The NHL in Las Vegas?

Back from a week in Las Vegas and Valley really opens up the mind to a broader perspective when it comes to entertainment and sports in general. Having several conversations with locals about the now departed IHL, the current ECHL Hockey team and the NHL in general. The people of Las Vegas who are residents don't have a specific sport they follow in the dozens of thousands other then their University Basketball. Sure they love their NFL football and they love their NBA Basketball but don't write them off when it comes to NHL Hockey just yet. IN several southern cities I have visited over the years, their can be a distaste for hockey as minor league. Not the case with the majority of locals in Las Vegas and area.

Before you start saying, "C'mon, let's be real here, there is not the population or $ for hockey in Las Vegas!" think again! Las Vegas and Valley has a population of approx 2 million people. That is the population of residents not with tourism. Currently with the economy being the way it is in the last few years in the States Las Vegas is attracting approx 120,000 in visitors each day for tourism. That would mean on a daily basis, there is 2.12 million people who could consider the NHL game for entertainment.

There is also something important for NHL hockey to survive in any city and that is called Corporate Dollars and we know there is plenty of that in droves in Las Vegas. 70% of International Flights into Las Vegas are from Canada and we know that they experience about 1500 visitors from Canada daily via WestJet alone. The approx totals are 4700 Canadians are visiting Las Vegas daily. It is estimated that about 2,000 Las Vegas Residents are french Canadians who reside as residents and then there are those who have relocated and live in Las Vegas from other parts of Canada. 

So doing some math here, let's say 25% of Canadian visitors would take in a NHL hockey game in Las Vegas and 25% of the local Residents who are Canadian would do the same. That would bring our total to...1175 Visitors to buy a ticket to a NHL game and 500 local French Canadians who are now residents of Las Vegas as well. Add in a guess of a additional 2,000 Canadians who reside in Las Vegas and you have a additional 500 people to purchase tickets to a NHL Hockey game. That would bring a total of 2,175 Tickets guaranteed to be sold every game at a very manageable number. Even if Las Vegas Residents were at .5% that would consider to buy tickets to go to a NHL game that would amount to a further 10,000 people. While you would have to be careful with ticket prices. entertainment value is what matters in Vegas, very few places have cheap tickets for anything. It's a place where people expect to be entertained and also expect to pay decent prices for that. In my estimate (I believe it is under estimating as well) that would mean the arena could sell easily close to 12,200 tickets per NHL game.

Enough with my numbers, let's look at some local news 

out of Las Vegas on this very topic...

Frozen Fury 2012 Las Vegas at the MGM Grand (CANCELLED)

 L.A. Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche

By Zeke Quezada, About.com Guide

The NHL lockout has cancelled this great event. You can blame the owners, you can blame the players but either way hockey fans will get no game in Las Vegas this year. Don't worry, they'll have the event next year and expect fans to fill the seats all over again. Apparently, the NHL believes that it is ok to have a work stoppage just as the game was gaining some serious momentum. Can you tell I'm a disgruntled fan? If every season ticket holder in every city would just stop paying the NHL might realize that the game really is about the people who fill the seats, buy the merchandise or travel to see their teams.

Tickets for this game will be refunded at the point of purchase. However, if you have a hotel reservation or flight booked I guess you have to go to Vegas! Luckily, for you this huge hockey fan is a big fan of Las Vegas as well.

The current seating capacity of the MGM Grand Arena is 16,800 but likely would be slightly smaller for hockey. It is possible the MGM Grand could be a temporary home for a NHL team until a new Sports Arena could be constructed. Wait! You have not heard? Here is another article and rendering of a possible new entertainment complex in the great city of Las Vegas...

Las Vegas could soon have an NHL-ready arena

By Brian Stubits | Blogger

Quebec City is working on an arena that will be open for operation by 2015 in hopes of luring an NHL franchise back to town. Seattle continues to try and reach an agreement with investor Chris Hanson to eventually build an arena there that would be suitable for both the NHL and getting an NBA team back. The Toronto suburb of Markham is getting its own arena that would be NHL-ready.

Those are the very obvious reasons why Quebec City, Seattle and Markham are 1, 2 and 3 when discussing potential relocation of teams in hockey. Las Vegas might soon be in the conversation. In similar fashion to Seattle, Las Vegas would like to get an NBA team in town. There has actually been discussion of Sin City getting pro basketball after the league has had events in Vegas including the All-Star Game. That just opens the door for the possibilities of a hockey team joining for the fun.

Getting a new building up in Vegas has been a conversation for some time. The latest proposal which seems to have some steam building would put a state-of-the-art building with a capacity of nearly 20,000 right on the Las Vegas strip. Imagine that arena in the rendering above being right down the street from the world-famous images of Las Vegas. Personally, I love the fact that it comes with a fountain pool out front of the main entrance ... so Vegas.

