Private or Community Ownership for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, or is it BACK to Winnipeg?

In 1967, they began as the WINNIPEG JETS.  From 1973-76 they operated as the WINNIPEG CLUBS.  Then it was one season as the WINNIPEG MONARCHS, before relocating to Calgary to become the CALGARY WRANGLERS until 1987.  In 1987,  the city that lost its BRONCOS regained its WHL team and the Lethbridge Hurricanes were born.   Prior to this season, the fewest wins in a 72 game season the Huricanes had earned was 20 (1987-88 & 2009-10) - The Canes have absolutely redefined "lousy" this season .  With only three hockey games remaining in their season, the LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES have won only 12 hockey games.

(The following Standings include games played through Mar 10, 2014 only) 

	2013-2014 Regular Season
Rank	Eastern Conference	GP	W	L	OTL	SL	PTS	PCT	GF	GA	STK	P10	PIM
1	x * - Edmonton Oil Kings	68	47	18	2	1	97	0.713	279	169	0-1-0-0	5-4-1-0	1132
2	x * - Regina Pats	69	38	25	3	3	82	0.594	244	236	0-1-0-0	7-3-0-0	1211
3	x Calgary Hitmen	69	45	17	3	4	97	0.703	271	197	1-0-0-0	7-2-0-1	1052
4	x Medicine Hat Tigers	69	42	23	3	1	88	0.638	247	188	1-0-0-0	6-3-0-1	853
5	x Kootenay Ice	68	39	25	2	2	82	0.603	226	194	2-0-0-0	7-3-0-0	794
6	x Swift Current Broncos	69	35	25	3	6	79	0.572	234	219	1-0-0-0	6-3-1-0	990
7	Prince Albert Raiders	68	33	30	3	2	71	0.522	226	239	4-0-0-0	7-2-1-0	801
8	Red Deer Rebels	69	33	31	1	4	71	0.514	202	215	0-1-0-0	5-4-0-1	1100
9	Brandon Wheat Kings	69	31	29	6	3	71	0.514	253	258	0-3-0-1	3-6-0-1	841
10	Moose Jaw Warriors	69	20	40	3	6	49	0.355	191	272	3-0-0-0	5-5-0-0	1200
11	Saskatoon Blades	68	16	47	2	3	37	0.272	191	290	0-8-0-0	1-8-1-0	943
12	Lethbridge Hurricanes	69	12	52	2	3	29	0.210	163	341	0-11-0-0	0-10-0-0	1342
Rank	Western Conference	GP	W	L	OTL	SL	PTS	PCT	GF	GA	STK	P10	PIM
1	x * - Kelowna Rockets	68	54	10	0	4	112	0.824	293	170	2-0-0-0	8-2-0-0	1027
2	x * - Portland Winterhawks	68	50	13	2	3	105	0.772	318	199	3-0-0-0	9-1-0-0	1131
3	x Victoria Royals	68	47	17	1	3	98	0.721	228	168	5-0-0-0	9-1-0-0	928
4	x Seattle Thunderbirds	68	40	22	2	4	86	0.632	226	230	1-0-0-0	4-5-0-1	1242
5	x Spokane Chiefs	68	38	24	3	3	82	0.603	232	199	2-0-0-0	5-4-0-1	1118
6	x Everett Silvertips	68	36	23	7	2	81	0.596	202	194	8-0-0-1	8-1-0-1	779
7	x Vancouver Giants	69	31	27	7	4	73	0.529	223	235	0-1-0-1	4-5-0-1	1084
8	Tri-City Americans	68	28	32	3	5	64	0.471	169	211	0-3-0-0	1-7-0-2	1012
9	Prince George Cougars	70	26	36	3	5	60	0.429	229	297	0-5-0-0	2-7-1-0	1125
10	Kamloops Blazers	69	13	51	2	3	31	0.225	166	292	0-7-0-0	1-9-0-0	1026

The Canes Board and staff have made some poor decisions several of the past ten seasons and this is undeniable.  Whether the existing board members and staff can improve the situation is debatable.  The best question this off season might be whether it is reasonable to expect ANY board consisting of volunteers with little to no hockey knowledge to do better?

