UCONN hockey program won't be complete until on-campus barn/team facility opens | The Boneyard

UCONN hockey program won't be complete until on-campus barn/team facility opens

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FDNY99

FDNY99

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Once the hockey program(s) have their own on-campus barn/team facility that can compete on even ground with the rest of HE (as well as QU & Yale for that matter), in my opinion Cav will take this program to where he wants it to go. The present group of freshman should be playing their senior season on campus, and with the experience they will have gained added to that by continued recruiting classes of HE level kids could be a special year.
No matter what though, once the barn/team facility plans are finalized on paper, and a shovel goes into the ground he will be able to show a concrete level of support by the school...it won't just be a set of drawings. Then let the show begin recruiting wise.
 
The on-campus arena absolutely must happen for the program to succeed in the long term. That said, I'm confident those in power know this and will work to get it done. It won't be the cure-all to bring the program to the top of HE, but it's a big step.
 
The losers of Mansfield will do their best to block the arena. I can't wait to see them lose. Bring it on baby. UCONN Hockey is for real.
 
has there been any progress on the new on campus hockey arena? was the ETA ever announced?
 
MASSconn said:
The losers of Mansfield will do their best to block the arena. I can't wait to see them lose. Bring it on baby. UCONN Hockey is for real.
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No to mention the city of Hartford and certain state legislators who realize that the only viable way to support a revamped XL or new arena with a NHL size capacity is for all UConn winter sports (both basketball and men's hockey) games to be played there because the NHL is not coming back.
 
Sprague03 said:
has there been any progress on the new on campus hockey arena? was the ETA ever announced?
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They need to have a design finished and break ground by next spring according to the terms set by Hockey East when they extended the invitation to join the league.
 
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Mr. Conehead said:
No to mention the city of Hartford and certain state legislators who realize that the only viable way to support a revamped XL or new arena with a NHL size capacity is for all UConn winter sports (both basketball and men's hockey) games to be played there because the NHL is not coming back.
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That's all well and good...BUT UCONN was told upfront by HE they needed and on-campus arena to fulfill membership requirements.
 
FDNY99 said:
That's all well and good...BUT UCONN was told upfront by HE they needed and on-campus arena to fulfill membership requirements.
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Certainly true, but I doubt that will stop Hartford politicians from using their influence to try to get as many UConn sporting events played in Hartford as they can, and that includes ice hockey.
 
dbmill said:
Certainly true, but I doubt that will stop Hartford politicians from using their influence to try to get as many UConn sporting events played in Hartford as they can, and that includes ice hockey.
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That's all well and good....but UCONN isn't abandoning on campus venues to satisfy the City of Hartford inability to keep the Whalers. Is this going to turn into UCONN has the responsibility to bail out the City of Hartford's ineptness?
 
The NHL wanted the Whalers gone. Too bad Gampel was not designed to include ice hockey. Some games just might have to be played in Hartford with an on-campus rink of 5K.
 
Butch said:
The NHL wanted the Whalers gone. Too bad Gampel was not designed to include ice hockey. Some games just might have to be played in Hartford with an on-campus rink of 5K.
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a 5k on-campus arena and big games in Hartford is fine...pushing to play every game in Hartford so they can be the main arena tenant...no way.
 
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If and when we're in the B1G, that 5K arena might end up looking useless. Except when Ohio State comes around.
 
Too all the people worrying about the 25-30 UConn dates mandated by the CRDA in their proposed 5 year lease agreement, relax. Absolutely nothing changes because UConn Hockey will be there until 2018-19 and they account for 15 dates. The precious basketball is safe.
 
Butch said:
Florida Panthers?
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1 of Carolina, Florida or Phoenix.

I think we'll have Las Vegas & Quebec City as expansion, Phoenix to Seattle when the out clause activates and around that time Florida or Carolina will become portable. The new XL Center will be ready and we'll be a solution to one of the NHL's headaches.
 
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Mr. Conehead said:
Note on Vegas...

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/11996421/nhl-las-vegas-truly-handle-expansion-team
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Oh I know all about Las Vegas' situation and don't agree with them as a contender but Gary and the owners only care about whether or not they get their asking price of $500M. The sticking point now for the NHL is how long they decide to wait for Seattle to build their arena. If little progress is made over the next 18-24 months I think they reluctantly go with QC as the 2nd expansion team.
 
The day Gary Bettman either retires or gets hit by a bus will be the absolute hands down BEST day in NHL history...especially for the fans! Wait till next season when the cap goes down again!
 
