Late yesterday after noon news began to circulate that the Fresno Monsters would be relocating their NAHL franchise to Wenatchee and being rebranded the Wild. While the orginal Wild franchise left to become the Rio Grande Killer Bees just a week or so ago.
TJHN sources have been reporting that Monsters staff has been out scouting showcase events throughout the spring and have insisted that they would “have a team” the whole time. Monsters coaches were most recently seen at a Chicago showcase last weekend. What wasnt being said was that the team would not be located in Fresno.
Sources are now reporting that this deal came together quickly but that the organization began looking to move months ago. Once the closure of the Fresno practice facility was announced, the Monsters future was less than certain in Fresno. Although that closure was temporarily staved off, a less than permanent solution is not something the NAHL could deal with.
The question now is will USA Hockey approve the relocation to Wenatchee. It is likely that they will. The closure of the Fresno practice facility is by definition an exigent circumstance.
Further supporting the move will be two key elements. USA Hockey will likely receive assurances that the team will never apply for BCHL membership as a condition of this approval. This relocation of an existing franchise will keep the NAHL at 24 member teams which is critical for scheduling purposes.
Beyond those two key elements USA Hockey does not want to see Tier II player opportunity lost. When we experience those losses, more often than not players head to Canada. Clearly, keeping players from heading north is something that many think about, if not the Wenatchee move to the BCHL would not have become such a problematic situation.
Thoughts that the relocated franchise will not be competitive should be dismissed. USHL cuts have not yet begun, and the NAHL draft has yet to take place. Wenatchee will always be a destination for players as well. With great fan support and a tradition of winning, players will continue to want to play there over many other places.
June 6th is the date when USA Hockey is expected to decide the fates of many teams. Look for more from the annual summer meetings.
