From a botched bid to operate their AHL affiliate in Toronto to seven Saturday doubleheaders, 10,000 fannies in the seats for 40 home games and black ink on the bottom line? That's the picture the Edmonton Oilers were painting yesterday as they ushered in the arrival of the AHL with the announcement the Edmonton Roadrunners will operate at Rexall Place alongside the Oilers next season and beyond.

With the relocation of the Toronto Roadrunners franchise signed, sealed and delivered by the AHL board of governors, which granted its unanimous approval yesterday, the Oilers are gambling that there's a market for the minors and demand for a $20 ticket in this hockey town - even when the NHL is up and running again.

It's a silver lining they think will sell.

"This market really deserves that product," said Oilers president Patrick LaForge. "We know there's a market for this product and I think that we'll more than cover our costs and that this is a viable business option."

TALKING ABOUT BIG CROWDS

At the end of a week that began with the floundering Edmonton Aviators of the United Soccer League folding, only to be propped up and reborn as Edmonton F.C., LaForge was talking about big crowds and a potential for profit with a product that will complement the Oilers, rather than compete with them.

"This is a great option. It's not too much of a good thing," said LaForge about the potential of having 81 home dates between the teams if the Oilers play a full season.

This isn't what LaForge envisioned when Coliseum Renovation Corporation signed a 49-year deal to operate the Roadrunners at Ricoh Coliseum. It became Plan B in the 48 hours leading up to the announcement after the team was evicted because of unpaid bills and a new deal with Borealis, the municipal pension fund that holds the lease, could not be struck.

"It was going to be a great setup, but unfortunately the business didn't perform as everyone had hoped," said Oilers assistant GM Scott Howson, who will continue as Roadrunners GM.

"The landlords eventually said 'Enough is enough,' and terminated the lease. We pitched other proposals . . . this became more and more attractive. We didn't want to go into suspension mode or a partial affiliation mode."

AVERAGE TICKET PRICE OF $20

At an average ticket price of $20, compared to $60 for Oiler games - a price that's among the lowest in the NHL - LaForge thinks the Roadrunners can draw 10,000 fans for 40 home dates. The team averaged 4,587 in their only season in Toronto.

"We certainly believe it can," Howson said, asked if the city can support two pro franchises. "Time will tell. It will be a challenge. The league is a great league and it will be priced very differently than the NHL.

"We think, as Patrick said, there's a demand out there for that price of a ticket and that type of hockey."

With uncertainty about the 2004-05 NHL campaign because of the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA, the Oilers set out to lessen the economic impact of a prolonged work stoppage by pursuing a WHL franchise.

Unable to secure a team, the Oilers say they've accomplished the same thing by unveiling the Roadrunners, complete with the slogan: "Pro Hockey Guaranteed."

"We were 100 per cent confident the WHL and NHL could operate in one building and one city," LaForge said.

"When this AHL challenge came up, we had an option of sitting dark or actually having a business here. This business is viable."

A schedule has been submitted to the AHL and will be finalized by early August. It's been structured not to conflict with the Oilers schedule, should the season start on time.

The rough draft includes seven Saturday doubleheaders, which would see the Roadrunners play matinees, followed by Oiler games the same evening.

If a new CBA is struck and the season begins Oct. 14 against Detroit as scheduled, it's going to get busy at Rexall Place between those 81 home dates and practice sessions.

"We're prepared for that. We didn't go into this with our eyes closed," Howson said of sharing the rink. "We're hoping the NHL is going to be playing as early as October. We can co-exist."

COMPENSATION COMING: The Oilers' territorial rights to Toronto have been returned to the AHL. LaForge indicated, however, the Oilers may be compensated should another team, the Maple Leafs are interested in operating their farm team in Toronto, move into the territory.