Las Vegas Sun writes:

The Las Vegas Arena Foundation (LVAF) is proposing a 20,000-seat indoor arena to be built on the Strip on land owned by Caesars Entertainment behind Imperial Palace. The facility would be suitable for an NBA or NHL franchise, as well as other events such as concerts or the National Finals Rodeo, which has been at the Thomas & Mack Center since 1985. The LVAF is planning to fund the $500 million project by implementing a 0.9 percent sales tax for specified businesses within a three-mile radius of the proposed location.

he story goes on to outline the finer details including financing as well as the hurdles said proposal faces in addition to the support it already has. Basically, it's only in the very early stages and might not come to fruition but knowing Vegas a new arena will be coming one way or the other and the city will likely always be mentioned as a possibility for relocation.

If the league officials were to be honest with themselves I wonder how much of an appetite they would have for putting another team in the Southwestern desert. It's not to say there aren't good hockey fans in Las Vegas -- just like there are good fans in the Phoenix area -- but the question is if there are enough. By the rendering above it's pretty clear what the main goal of the arena would be ... the NBA, not the NHL.

I would think at this stage there is as good of a chance of a hockey team -- Coyotes,Islanders or possible expansion teams -- making Vegas its home as there is of snowball's chance in, well, Vegas. But if you build it they might come (sorry to you, Kansas City).

The Foundation wants to fund building the arena thanks to a sales tax hike to help pay off the $500 million estimated cost. The Sun report says the proposed arena would have 94 luxury suites to go along with the 20,000 seats making it an ideal setup for a team to call it their home. Major professional leagues have been wary to pursue Las Vegas, however, thanks to that whole legalized gambling thing in Nevada.

As for the NHL’s interests in Vegas, the annual NHL Awards call the city home as does big time hockey fan Jerry Bruckheimer who has had ownership aspirations in the past. Vegas joins Quebec City, Seattle, Brooklyn, and Kansas City as potential future landing spots for the NHL either via relocation or expansion.

The HockeyFanatic shares on his blog similar thoughts and even rates Las Vegas as #3 choice for a NHL team.

Las Vegas, Nevada – the NHL in Las Vegas?  The idea is not that far fetched as you may think.  With the large number of Canadians who visit Sin City, the NHL could do very well in Vegas.  Las Vegas surprisingly does not have a professional sports team, so the NHL would not be in competition with other major sports although the UNLV teams might have something to say about that.  The IHL previously took a test spin in Vegas with the Las Vegas Thunder, so ice hockey does work there.  The annual preseason games between the Kings and Avalanche doe very well in Las Veags each September.  I would love to see an NHL franchise in Las Vegas, I think a lot of other fans would like to see a team there too.  A longshot but maybe not as far out as we think.

Anyone notice the cost approx being 500 Million? Are we very far off of that number with our State of the Art complex Edmonton is considering? I know in my case,  I would plan a time in Las Vegas and take in a NHL game in Sin City every time I went, I would likely go yearly as would many other Canadian hockey fans. I am not saying, but I am just saying! Just a thought...Agree? Disagree? Let us know what your thoughts are. 

NOTE: THe Las Vegas Wranglers playing in a older, smaller arena, in a semi-minor pro league the ECHL average almost 5,000 fans a game. The difference of interest between the ECHL and the AHL? Quite different. The difference between the ECHL and the NHL? Monumental.

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to www.twitter.com/revingev 

NHL Lockout is Affecting the Oilers in 3 Good Ways

Please stand by while greedy people fight.

If there is a sliver lining for this NHL lockout, it's that the Edmonton Oilers have three things in this NHL lockout going for them!

Number one;

Letting Taylor Hall have more time to recover, because if the NHL season would have started on time, he might have been rushed in a little bit to fast then he would have liked.

Number two;

Developing their farm team by getting their players that will hopefully be in Edmonton someday to hang out and play with some of the great young faces of the Edmonton Oilers. Hopefully most of the kids playing in OKC will be playing someday with guys like Ebs, Hallsy and RNH on the Oilers. This is great experience to have them "gel" ahead of time.

Justin: Thanks for signing me

Steve: No problem. It's fun locking out people after I sign them. Yakupov, Hallsy, Eberle and now you.

Number three;

Getting Schultz time in the AHL so it's not as big of a step from college to the NHL. That's a big leap and if I may say my thoughts on him, what a player he is turning out to be. He's better than anyone could have thought, even with the high expectations people had on him.

This article is written by Noah Fuchs.

