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Tailing the Komets

Hextall: One way or another we'll get through this

Just got off the phone with IHL Commissioner Dennis Hextall. Some highlights:

* Chicago Hounds owner Craig Drektrah is attending the ECHL meetings right now and will likely be invited to join.

* The Kinneys actually made money for McMorran Arena this year and then the arena management decided to change the terms of the deal, so the Kinneys said enough is enough.

* Hextall thinks the Kinneys will be back in the IHL in the near future but not next season, possibly putting up a building in Howell.

* Evansville is supposed to have a definitive answer on Thursday whether it will join IHL for next season.

* There are two or three potential expansion cities already looking at the IHL for the 2011-12 season.

* Hextall also thinks Flint and Muskegon could be back someday because he's not convinced those cities will support junior hockey.

* ``The IHL is not dead. I think this is a step back, but I think we may come out of this stronger than ever within a year or two years. This is going to be a real learning curve for both the IHL and CHL. We'll see what happens.''

* Why doesn't the IHL just merge with the CHL: ``We're dating, but we're not married. We want to keep our own identity for a couple of years and see how this works out. Both sides want to take a good, long look at

Posted in: Komets

Comments

JungleMonkey
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 2:15pm

Seems the tone has changed a bit.

Fresh blood. I wish they'd just merge and call it done. I don't see the leverage the "IHL" has in this "dating" senario.

mightbite
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 2:25pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_BwSTF3Qnk I was so excited , but now :(

Go Hawks! GO!
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 2:27pm

Sad day in Michigan though. I can make both Flint and Port Huron in under an hour but Howell is tough to get to in 2 hours. I feel bad for the staff of both teams because they are now looking for jobs.

Go Hawks! GO!
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 2:36pm

A dollar says Larry Sterling is wearing Orange and Black in October.

mightbite
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 2:42pm

If you remember I posted that about Larry Sterling :)

Go Hawks! GO!
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 2:47pm

At the 9-whatever shalacking his dad had an obvious man crush on Fort Wayne. I figured then it would be in his future if he had a chance.

Z.Anderson84
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 3:10pm

A dollar says Larry won't be in Orange and Black seeing how we will only be able to have 4 or 5 vets...you really think we are gonna spend a valuable vet spot on a guy that has never gotten it done in the playoffs....not a chance.

Steve
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 4:28pm

Goalies usually don't count towards the vet limit. How much money we can pay him might make a difference.

I think it would be fun to see him make a great save for us, the crowd start with Larrrrry, and he tips his mask to the fans.......

Yeah, it could happen....... :-)

BTW, I got ripped to shreds on Justin's blog three years ago for suggesting the possibility that he could someday be playing for us, ala Scott Gruhl.

Wendy
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 4:52pm

Wow. We all knew Port Huron was suspiciously AWOL, and the last news release out of Flint sounded just a little anxious to me, but this really is worse case scenerio for the IHL and the fans of those teams to lose both for next season.

Who knows where Larry will wind up, but on some level, but if he were to play for the Komets, I wouldn't be devastated. At least he's got spunk. And he's not half-bad at what he does.

QC Flamed out
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 6:06pm

Hextall needs to accept that the IHL is dead. It is ignorant to say that teams would leave the CHL to join the IHL in 2 years. The IHL had problems, the only solution is the CHL.

Dschebig
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 6:40pm

The City of Port Huron shot themselves in the foot. They screwed with Mr. Kinney and he had the final word. They (the Kinny's) made money operating the McMorran arena and they figured if he could they could. Stupid City Government will they ever learn? Government doesn't make money they only spend money! I feel bad for the Port Huron Hockey fans,

mightbite
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 6:42pm

Larry Sterling once played or Al Sims

Wendy
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 6:46pm

Well, I guess this explains the comments coming out of the Mad Anthony's Golf Tournament. I wondered what they meant about it being no big deal because the IHL was just losing two struggling teams. Nothing had been announced at that point, and I never really thought of Muskegon as struggling. Getting their spin ahead of the horse, apparently.

