Officials of the established American Hockey League felt that the Midwest-based IHL was invading their territory, and the hockey war was on. The AHL hoped to create a situation that might somehow force the IHL team out of the market. League officials felt that if they added an additional AHL franchise to the market, they'd create a natural rival for the Adirondack Red Wings. Although the Choppers had the distinct advantage of the new arena, the AHL was hoping to counter that advantage with the established fan base of the AHL, the affiliations of NHL clubs, the higher classification and better quality of play of the AHL, and the new rivalry between the established Wings and the fledgling Islanders.