I will maintain hope for this years team, but the sad thing is, there was a time, very recently, where players would do anything to play for the Komets franchise. Now, just this season, we've had, what, at least 5 players that don't want to play here? I'm not blaming anything or anyone in particular, it's just sad as a Ks fan.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:19pm
That was in different leagues. Players in ECHL, for the most part, are stictly out for themselves. Fort Wayne is the same as Reading, Gwinnett, Elmira or Bakersfield to them.
booner
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:23pm
So honestly... the players that have left, and the players asking to leave right now... is because we are in the ECHL?
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:30pm
Not necessarily, but the point is the Komets are just like every other team in the ECHL which is going through massive roster turnover. They thought they could insulate themselves from it by going independent, but they can't. No one can. It's the way the league is set up, and the players know it. Everything in the ECHL is set up to serve the AHL. Everything. The roster rules, immigration stuff, everything.
I happen to think the local fans should be the focus of the league but they are definitely not.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:44pm
So many people are expecting it to be the way it always has been, and it can't ever be again. It wouldn't matter who was coaching or managing. There would be a constant turnover of players no matter what. It's a totally different hockey league no matter how hard you try to work it. Nobody hits, nobody fights, everyone mostly plays for themselves. Nobody knows going into the season what kind of team they are going to have because they can't. They just roll the dice and hang on. That's never worked very well for Fort Wayne fans. Guess we'll have to get used to it in the future.
KometsfanX
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:45pm
Blake, I appreciate your insight. Given your answers, and if Fort Wayne is the same to players as every other team, are our days of greatness over? Sure, we've got a tremendous history, but will we still be the revered Komets or will we become just another team since were in the E?
KometsfanX
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:46pm
Seems you knew my follow up question was coming, since you answered it as I was typing!
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 8:55pm
Been at this a long time. LOL.
#1Fan
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:00pm
Blake, remember the question I asked you right before Christmas? Have you heard who's the new guy coming in after Christmas? You were told by GM and Coach nothing was in the works. WOW! I will never ask that question again. All He double hockey sticks broke loose. Very disaapointing season so far.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:05pm
Hasn't been much fun for anybody, that's for sure.
OLDGUY45
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:08pm
Thanks for the information Blake. I now know for sure what this league is all about.I now know for sure I won't be renuing next year. This is not the kind of hockey I can support.I have followed the Komets since they started and just don't enjoy this.
RG2
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:21pm
Blake, based upon your comments and insight, it seems to me if the ECHL is nothing more then to serve the AHL and the players dont care what city it is, then why not just join the AHL? If a franchise, such as Fort Wayne is going to go thru this torment, then it might as well be at the AHL level. Would it not be better to pull players from the ECHL then have them pulled by the AHL?
The rivalries with Kalamazoo and Toledo mean nothing if they mean nothing to the players. What happened to the LARRY DEPALMA'S of the hockey world???? I guess with your logic, maybe the CHL was a better fit for our fans. I still fondly remember all the comments about us in the IHL/CHL and how people were NOT coming to games unless we moved to the ECHL. Be careful what you wish for.
I think you really nailed the ECHL system in a simple sentence. BTW, READING just lost 4 of their best 5 players in call- ups.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:24pm
How many times do you read about players who USED to play in the ECHL on the league website? Who cares! Tell me about somebody I might get to see play tonight.
You'll hate me for this, but I don't think FW fans will pay what it costs for AHL tickets. At least not enough of them.
RG2
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:40pm
How can you hate the truth? Probably would gain some hockey purests but in the end, lose more then gain. Like the old saying, hockey fights attract more fans then deters them. I dont think we have had a "normal" ECHL season yet.
The NHL lockout last year was an abberation for the ECHL and the talent we saw come thru early. This year I think its a lack of locker room presence more the anything. Those Chins and Chaulks keep eveyone rowing in the same direction. I dont know if we have that right now, nor have had it. Those can be franchise blessings for sure.
I guess if we all want more stability , the CHL is lookin pretty good. They had that "major announcement" about "expanding" a couple weeks ago... disgruntled ECHL franchises?
Anonymous
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:42pm
On a side note, Lang had two assists tonight being the second star. Wish all the best to Rutherford. I personally enjoy watching the komets in this league but still wish we were in CHL.... Yeah maybe we wont win a championship but watching the amount of talent on the ice is nice.
JR1
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:49pm
The only difference is that most teams are dealing with affiliate movement not unaffiliated players wanting the heck out... big difference.
I also see other teams coming into our barn and taking the body... they are echl players....they are hitting...
