Is Baltimore Quietly Ramping Up for an AHL Team?

The NHL and its AHL affiliates are perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

With the debut of the Coachella Valley Firebirds and the relocation of the Stockton Heat to Calgary this season, the American Hockey League now has 32 teams to mirror its 32 National Hockey League parent clubs. NHL organizations have made large strides in the past ten or so years to purchase (or forge new affiliations with) AHL franchises, oftentimes moving them closer to home base for prospect development and re-assignments (see: the 2016 western exodus, Winnipeg, Colorado, Vegas, New Jersey, Vancouver, and Calgary…to name a few).

Many AHL teams either share arenas with their parent clubs or renovate existing arenas when the news of relocation is announced. But, what if one group is embracing the Field of Dreams philosophy: if you build (or re-build) it, they will come?

That’s the strategy that the Oak View Group may well be employing with the new renovations at the recently renamed CFG Bank Arena in downtown Baltimore, MD. The same investment company that owns both the Seattle Kraken and Coachella Valley Firebirds has spearheaded the estimated $200 million reconstruction of the old Baltimore Arena, where three previous franchises have called home from the early 1960’s to the mid-1990’s.

A press release from Oak View Group this past October included a quote from Baltimore’s mayor, Brandon M. Scott:

“I have said this on many occasions – there is a renaissance happening here in Baltimore,” proclaimed Scott. “People from all over see what we have long known and that is Baltimore is a great place for entertainment and recreation, and this new era for the Baltimore Arena, as well as the investment by Oak View Group and CFG Bank, speaks volumes about the commitment we all have to build a better Baltimore.”

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR BALTIMORE TO GET AN AHL FRANCHISE?

Does a self-proclaimed renaissance and better Baltimore include, perhaps, a new AHL franchise in Charm City?

Scott Wasilewski, host and director of hockey operations of the Face Off Hockey Show since 2001, is a Maryland native and also hosts Chesapeake Hockey Week and Defending The Den, the latter podcast covering the NAHL’s Maryland Black Bears. The idea of professional hockey returning to Baltimore is a topic Wasilewski has been toying with for years, but doesn’t think will happen unless there is support from an NHL team at the local level.

“This doesn’t happen if the (Washington Capitals) aren’t involved,” Wasilewski stated. “When the Bandits were around, there was interest, but they were all Anaheim prospects – not many local ties. To a lesser extent, same goes for the Icebreakers. They were Tampa affiliate, and people couldn’t care less.”

The Bandits were Baltimore’s AHL team from 1995 to 1997, while the Chesapeake Icebreakers were active in the ECHL from 1997 to 1999.

While the Capitals are in close proximity for a possible AHL franchise to work with, Washington already has a stable modern pipeline established with the Hershey Bears (since 2005). Washington has been affiliated with two previous AHL Baltimore franchises, but would the Capitals sacrifice a good working relationship for an unknown entity?

“There’s plenty of questions like if the Caps want to leave Hershey,” continued Wasilewski. “Especially since Hershey runs so well and produces plenty of talent for (Washington) without the Capitals owning it.”

A recent example of a club choosing proximity over long-distance synergy is the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs had a solid agreements with the Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters and San Antonio Rampage before opting to switch affiliations to the incoming (and nearby) Colorado Eagles prior to the 2017-18 season. Both teams have benefitted greatly from the pipeline, and the Eagles are not owned by the Avalanche, either. Could Baltimore have a similar benefit being a little over 40 miles from the U.S. capital? Wasilewski turns back to his primary argument.

“For support, I think it all boils down to the Caps question. People in the area won’t really care all that much if the team isn’t Caps affiiliated. Sure, it’s hockey – but it’s not the Caps branding, which people in and around Baltimore area know.”

Capitals support and affiliation is one thing, but a viable arena is another. Even with the renovations to the CFG Bank Arena, if hockey isn’t at the forefront of the minds of the Oak View Group there, then a Baltimore pro hockey team may have to wait until a new home is built.

“I didn’t see any mention of a new ice plant being put into the arena,” Wasilewski said of the CFG Bank renovation announcements. “That tells me all ice events would be off the table for the arena. There’s been plenty of rumors of Kevin Plank of Under Armour buying land around Baltimore County and putting an arena, but it’s all been talk. Unless they get a new arena – and unless they get the Capitals affiliation – pro hockey in the Baltimore area is a bleak proposition. Build it and they will come…under the right circumstances.”

With his coverage of the Black Bears, Wasilewski has seen that the state of Maryland can and will support minor pro hockey when the time comes again. But, in his opinion, the conditions need to be primed for that to occur.

“The growth of hockey and players in the state of Maryland trends to the idea a minor league hockey team could be good for the area, Baltimore being the main focus on things. But everything needs to line up perfect for a return. The Black Bears get plenty of support, club hockey in the area gets decent support, (and) the NCAA squad in Stevenson is a hidden gem for some people. But, support a minor pro team of any league would need to start with the arena and the affiliation.”

CONCLUSION

The old adage goes that a new minor league team needs three things to succeed: a suitable venue, competent ownership, and solid fan support / community engagement. If the Oak View Group were to pursue an AHL team, they would already have a renovated arena ready for use. OVG has proven to be competent ownership for both the Seattle Kraken and the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, but would have to purchase an existing franchise in the even 32-team American Hockey League. And, as Wesilewski addressed, the Maryland market is chomping at the bit for the first minor league hockey in the area since the 1990s.

Conditions would be perfect, but if Oak View isn’t interested, Baltimore will have to wait awhile until the perfect pro hockey storm rolls in again.