The Saint Cloud State of the AHL

Does the "M5" logo stand for "Five Years of Monarchs Hockey" or "Five Years of Mediocrity"? You'd think the most popular team in the world that isn't in the NHL would be able to, you know, not be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, every single year of their existance.

Even though this has been my first year in awhile where I've been unable to see them play a game (thanks to the AHL's unbalanced schedule Cleveland managed to play none of the seven New England based teams this year... again.), I'm still pretty disappointed that they coughed up a 3-2 series lead again... and to Hartford. Not pleased.

That said, if the Pittsburgh Penguins become the Hartford Penguins, I'm ordering a Ryan Whitney jersey that very day.

R.I.P. - Worcester IceCats 1994-2005

http://www.worcestericecats.com/news/html/story978.html

Lots of issues here. Most of them unrelated to each other, but related to the story:

#1) Bettman was an idiot for trying to make the AHL into IHL2... the original folded for a reason. Even baseball doesn't fly cross country for AAA level games. Was it necessary for Manchester to fly to Utah this month? Unbelieveable.

#2) This team will get to the midwest just in time for new rivals Cleveland and Milwaukee to fold. Awesome! I can't wait to see what Cincinnati does when Disney finishes purging their sports holdings. But you can play intrastate rival, Chicago, 20 times a season until fans stop showing up... but not before they stop going to see you visit Chicago... since you're freaking Peoria.

#3) It's really sad to see the team that paved the way for the Lock Monsters and Monarchs (certainly more than the other 3 older franchises in New England) move away.

#4) Is there a more troubled non-sunbelt team, other than Pittsburgh, than the the Saint Louis Blues? Aren't they busy enough there running their own franchise into the ground?

#5) Not to totally blame the Blues and the NHL for this, this move says alot about the City of Worcester. Worcester was once New England's #3 city (and #2 if you don't count Connecticut, an issue I waver back and forth on). Now what are they? 4th? 5th? They should be embarrassed by how far their city has fallen while Providence and Manchester have risen. Look in your rearview Worcester... that's Portland and Lowell... and that's sad.