Council Approves AHL Agreement & Cox Center Lease
Tuesday July 7, 2009
Count me among those surprised and disappointed to learn that the 17 year run of the Oklahoma City Blazers was ending. After failing to reach a lease agreement with the city, the franchise opted to officially cease operations just last week. But based on how quickly things are moving in the aftermath, the Blazers demise wasn't something unforeseen to everyone. The city is already looking to a higher level of hockey.The Oklahoma City Council approved a "letter of intent" for AHL Hockey Club, LLC, formerly Blazers owners Express Sports, to seek the currently dormant Edmonton Oilers American Hockey League franchise. AHL is the level just below the National Hockey League and a step above the CHL, the league in which the Blazers played. The agreement also includes a lease for play at the Cox Convention Center beginning in 2010-11.
It's good news for Oklahoma City. The AHL will bring a greater quality of game, a very positive thing for a city that has long supported hockey, though it's nevertheless sad to see the Blazers go. As a bit of a sports traditionalist myself, I often resist change in that regard and will refuse to retire my maroon and gold coffee mug for a while. But with all the success the Blazers had here and our new status as NBA city, it's clear that we shouldn't have been surprised at this news after all.
Photo © Adam Knapp
Comments
The Blazers had their run but the expansion of the CHL and rule changes saw to it that the Blazers would never be a powerhouse again.
When I moved here in 96′; youth hockey was big in this town and since Coach Sauter and Brad Lund were running the team they never got involved with youth hockey. In fact they shunned it even though Sauters kids played in it. Over the last ten years, youth hockey has declind to pitiful levels while Dallas that has an NHL team has continued to build youth hockey contacts. In 96′ Dallas had three sheets of ice. They now have 18 sheets of ice and they have intermural High School hockey that kids letter in.
We need a shot in the arm here as far as hockey goes. The Blazers have been done in my book for years. Its time to move on and get something new. Im even haveing reservations on the Funk Express owning or having anything to do with hockey.
Saying that Lund and Sauter weren’t involved in youth hockey is less than accurate. My son became involved through the Kids First program, and all the kids’ equipment was provided by the Blazers. Youth hockey in OKC has a chicken-and-egg problem – there’s not enough interest to support more than a couple of public rinks, but in a city of this geographical size you really need 6 or 8 rinks to be close enough to get more ‘casual’ players involved. Let’s face it, most parents aren’t going to haul a child and his or her huge, stinky bag of hockey equipment from Yukon to Edmond 2-3 times a week.