Sorry blake, I'm not buying what you are selling tonight... I understand everyone is in full damage control mode ; but fans aren't dumb...
Question: how "positive" does the locker room have to become to win with sphl talent?
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 9:57pm
Gee, JR, disagrees, there's a shock. I'm really hurt.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:01pm
None of this is new. I said all this long before this season ever started.
Hockey Fan
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:02pm
I was one of the fans wanting the Komets to join the ECHL . I did not know it was this kind of a league. Most of the players only playing for themselves and the league not caring about the fans. I do think if we want to get Komet Hockey back even if it's a small amout then the Frankes should go back to the CHL. I also will not support this kind of hockey. It's not entertaining at all for me.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:07pm
T hat can't happen, Hockey Fan. They are locked up in the ECHL for a long time.
We've actually agreed a lot lately; but you wouldn't point that out...
Most have appreciated your tougher stance lately and getting answers to tough questions...
Can you refute anything I said? Can you explain why almost every other team hits when they come here or that the nature of our player movement is vastly different than the majority of the league?
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:16pm
I've had the same attitude and stance I've always had, and I've been asking all the same questions I always have.
I haven't really seen many teams hit, period, at least not like the old days which is all everybody screams for. I just don't that being much a part of hockey any more. One or two players? Yes. Whole teams. No.
I think the Frankes tried to control their roster and without an affiliation that meant smaller players. They tried to skate around the bigger players and it hasn't worked like they hoped. If you go with affiliations, it's going to be 50 players in and out of here all the time, constant turnover from year to year with no one being able to identify with players.
It was a bold gamble, but so far it hasn't worked because this league is set up to stop that.
Myself, I've always enjoyed getting to know players and watching them grow as people, too. The constant turnover and pure speed skating bores me. I want rivalries, and we'll never see those again. Give me Konrad Reeder any day. LOL.
Eamon Rice
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:22pm
"Every time the Komets have suffered bad seasons during the 23-year Franke ownership, they've come back much stronger the next season. Except for winning championships, the Frankes love nothing better than being questioned and having to start over, embracing the challenge of having to prove themselves again."
That was from the second article you just linked regarding a possible affiation this past summer. I guess were going to wait until never summer to be stronger, eh?
OldHockeyFart
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:28pm
Look at the majority of teams in the ECHL, not exactly hockey hotbeds. So this brand of hockey is fine with the fans who attend the game.
Blake has beat the drum to death, even before we joined the "E" as to the make up of the league. Many just didn't listen or think it was as bad as it was.
I might be wrong but didn't the Komets join the "E" under a 3 year deal? I might have it confused with the CHL deal.
What would be nice is to get Indy for a year and then our entire division leave, to return to real hockey. Plus get Peoria to join the 7 team league. Play each team 6 home 6 road. Pure bus league with player payroll cap 10-20 percent higher then ECHL. No veteran rules. Play a 72 game schedule with top four making the playoffs.
Longest bus rides would be Kzoo & Toledo going to Evansville. But with Cincy, Indy, & Peoria two game road trips would not be horrible.
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 10:34pm
I think it's a 10-year deal.
Anonymous
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 11:10pm
I remember the "old" fans complaining about they wouldn't support lower level hockey ( when K's left the I) now they won't pay for the higher level hockey...
time to grow up Komet fans + management, those days are long gone
if you want talented hockey players here, you have to show them that they can go somewhere FROM here...
if you want fans who are into the game ( not booger eaters who are asleep by the 2nd period) DROP the fat head races + hair cut ad's... SELL HOCKEY TO ADULTS....
hire a REAL GM with contacts with a NHL club + let them pick the coach that way we play the system they play.... guys can move around easier that way.... our way vs their way will never work what I loved when I was growing up was seeing guys in the "show" who had a cup of coffee in the Fort
otherwise, cut my bill by 4 + bring in Guy, Fletch, Chinner and play 4 X 4
on the glass
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 11:13pm
that last post about "booger eaters" was by me.... let me have it
Blake Sebring
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 11:19pm
In other words, it becomes all about providing product for the AHL and not the fans here. Yawn.
Who/SuZ
Mon, 12/30/2013 - 11:19pm
Wow....was catching up on Breaking Bad.....missed this discussion entirely
Have to agree with Blake....this league is no fun for us fans to watch....no continuity of fans getting to know the players and as he says watch them grow....you need a scorecard every night to determine who is here and who is not
Glad to c they are going the the SPHL for a player or so.....suggested that a while back
Hard to say if we will come back for this style of hockey next year....would not mind paying for AHL tickets however if we moved up and had less team movement
booner
Tue, 12/31/2013 - 7:11am
I guess i need to look into the other teams in this league. see how many players force trades, request trades, or turn down a ECHL roster spot to join the CHL. im not saying your wrong, infact i pretty much agree with your opinion on the ECHL, but this K's team... right now... cant be blamed on them being in the ECHL. something is stinky, and its being noticed.
