The Lightning Will Play 1 Less Game At Home And Make More Money
Can Playing All Home Games Away Be Far Off?

In Today’s Winnipeg Free Press, Mark Chipman is quoted that the upcoming visit by NHL teams is not evidence that the league is on the fast-track to returning to Winnipeg.

“My answer to that is the same as last year and the year prior —it’s got nothing to do with it,” Chipman said. “This is a combination of two things, that NHL teams continue to express interest in playing exhibition games here because the revenue they can generate here far exceeds what they can generate in their own market, and that there is interest in watching the games.”

One would be pretty dumb or naive or even Offside not to understand the not-so-subtle point Mark Chipman is making here.

This is the closest I have ever heard Mark Chipman come to saying that Manitoba is an excellent market that can not only support NHL hockey but take a potential problem-child club and turn it around. Now I doubt given what we see of his very unassuming, almost quiet personality that he will ever come out and say this bluntly, so this quote may be the best inkling that True North is still involved in bringing the NHL back to Winnipeg.

Also, remember all the press about the NYI playing a pre-season game in KC as a potential relocation target? Well you can be sure that the 30 teams, the NHL head office and NHLPA will also take note of Tampa's game here in Winnipeg. And if I'm another troubled team that might want to escape from the hard cold reality, now I'm already playing second fiddle to the Lightning if I wanted to approach Winnipeg as a dance partner. Third fiddle if you count the Phoenix Coyotes. This sounds like the game of “Musical Chairs – NHL Club Relocation Edition” may be about to start.

So what does this all mean? Think of it in other terms: if True North has been involved in, say, the Predators permanent move to Manitoba, it might make problems between True North and the Preds, if True North then invites the Lightning to come play a game here and not the Preds or at least inform the Preds ahead of time. This may mean that True North isn't very far along in relationship building with any club suspected to relocate. But on the other hand, in keeping their cards close to their vest, (as True North have been doing now for years), they may purposely be bringing a different team in for a pre-season game, to build another relationship for a future and critical relocation vote and be working very quietly with a different team for the permanent move.

Take a step back for a moment and look at the chess match you see going on here over the last number of years. Consider that Vancouver is the parent club of Mark Chipman's team. A very good relationship even with changes in Vancouver management. Dallas has been pleased the way their prospects being developed here also. Edmonton and Ottawa went so far as to open their financial books to True North. Phoenix has made decent coin working with True North in the past. And now Tampa Bay enters the picture to do likewise.

It seems Mark Chipman has started in 1996 to gain credibility by owning an IHL then AHL team. (He was one of the main people involved with the IHL-AHL merger too don't forget.) And now he is building relationships with many NHL clubs as listed above. How many others that aren’t public is yet to be learned.

Clearly getting people to like you and work with you is necessary to gain entrance into the exclusive NHL old boys club that it is. And building a relationship with another NHL club, this time Tampa Bay, is just another stepping stone for Mark Chipman’s dream.

And clearly, his quote today shows that he is definitely still talking the language and taking the steps necessary to bring NHL hockey permanently home. And that is always a good day when you long for the day that the NHL comes back.

If I'm Offside, then let me know why, on the Manitoba Mythbuster Forum.

Chris
Chair, Manitoba Mythbusters
www.ManitobaMythbusters.com
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