with their past location and we would probobly bring back the Hamilton tigers black and yellow jerseys as fans here are sick and tired of the Leafs Monopoly over Hamilton as they do not serve this area at all. what you have here with a Bulldogs is basically the Canadiens B team playing at copps wearing basically Canadiens jerseys and if a player on the team gets good they get sent to montreal like carey Price and soon to be PK Subban who both spent less then a year here . what if you told Capitals fans im sorry but ovechkin is just too good he's being called over to the Leafs or something that would suck and Hamiltonians go through that every year with the Bulldogs as the players just use us as a stepping stone for somewhere else it sucks. Now you might say look at Manitoba and my argument is what else do they have in the province instead of that? .The AHL is a horrible product filled with NHL B squad teams with NHL throw aways, and 1yr rental prospects ,no thanks.
Eric Rosenhek said:
If the Bulldogs have no connection with the city, then the same would have to be said if the Predators and Coyotes moved to Hamilton. If Steeltown is 'Leafs' territory, then no team, AHL or NHL, would survive there.
I do like the idea of using the Tigers name and uniforms (I wrote an article about Hamilton's previous NHL team). However, Hamilton fans would still need to step it up.
Bryan Kirkham said:
Its like the Yankees setting up their farm team in the Boston area and expecting people to support it, not gonna happen.
Bryan Kirkham said:
the problem is AHL does not sell in Southern Ontario, much like the Bulldogs the Marlies have similar atendance even though they are basically the leafs B squad with Leafs future prospects at a discount price and have a population that is 4 times the size as Hamiltons. Also I think it was a dumb idea to bring the Montreal Canadiens farm team to Southern Ontario where the majority of people here grew up leaf fans and hating the Canadiens. It just feels like were watching the Montreal Canadiens B squad with a bulldog slapped on the chest instead of a C no connection with the city at all. I think the solution is as small as if they brought back the Hamilton Tigers jerseys with the yellow and black look which has history with the city then I can see Hamiltonians getting behind that because people in Hamilton don't want to think they are cheering for the Canadiens B squad.