Comments
I will maintain hope for this years team, but the sad thing is, there was a time, very recently, where players would do anything to play for the Komets franchise. Now, just this season, we've had, what, at least 5 players that don't want to play here? I'm not blaming anything or anyone in particular, it's just sad as a Ks fan.
That was in different leagues. Players in ECHL, for the most part, are stictly out for themselves. Fort Wayne is the same as Reading, Gwinnett, Elmira or Bakersfield to them.
So honestly... the players that have left, and the players asking to leave right now... is because we are in the ECHL?
Not necessarily, but the point is the Komets are just like every other team in the ECHL which is going through massive roster turnover. They thought they could insulate themselves from it by going independent, but they can't. No one can. It's the way the league is set up, and the players know it. Everything in the ECHL is set up to serve the AHL. Everything. The roster rules, immigration stuff, everything.
I happen to think the local fans should be the focus of the league but they are definitely not.
So many people are expecting it to be the way it always has been, and it can't ever be again. It wouldn't matter who was coaching or managing. There would be a constant turnover of players no matter what. It's a totally different hockey league no matter how hard you try to work it. Nobody hits, nobody fights, everyone mostly plays for themselves. Nobody knows going into the season what kind of team they are going to have because they can't. They just roll the dice and hang on. That's never worked very well for Fort Wayne fans. Guess we'll have to get used to it in the future.
Blake, I appreciate your insight. Given your answers, and if Fort Wayne is the same to players as every other team, are our days of greatness over? Sure, we've got a tremendous history, but will we still be the revered Komets or will we become just another team since were in the E?
Seems you knew my follow up question was coming, since you answered it as I was typing!
Been at this a long time. LOL.
Blake, remember the question I asked you right before Christmas? Have you heard who's the new guy coming in after Christmas? You were told by GM and Coach nothing was in the works. WOW! I will never ask that question again. All He double hockey sticks broke loose. Very disaapointing season so far.
Hasn't been much fun for anybody, that's for sure.
Thanks for the information Blake. I now know for sure what this league is all about.I now know for sure I won't be renuing next year. This is not the kind of hockey I can support.I have followed the Komets since they started and just don't enjoy this.
Blake, based upon your comments and insight, it seems to me if the ECHL is nothing more then to serve the AHL and the players dont care what city it is, then why not just join the AHL? If a franchise, such as Fort Wayne is going to go thru this torment, then it might as well be at the AHL level. Would it not be better to pull players from the ECHL then have them pulled by the AHL?
The rivalries with Kalamazoo and Toledo mean nothing if they mean nothing to the players. What happened to the LARRY DEPALMA'S of the hockey world???? I guess with your logic, maybe the CHL was a better fit for our fans. I still fondly remember all the comments about us in the IHL/CHL and how people were NOT coming to games unless we moved to the ECHL. Be careful what you wish for.
I think you really nailed the ECHL system in a simple sentence. BTW, READING just lost 4 of their best 5 players in call- ups.
How many times do you read about players who USED to play in the ECHL on the league website? Who cares! Tell me about somebody I might get to see play tonight.
You'll hate me for this, but I don't think FW fans will pay what it costs for AHL tickets. At least not enough of them.
How can you hate the truth? Probably would gain some hockey purests but in the end, lose more then gain. Like the old saying, hockey fights attract more fans then deters them. I dont think we have had a "normal" ECHL season yet.
The NHL lockout last year was an abberation for the ECHL and the talent we saw come thru early. This year I think its a lack of locker room presence more the anything. Those Chins and Chaulks keep eveyone rowing in the same direction. I dont know if we have that right now, nor have had it. Those can be franchise blessings for sure.
I guess if we all want more stability , the CHL is lookin pretty good. They had that "major announcement" about "expanding" a couple weeks ago... disgruntled ECHL franchises?
On a side note, Lang had two assists tonight being the second star. Wish all the best to Rutherford. I personally enjoy watching the komets in this league but still wish we were in CHL.... Yeah maybe we wont win a championship but watching the amount of talent on the ice is nice.
The only difference is that most teams are dealing with affiliate movement not unaffiliated players wanting the heck out... big difference.
I also see other teams coming into our barn and taking the body... they are echl players....they are hitting...