TheDoggPound said:
Oh I know all about Las Vegas' situation and don't agree with them as a contender but Gary and the owners only care about whether or not they get their asking price of $500M. The sticking point now for the NHL is how long they decide to wait for Seattle to build their arena. If little progress is made over the next 18-24 months I think they reluctantly go with QC as the 2nd expansion team.
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That I agree with. I mean, the story on Las Vegas is that they may have to consider day games versus night games on Fridays and Saturdays to fill the seats because fans (locals and visitors) just have too many options at night in Vegas. That clearly will not help NHL TV contracts as people work and no not watch TV Friday afternoons and Saturday afternoons through December are packed with college football and January though March with college basketball plus the growing viewership of European tier 1 soccer (EPL, La Liga, etc.). Not to mention the talent pool in the NHL is spread too thin already. Improve the quality of the product on the ice first and move the product to where people care about hockey (Pheonix to Seattle, Florida to Quebec City, Columbus to Hamilton/Toronto, and Carolina back to Hartford [yes, I am dreaming on that one]). Oh, and fire Bettman.
 
Butch said:
If and when we're in the B1G, that 5K arena might end up looking useless. Except when Ohio State comes around.
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No one will complain when the XL sells out at 15K plus for UConn Hockey. It will happen.
 
TheDoggPound said:
Oh I know all about Las Vegas' situation and don't agree with them as a contender but Gary and the owners only care about whether or not they get their asking price of $500M. The sticking point now for the NHL is how long they decide to wait for Seattle to build their arena. If little progress is made over the next 18-24 months I think they reluctantly go with QC as the 2nd expansion team.
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I haven't figured out why if they want a team in Vegas, just move Arizona there.
 
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TheDoggPound said:
Oh I know all about Las Vegas' situation and don't agree with them as a contender but Gary and the owners only care about whether or not they get their asking price of $500M. The sticking point now for the NHL is how long they decide to wait for Seattle to build their arena. If little progress is made over the next 18-24 months I think they reluctantly go with QC as the 2nd expansion team.
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I haven't figured out why if they want a team in Vegas, just move Arizona there.
 
And 15K a night for hockey is a pipe dream. Maybe once or twice if a big opponent is in town, but consistently, no. Not a single program in the country can do it, including those with enormous fanbases in hockey hotbeds like Minnesota and Wisconsin, there's no reason to believe UConn can do it. A 6-7K arena on camps would be the perfect fit, and in line with other HE/B1G arenas. If they had to put a couple big games in Hartford each year, go for it.
 
brasssbonanzaa said:
I haven't figured out why if they want a team in Vegas, just move Arizona there.
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NHL from all accounts wants to expand within the next 2 - 2 1/2 years, Seattle likely won't be ready by that time so that makes QC/Las Vegas the last two viable cities standing willing to fork over the $500M purchase price.

Phx will then relocate to Seattle and it'll work out practically the same except the league wasn't forced to wait any longer then they intended.
 
brasssbonanzaa said:
And 15K a night for hockey is a pipe dream. Maybe once or twice if a big opponent is in town, but consistently, no. Not a single program in the country can do it, including those with enormous fanbases in hockey hotbeds like Minnesota and Wisconsin, there's no reason to believe UConn can do it. A 6-7K arena on camps would be the perfect fit, and in line with other HE/B1G arenas. If they had to put a couple big games in Hartford each year, go for it.
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Did I say every time? The UConn-BC games last year may have drawn 10k without the curtains.
 
TheDoggPound said:
NHL from all accounts wants to expand within the next 2 - 2 1/2 years, Seattle likely won't be ready by that time so that makes QC/Las Vegas the last two viable cities standing willing to fork over the $500M purchase price.

Phx will then relocate to Seattle and it'll work out practically the same except the league wasn't forced to wait any longer then they intended.
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I beg to differ. I think the owners will work out a plan to balance out the conferences. Unless they want to keep the Western Conference smaller to make it easier and more desirable to play in the west because it'd be easier to make the playoffs.
 
I'm pretty sure that about a week ago someone published something stating that the NHL would not expand (as they had hoped to) and while they would attempt to spin it, the reason was that none of the candidates were willing to come close to the half billion dollar asking price.

The NHL has to be the most non-professionally run professional business in the history of mankind. I have a laundry list pages long about the small minded thinking and horrendous decisions that have haunted the league since the mid 1930's.
 
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