NHL appears to be considering Atlanta and Houston for expansion

[Fanuck]

1 hour ago, DrJockitch said:

I am as liberal as they come but this is rediculous. How much responsibility does a hockey team really have to fix these issues in society?

What do you really expect billionaires to care about other than money?  Most of the time you are a billionaire because you were born into it or an aggressive strategy of strategic greed at the cost of as many people as possible. 

They want to focus on money  - great,  I've got zero issues with that.  But don't then try to con society like you actually care about social change like they've been doing for years now:

 

https://www.nhl.com/community/hockey-is-for-everyone

[Mando27]

The fact that they refuse to move Arizona and instead want to expand even more is mind boggling.

[Devron]

30 teams was such a nice number 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

Its already been in Atlanta twice.

 

Atlanta Flames and Atlanta Thrashers, and both teams folded.

Why not put some in Canada like Quebec City, Saskatchewan, or other bigger US markets like North Dakota, Utah, Idaho, or Wisconsin?

[Oldmanpower]

Joke

[Coconuts]

37 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

Yup, and is it any wonder that the two locations in the top ten that were highlighted in this post are the ones they're speculating as the new franchises they intend to give out?

 

 

I originally came to post the bolded part, so I'm glad it was already mentioned.  

 

The only playoff format I think they should consider (and one that I've suggested for years now) is to break it out into a two-tier league, and have top tier relegation rounds for the bottom 16 and cup playoffs for the top 16 teams; the top 4 or 8 of the second tier can play to advance into the top tier.  Make things real, make it a blood sport, and make it so that top-end superstars have the occasional "what the f**k" moment as they see their team get relegated to the second tier, and push to get themselves traded to a top tier team.

NHL will chase the money regardless of how fans feel about it. One could argue it dilutes talent but it also leads to more hockey players coming up. Without the Coyotes for example it's unlikely Matthews would be a player. Same bit for guys like Sillinger out of Ohio. California hockey has boomed. Players won't all go far but having teams in markets does lead to more players playing. 

 

 

[24K PureCool]

5 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

Its already been in Atlanta twice.

 

Atlanta Flames and Atlanta Thrashers, and both teams folded.

Why not put some in Canada like Quebec City, Saskatchewan, or other bigger US markets like North Dakota, Utah, Idaho, or Wisconsin?

Dafaq you smoking?

 

Idaho definitely can't support a nhl team let along North Dakota.

Edited March 6, 2023 by 24K PureCool

[Coconuts]

An argument I've seen against Quebec is that putting a team in Quebec doesn't create "new" fans, more than likely existing hockey fans in that region already have a team they follow. This isn't to say there wouldn't be new Quebec fans but given the population of say.. Texas for example, you've got a much larger chance of bringing in new fans and thus new revenue. 

 

I do think Quebec will eventually get a team but I understand why the league would look elsewhere from a money standpoint. 

[flat land fish]

17 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

NHL will chase the money regardless of how fans feel about it. One could argue it dilutes talent but it also leads to more hockey players coming up. Without the Coyotes for example it's unlikely Matthews would be a player. Same bit for guys like Sillinger out of Ohio. California hockey has boomed. Players won't all go far but having teams in markets does lead to more players playing. 

 

 

Matthew’s I get but not sure about the Sillinger reference lol

 

 

[Googlie]

3 hours ago, 24K PureCool said:

When the NFL still have 32 teams, NBA and MLB still have 30 teams, there is no rhyme or reason for the lowly NHL to go above 32 teams.

Because nobody in Europe plays (American) football, baseball or basketball.  The talent pool for hockey has never been greater, and is growing, witness the number of good players coming from Switzerland, Germany etc.

[Coconuts]

6 minutes ago, flat land fish said:

Matthew’s I get but not sure about the Sillinger reference lol

 

 

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=218022

[Diamonds]

I don't think the NHL should do another expansion, at least not for a while. But, if it has to expand and the teams have to be in the US, can we please do Portland instead of Atlanta? Great rival city for Vancouver and Seattle, a sizable population and TV ratings base, and hasn't already failed twice.

[Ghostsof1915]

Man I don't know. If it goes to 34 teams, I might just give up.

[Coconuts]

Title updated to accommodate the merged thread 

[Roger Neilsons Towel]

21 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

Title updated to accommodate the merged thread 

We were both trying to do that at the same time and cancelling eachother out lol

 

[flat land fish]

1 hour ago, Coconuts said:

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=218022

What I was getting at is Mike is Cole’s dad and Cole would have been a hockey player regardless of where he grew up.  The Sillinger boys played most of their minor hockey in Regina regardless of where he was born when his dad played NHL in Columbus.

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

Biggest question is who are we protecting for expansion draft 

[Coconuts]

7 minutes ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

Biggest question is who are we protecting for expansion draft 

And will the draft be the way it's been with Seattle and Vegas or will it be slightly different? Will it be a draft for two teams simultaneously or one at a time? 

 

How the latter plays out could further limit who teams can protect. 

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

Just now, Coconuts said:

And will the draft be the way it's been with Seattle and Vegas or will it be slightly different? Will it be a draft for two teams simultaneously or one at a time? 

 

How the latter plays out could further limit who teams can protect. 

Either way Allvin will have some tough choices to make 

[Coconuts]

1 minute ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

Either way Allvin will have some tough choices to make 

Canucks pay an expansion team to take an aged Miller instead of another player e5