Jay
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 7:34pm

If you guys end up with Larry starting in net, there will be no way you guys will compete for the cup in the chl. Larry could not make it in the chl sveral years ago and it is a much better league now talent wise. He would be in the bottom half of the goalies that played in the chl last year

JungleMonkey
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 7:56pm

Sterling has been the benefactor of a great defense assembled by Stan Drulia. He's not a great goaltender.

Hit Somebody!!!
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 8:50pm

Just dating?

Wish I was allowed to say what is on my mind.

That is priceless.

Did Hextall really say that?

I hope the CHL.....nevermind.

Burgee
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 10:02pm

Government is not the solution to port Hurons problems, government is the problem. Right on Schebig, Schebig for blog president. I've got all takers on the dollar bets, juice is 20%

MR SNUFFLUPUGUS
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 10:49pm

Howell.....hope they don't call themselves the Klansmen.

MR SNUFFLUPUGUS
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 10:52pm

As point of information,
Howell is the county seat of Livingston County Michigan which is one of if not the fastest growing county in Michigan. Alot of "new money" has moved out there.

Sadly Howell was also once considered the KKK capital of the northern USA.

Bob
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 10:57pm

Burgee and DSchebig are right...Government on any level, has never shown a profit. From the things that I have read, the McMorran Board still thinks that it's the 1950's! That might be OK if I wanted to buy a really sweet Chevy Bel Air convertible, but not when it comes to business and operating a facility that is outdated and until recently, poorly managed. With the exception of the MC and a few other buildings, most local governments have no business operating a sports and entertainment venue...it goes about as well as gasoline and a lit match!

Bob
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 11:01pm

Mr. Snufflupugus....that is an interesting fact, that I was unaware of (the KKK thing)....Could it be comparable to Aboite Township here in Allen Co.? How far is Howell from Port Huron?

Wendy
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 12:14am

They wouldn't be the only ones in the hockey world stuck in the 1950's. According to Yahoo maps, Howell is roughly 100 miles west/southwest of Port Huron (due east of Lansing, but not quite that far north).

Dschebig
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 3:36am

If Kinney does go to Howell he will own the building and make money for sure! His problem now is getting government to let him build the building. Might have to protect some spotted horned frog or something just as crazy!

mightbite
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 3:52am

I drank the Kool-aid & thought it was good but now I'm starting to feel sick :(

Dschebig
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 6:27am

mightbite- Drink it slower...that way you will not get "brain freeze" I still feel good about this deal (whatever it is called) It appears egos have been left at the door and common sense is ruling or driving the talks. If that is so than I think we the fans will like the end product. It may take a season or two for everything to work itself out but in the end will be good for AA Hockey and the Komets!

JungleMonkey
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 6:32am

Am I really reading Aboite KKK, the government is out to get us, and Kool-Aid?

Let me say it again. I love the off-season.

Go Hawks! GO!
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 6:43am

Kinneys may want to be the next Pete Karmanos. They're a copy of each other. Computer stuff, Minor/Junior Hockey, Pete has a NHL team with a Stanley Cup in 2006, Larry and Frank want all of that. Land (open space) and infrastructure in Howell will be the largest cost. New money and growing means today's prices with no tax deals. Also that area is not centralized, it's spread out and pulling enough people I think would be tough.

Rob
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 7:09am

Why is it that every league the Frankes have been in haven't been worth squat? I kinda wish someone would come into Fort Wayne and put the Komets in a league that's worthwhile because this idiotic "business-model" isn't worth a tinker's.....

JR
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 9:31am

Have you ever been to a magic show and wondered how they pull off the tricks??? Stop wondering, its all smoke and mirrors. Magicians make alot of money fooling thier fans.........

MR SNUFFLUPUGUS
Thu, 06/17/2010 - 12:31pm

Rob you mean like the original IHL where virtually every team but the Komets ruined the league by giving away so many tickets that people eventually expected them for free and stopped paying for them? Back them I am sure people were b*tching at the Franke ownership for not following the trend and giving the tickets away for free to all of the cheapskates in town. That was their fault too, right Rob?

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