A Good Year for the Outlaw

It appears as if the AHL’s short-lived, unsuccessful-at-the-gate run in the Quad Cities, and more specifically at the iWireless Center in Moline, is over.

This takes away the closest rival (and thus, cheapest travel costs) for the Peoria Rivermen, and also, I believe, sets the stage for the AHL’s eventual exodus from downstate Illinois. Some folks won’t be happy about it if that happens, but I think it’s destined to be the results.

I would personally love to see the now-six team IHL do some major expanding, because six teams doesn’t cut it. It may have worked for the old NHL 40 years ago, but it doesn’t cut it at the minor league level, and in this day and age. I’d like to see about a 12-14 team IHL, based entirely in the Midwest, consisting of teams in these cities:

Flint, Muskegon, Fort Wayne, Bloomington, Port Huron and Kalamazoo (the current IHL teams, many with unbelievably rich and colorful histories) joined by teams in: Quad Cities, Rockford, Chicago, Madison, Indianapolis, Dayton, Toledo, and Grand Rapids. Now that would be fun.

Could it happen? Sure. Will it happen? I wouldn’t bet against it, based on what I’m hearing from other teams and leagues.