Sorry blake, I'm not buying what you are selling tonight... I understand everyone is in full damage control mode ; but fans aren't dumb...
Question: how "positive" does the locker room have to become to win with sphl talent?
Gee, JR, disagrees, there's a shock. I'm really hurt.
None of this is new. I said all this long before this season ever started.
I was one of the fans wanting the Komets to join the ECHL . I did not know it was this kind of a league. Most of the players only playing for themselves and the league not caring about the fans. I do think if we want to get Komet Hockey back even if it's a small amout then the Frankes should go back to the CHL. I also will not support this kind of hockey. It's not entertaining at all for me.
T hat can't happen, Hockey Fan. They are locked up in the ECHL for a long time.
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121211/SPORTS/...
http://news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130402/SPORTS/1304...
We've actually agreed a lot lately; but you wouldn't point that out...
Most have appreciated your tougher stance lately and getting answers to tough questions...
Can you refute anything I said? Can you explain why almost every other team hits when they come here or that the nature of our player movement is vastly different than the majority of the league?
I've had the same attitude and stance I've always had, and I've been asking all the same questions I always have.
I haven't really seen many teams hit, period, at least not like the old days which is all everybody screams for. I just don't that being much a part of hockey any more. One or two players? Yes. Whole teams. No.
I think the Frankes tried to control their roster and without an affiliation that meant smaller players. They tried to skate around the bigger players and it hasn't worked like they hoped. If you go with affiliations, it's going to be 50 players in and out of here all the time, constant turnover from year to year with no one being able to identify with players.
It was a bold gamble, but so far it hasn't worked because this league is set up to stop that.
Myself, I've always enjoyed getting to know players and watching them grow as people, too. The constant turnover and pure speed skating bores me. I want rivalries, and we'll never see those again. Give me Konrad Reeder any day. LOL.
"Every time the Komets have suffered bad seasons during the 23-year Franke ownership, they've come back much stronger the next season. Except for winning championships, the Frankes love nothing better than being questioned and having to start over, embracing the challenge of having to prove themselves again."
That was from the second article you just linked regarding a possible affiation this past summer. I guess were going to wait until never summer to be stronger, eh?
Look at the majority of teams in the ECHL, not exactly hockey hotbeds. So this brand of hockey is fine with the fans who attend the game.
Blake has beat the drum to death, even before we joined the "E" as to the make up of the league. Many just didn't listen or think it was as bad as it was.
I might be wrong but didn't the Komets join the "E" under a 3 year deal? I might have it confused with the CHL deal.
What would be nice is to get Indy for a year and then our entire division leave, to return to real hockey. Plus get Peoria to join the 7 team league. Play each team 6 home 6 road. Pure bus league with player payroll cap 10-20 percent higher then ECHL. No veteran rules. Play a 72 game schedule with top four making the playoffs.
Longest bus rides would be Kzoo & Toledo going to Evansville. But with Cincy, Indy, & Peoria two game road trips would not be horrible.
I think it's a 10-year deal.
I remember the "old" fans complaining about they wouldn't support lower level hockey ( when K's left the I) now they won't pay for the higher level hockey...
time to grow up Komet fans + management, those days are long gone
if you want talented hockey players here, you have to show them that they can go somewhere FROM here...
if you want fans who are into the game ( not booger eaters who are asleep by the 2nd period) DROP the fat head races + hair cut ad's... SELL HOCKEY TO ADULTS....
hire a REAL GM with contacts with a NHL club + let them pick the coach that way we play the system they play.... guys can move around easier that way.... our way vs their way will never work what I loved when I was growing up was seeing guys in the "show" who had a cup of coffee in the Fort
otherwise, cut my bill by 4 + bring in Guy, Fletch, Chinner and play 4 X 4
that last post about "booger eaters" was by me.... let me have it
In other words, it becomes all about providing product for the AHL and not the fans here. Yawn.
Wow....was catching up on Breaking Bad.....missed this discussion entirely
Have to agree with Blake....this league is no fun for us fans to watch....no continuity of fans getting to know the players and as he says watch them grow....you need a scorecard every night to determine who is here and who is not
Glad to c they are going the the SPHL for a player or so.....suggested that a while back
Hard to say if we will come back for this style of hockey next year....would not mind paying for AHL tickets however if we moved up and had less team movement
I guess i need to look into the other teams in this league. see how many players force trades, request trades, or turn down a ECHL roster spot to join the CHL. im not saying your wrong, infact i pretty much agree with your opinion on the ECHL, but this K's team... right now... cant be blamed on them being in the ECHL. something is stinky, and its being noticed.