NHL expansion plans in the works

I like the Seattle and Las Vegas idea.

Less travel time for the Western teams.

If both Toronto teams were in the Stanley Cup final . . .would they both lose?

FFS is there no end to the greed of the NHL owners and their minion from Hell Garry Bettman.

Las Vegas, WTF is up with that. Hasn't anyone in the NHL learned what a hockey market is because if you want another Phoenix or Carolina then put a team in Vegas and watch it hemorrhage money just like these two. But, on the plus side there'll always be a bookie close at hand to take the owners bets.

Seattle and Toronto? Okay, you couldn't move the Coyotes to Hamilton because it would cut into Toronto and Buffalo's market but hey WTF if an ownership group is willing pay way to much money for entrance fees just to put a team in another teams market then go for it and screw the consequences. We'll get more money from these new owner idiots than we could ever get by allowing a team with a poor fan base, no ownership, and a lousy on ice product to move.

Greed has become the new mantra of the NHL and the health of the league be damned. The only place that should get a new NHL team is Quebec City and that's because the same assholes that allowed it to be taken away by greedy owners for more money owe the City at least that much.

These greed fueled expansions will only serve to dilute the talent pool down to an ECHL level and ruin the game even further than the idiotic decisions the owners and the worst commissionaire in history have made to date.

I believe you may have read my mind.

Quebec City is the most deserving of the 4 for an NHL team because they never should have lost the Nordiques to begin with and it would be great to have another Canadian city back in the league.

I think Seattle would be a good place as well. There has been talk about that for quite awhile now.

In both cases though it would make a lot more sense to move existing teams rather than expand the league any further. 30 teams is already too many IMO.

I agree. Quebec city - check. Seattle - check. I don't see Vancouver and Seattle cutting into each others' markets. If anything I see the one building up the Market of the other. I know I'm not likely to drive all the way down there, but if Seattle were in this division I'd be more likely to buy a ticket in my home city to see them play. I'd most likely watch both teams on TV too.

On Toronto, I don't care. On Las vegas, I don't know, but I have heard the pro Las Vegas argument, and it goes there are a lot of snowbirds and other fans from other areas of the States moving through Las Vegas to build up the gate.

If the NHL does not continuously, and aggressively, move into non-traditional markets, it's dead...just a matter of time.

Of all the complaints about Bettman, it is funny how a couple key facts seem to always get left out:

The NHL is at the strongest it has ever been financially.

The NHL has the largest fan base it has every enjoyed.

The NHL has the largest market share it has ever enjoyed.

Most importantly...hockey (the sport) has seen it's largest registered player growth under Bettman's reign.

Why? Because he was smart enough to move them into non-traditional markets, and ride the old school fan base discontent about it.

What is putting a team in Quebec going to accomplish for the NHL or hockey as a sport? Bumpkiss. It is already a fully saturated market. That holds true for all of Canada. If we want the sport to grow, it needs to be in the areas that it is currently not.

As for Phoenix...maybe you should do a little research into the growth of hockey in Phoenix before stating how bad of an idea it was. Last years growth (registered hockey players) for Arizona was 17.8%. Another year of double digit hockey growth, brought to you by the evil GB!

If you love hockey, the expansions are a dream come true and are forcing hockey from its traditional 'fringe sport' status to full fledged 'main stream' sport status.

There are still die-hard Nordiques fans around here.


I tease my boss mercilessly because he's one of them.

YAAAAY !

The Greater Toronto Area is going to get a professional hockey team!!!

Where the heck do they think they're going to get the players from? There isn't enough quality players to fill 21 teams. They should contract not expand.

Korea ... oh, and the Philippines.

Lot's of snowbirds in Phoenix but that didn't help them, lots of snowbirds in Tampa and that hasn't helped their gate all that much.

Las Vegas, lots of snowbirds there for a week or two at the most long term not so many. So, it becomes questionable about things like season ticket sales. Although, if the casino's gave them out as comps to the high rollers it might entice enough of them to come to Vegas more often otherwise, the normal family from Embarrass Wisconsin or Success Missouri sure as hell aren't going to Sin City so they can attend an event that involves ice and cold.

My brother is hoping for a Seattle team. I'm not sure if Hockey will succeed there, but it shouldn't impact the Canucks negatively.

I know the interest in hockey is nil in areas where ice doesn't form ever, but I was thinking that in a place like Las Vegas, a hockey game where the atmospheric temp is under 70 would be a nice evening out just to escape the heat.

I blame poor advertising for the lack of interest and eventual downfall for some of the markets that have come and gone (Atlanta Thrashers).

It's obviously easier in Canada where every kids dream is to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs ( ), but I think that sentiment can be carried elsewhere with proper info and marketing.