"Oilers 2nd Team Prospects"

As mentioned in my previous post on OILERS 1ST TEAM PROSPECTS , sometimes taking time to look through a NHL franchise system can be a good indicator of exactly what areas look strong and what areas need improvement in. I do really believe you can see the real depth at a position of need by the depth in the organization. What stood out loud and clear in the 1st Team Prospects list is that, the Center position is one of weakest and MUST be remedied as soon as possible. Goaltending may not be all-star quality but their is some potential and we all know the Oilers have now great future depth on the blue even if the current big Club lacks somewhat today.

As far as who is eligible and who isn't for the Prospects, I am going to make it simple. A player can not have played more then 60 games in the NHL and not be over 25 years of age.

Introducing your Oilers 2nd Team Prospects!

Starting at Right Wing, at 6'2 and weighing 193 lbs. 

Tyler Pitlick

I have been closely observing Pitlick's career since being drafted by the Oilers and while it doesn't all look good, Tyler is a strong worker, has size and strength and while he has not been producing much offence, I have seen his shot and it is accurate and hard. I wish he would have been groomed as a Center but both Tyler and the Oilers organization seem to have settled in on him being a RW player. He appears to be looking at a high end of third line checker who can plug in some goals here and there.

On Left Wing, standing 6'3 and weighing in at 202 lbs. 

Curtis Hamilton

Curtis has struggled so far in his Minor pro career but he continues to work hard and is starting to sign the signs that the Oilers drafted him for. Until the NHL boys move out of OKC we will really not get a chance to see what Hamilton can do at the AHL level. He is working the PK recently and was a specialist in jr. While he as well has not shown the offence, Curtis is more likely looking at a 4th line hard nosed player role who can be a effective penalty killer in the NHL, possibly covering in on the 3rd line on occasion. Likely is still this year and one more season away of development before trying out in the NHL.

At Center, Standing 6'3 and coming in at 207 lbs...

Ryan Martindale

Ryan had a tremendous offensive career in jr hockey but was known to be lagging behind on occasion. His first year in minor pro in the ECHL was underwhelming and despite his limited progress came into AHL camp and impressed coaches and oilers brass. He started the first few games exceptionally well with limited errors but has fallen on a bad stretch again as of late. He has been the odd man out of the Barons line up on some nights and like other players developing there, his chance will come soon enough when RNH is no longer on OKC. Is big, strong, creative but needs to show consistency. Highest potential would be a #2 Center but low end could be no better the a career ECHL'er. It's all in Ryan's hands when it comes to his future. His time is running out, so he will need to make a move real soon.

On Defence, standing at 6'4 and weighing 187lbs...

Martin Marincin

Martin came on the Oilers Radar with a incredible 1st season as a import player in Prince George with the Cougars. Later in the year he tuckered out probably due to not playing the amount of games in a season and the adjustment he encountered with all the wear and tear of travel. His second year went ok, but he still didnt seem to put on much more muscle and strength and caused some concerns with critcs of his game. He was traded before the WHL trade deadline and while not scoring at earlier paces did seem to start working more on his defensive game. This year being his 1st as a minor league pro has had some downs but most of all ups. His quality playing time with the 'phenom' Justin Schultz was a perfect storm for him in his being mentored into the pro game of hockey. A good player who has potential to be a 2nd line defence pairing but should at least settle into a 6th or 7th defencemen role in the NHL.

On Defence, at 6'5 and 191 lbs...

Martin Gernat

Gernat won a WHL Championship and just when everyone was saying 'what's he going to do for a encore in year 2?', he came down with a injury and is just about ready to take action in 2013. Hopefully this injury does not stall his progress, but like Marincin, Gernat is a tall player and has some good offence from the backend and has a great stick on the ice. At his height, that long reach will only be a assest in his future pro opportunity. Until he can show this injury will not stall his progress it will be difficult to measure his top end but I put him around the same range as Marincin.

In Goal and standing at 6'0, weighing 170 lbs...

Olivier Roy

Olivia Roy had a stellar year with the Stockton Thunder last year and is honing his skills this year as back up in OKC. He has had a couple shaky starts but in all fairness the games he got the opportunity the team played like crap on the backend and forwards not seemingly back checking. Roy is still adjusting and my guess is, by february we will see his game improving in leaps and bounds as he adjusts to the next level of pro hockey. A good prospect but has his work cut out for him.

Oilers 2nd Team Prospects

Hamilton/Martindale/Pitlick

Marincin/Gernat

Roy

Not a terrible group for a 2nd team of Oiler prospects but nobody will be writing rave reviews on this group either. Other then Marinicn all their chances are low in making the NHL one day but each one has potential and still has time for development.