Good to hear Robson say that "Lethbridge is an outstanding market..." and that "they have no thoughts whatsoever of leaving the Lethbridge market..."   But by the recent blog comments in which fans write that they WON'T be renewing their season tickets, this so called "outstanding market" might be referred to by Robison differently after next season; assuming the WHL's post mortem season review allows the same group to operate the team next season.

Season Ticket Holders, it is possible to support the PLAYERS without supporting the BOARD, GM,  and/or  the coach?  If you enjoy WHL hockey, then why not BUY your seats, then email or phone the board, GM, and/or Head Coach and communicate your displeasure -  Or do it in the opposite order!  Put some pressure on these yahoos to resign from their positions and/or make some improvements!  Lack of support &/or SILENCE is not going to achieve the desired change as quickly, if ever. 

Shareholders, make sure you are at the next shareholder meeting (and as many of the shareholders that you know and that sit around you) to either VOTE the current board members OFF THE BOARD, or to demand a vote to sell the team!

Robison reminded me in this intervew  that REGULAR SEASON gate revenue is important to help teams approach "Break even," while PLAYOFF gate revenue pushes teams cash positions further into the black.  Without the playoffs for several years (like the Hurricanes),  cash flow becomes a significant ongoing concern. 

CLEARLY, the Canes BOARD has created our current problem by hiring and extending the contract of the wrong individual; RICH PRESTON.  They have compounded their error by replacing him with two individuals that are inexperienced, and have consequently made it worse.

16 is a very convenient number for playoff teams in a number of sports and leagues.  Only 2 of the 18 teams in the QMJHL miss the playoffs every year, and only 2 teams/conference of the 20 team (2 conferences) OHL miss every year, yet since 2007 (when the Oil Kings were created), the WHL Eastern Conference jumped to 12 teams in the now 22 team league, and 4 teams miss the playoffs every year from this single conference. - This alignment is making it even more difficult for the Lethbridge Hurricanes (and other community owned franchises in this conference) to succeed.

Lethbridge has missed the playoffs in 2 of the years since the 2007 realignment to 12 teams, despite having more points than teams that MADE the playoffs in those same seasons in the 10 team Western Conference.  In fact, in each of the seven seasons except one since 2007, there has been at LEAST one team in the East that missed the playoffs despite having more points than at least one playoff bound team in the West.  In several seasons, there have been TWO teams that have missed in the East despite each having more points than both the seventh and eighth place playoff bound teams in the West. – If you were a player eligible to play in this league, where would you rather play?

Kootenay SHOULD have been put back in the WEST in 2007 when the Oil Kings were added, to make EACH conference equal with 11 teams (This is where Kootenay WAS prior to Chilliwack (now Victoria) being added in 2006 - but the WHL instead divided the league into conferences of 12 and 10 teams).

I have heard that there may be equalization payment(s) to compensate the two “extra” teams missing the playoffs in the Eastern Conference every year, but I am not sure whether the 9th and 10th place Eastern Conference teams ALWAYS get the disbursement, or whether there are "points" conditions with respect to the Western Conference playoff bound teams.

Any money that the Eastern Conference teams (may) receive in "equity," does NOT make it up to the players on these clubs that have less chance at playoff hockey!  No player wants to play on a loser team, so for as long as there are more teams in the Eastern Conference that miss the playoffs, players drafted to and playing on Eastern Conference teams will always be harder to sign and harder to keep from leaving the team/requesting trades for a greater chance at playoff exposure.

A realignment to 11 team conferences would not help the Canes with their current 12 win season predicament, but this is a change that NEEDS to be addressed by the WHL sooner than later; especially if they expect community owned teams to continue to operate in the Eastern Conference.