My bet? Just like last post on the 1st team, I still see Center as the greatest need for this organization. What they need is a good 2nd line Center at this years next draft or they need to trade for a good one.

Continuing to look at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and if there is no season, there is a strong possibility the Oilers could land a Sean Monahan, Aleksander Barkov or at least a Curtis Lazar. Of these names, I would say their is a good chance we could see one of them putting on a Oilers Jersey at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to www.twitter.com/revingev 

MOVEMBER Update in " OIl Country"

Movember is coming to a end very soon. Only 9 days to go and upper lip growth is in full growing mode for some. For some maybe little growth but you got to admire the efforts of anyone who wants to raise awareness for men's health. The NHL is still in CB negotiations (or lack of) and very little focus has been on the raising funds  

Brandon Davidson

Brandon one of the Oilers prospects has been under going some treatment himself and we wish him a speedy recovery. Brandon has always been a fighter when it comes to overcoming adversity and we here at Oilers Jambalaya stand firmly behind Davidson and his family.

Alex Plante

Its been a tough early start this year for Plante but I always appreciate a hard working player regardless of the results on the ice. Plante has always been a good supporter of Movember.

We here at Oilers Jambalaya are trying our best to raise funds and awareness. If your able to donate anything to our cause just click on our cause for movember and donate to the team. If your unable to do so, all we ask is you continue to spread the word for awareness around your community. Is it silly growing a stache in a community where many people think they look awful? It may be, but in the end, that is the point. What a better conversation piece then growing a funny looking mustache? All donations are tax receiptable and can easily be donated to with our above links on our page. 

Here is my personal update as promised when this month started. Day 1 was clean, Day 11 was a start, now today is Day 21...I would like to take this time to not only thank you for your continued support of our blog site  but also in your continued support in this awesome cause of raising awareness for Men's Health!

Evan "Revingev" Renaerts 

DAY 1

Evan "Revingev" Renaerts 

DAY 11

Evan "Revingev" Renaerts 

DAY 21

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to www.twitter.com/revingev 

REVS 2013 Top 15 Draft Prospects #5. Hunter Shinkaruk

#5. Hunter Shinkaruk

As a late birthday, left winger Hunter Shinkaruk has been on the draft radar longer than other players but like Seth Jones will be one of the older prospects in this draft class.  Hunter had a impressive rookie campaign that saw him net 42 points in 63 games. Then he exploded for 91 in his full sophomore season. This year at his current pace he could possibly top the 100 point mark and that is without Etem Emerson who was a linemate of his last year in route to a successful year. Hunter has recognized the attention on him this year comes with great difficulties. He is no stranger to adversity. Hunter states “I was getting hit after whistles more than before whistles,” he said. “But that’s what I want, to have that spotlight and to be the best player I can be.” 

 

Shinkaruk will need to tighten up defensively scouts will agree. “He has a lot to learn, as all young kids do,” said one scout. “Hunter was always so gifted growing up that he was allowed to get away with some things defensively. Now he needs to learn to play a team game.” Hunters speed is his greatest assest. He is listed as at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds but most scouts aren’t worried about him handling the rigors of the pro game. “He’s not that small anymore,” said one scout. “Look at Patrick Kane or Sam Gagner; they had elements that brought them success. Hunter’s element is his speed. He’s a highly skilled kid and a very explosive skater.”

 

  

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-		Postseas.	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-
2007-08	Calgary Royals Gold Bantam AAA	AMBHL	33	10	30	40	24		|	Playoffs	3	2	2	4	0
2008-09	Calgary Royals Gold Bantam AAA	AMBHL	27	32	31	63	10		|	Playoffs	10	11	11	22	6
2009-10	Calgary Royals Midget AAA	AMHL	3	0	1	1	0		|
2010-11	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL	63	14	28	42	24		|	Playoffs	14	4	5	9	0
	Canada Pacific U17	WHC-17	6	5	4	9	2		|
2011-12	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL	66	49	42	91	38	17	|	Playoffs	8	2	9	11	6	-4
	Canada U18	WJC-18	6	4	4	8	6	3	|
2012-13	Medicine Hat Tigers	WHL	22	15	18	33	8	2	|

I have Hunter ranked to start this year at #5 but he will be in tough to stay in that top 5 lottery position at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. It is less of what is wrong with Hunter and more of what is happening with the other players ranked around Hunter. Hunter has the possibility of going anywhere from #4 OV to dropping to #8 OV. As much as they say his size is not a issue it is still a consideration in the overall game of selecting a top draft pick. 

For Oiler prospect news and the 2013 or 2014 NHL draft watch, go to www.twitter.com/revingev