Expansion Cities

[warrior37 0]

well since the future of pittsburgh is looming i figure itd be nice to see what cities us msh'er think would be a good expansion town, im thinking winnipeg, niagara falls, hamilton, or brantford (even though im all about contraction in the nhl) also its rumored the OHL is talking about chicago

[G.M. 0]

well since the future of pittsburgh is looming i figure itd be nice to see what cities us msh'er think would be a good expansion town, im thinking winnipeg, niagara falls, hamilton, or brantford (even though im all about contraction in the nhl) also its rumored the OHL is talking about chicago

There is no way that Toronto and Buffalo would allow a team to go into Niagara Falls.

Furthermore, I think it would take a boat load of $$$$$ for a team to go into Hamilton or Brantford, much more than the $50 mil US "area rights fee" that Anaheim gave to the Kings back in '93. Toronto would have to give their approval to a team moving into "their" market, plus, you'd have to pay them a separate "area rights fee", PLUS, the other 29 owners get a piece of the pie.

Winterpeg might be able to survive with an NHL team now, with the cap at $39 million, but, with the NHL predicting that the leagues revenues will excede their projections (which also means that the players will recieve their escrow payment back with interest), that means the salary cap will increase in '06-'07. Would they be able to survive then?

[Eazy_b97 1]

I don't believe, regardless of NHL fees and such, Hamilton or Brantford would be able to handle a team on their own. Hamilton's had difficulties with all of it's larger sports teams and it becomes obvious when they aren't winning. I'd like to see Winnipeg get a team back, maybe somewhere out East if they could handle it.

[warrior37 0]

taken from wikipedia "Speculation has circulated that the Pittsburgh Penguins might move to Kansas City as funding has not been approved for a new arena to replace Pittsburgh's old Mellon Arena. Other traditional hockey markets were also suggested as possible new homes for the Penguins. Officials in Québec City, Québec and Winnipeg, Manitoba have expressed their desire to host again an NHL team. Approximately 10 years ago the Québec Nordiques and the Winnipeg Jets moved respectively to Denver, Colorado to become the Colorado Avalanche and to Phoenix, Arizona to become the Phoenix Coyotes. Both moves were motivated by financial problems. The two cities both had good attendance figures when they hosted teams previously. Winnipeg may be the first city to be back with the recent construction of the MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg. But some analysts questioned the viability of this site given MTS Centre's small capacity of 15,150 seats. It was also reported that Québec City is considering replacing the old 15,750 seat Colisée Pepsi for the 400th anniversary of the city. Former Québec Nordiques' owner Marcel Aubut expressed his desire to be back in the NHL.

Other cities interested in a relocation for another team, or an expansion are Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Hamilton, Ontario; and New Orleans, Louisiana."

[D3nZ 0]

Funny you talk about it, there has been a huge uprise in Quebec un the past week. Marcel Aubut the former owner of the Nordiques (he was the guy who sold them to the group from Colorado) talked about a team moving to Quebec the other day. He is the founder of the Fondation Nordiques who every year give funding to performing athletes in the Quebec region. He said that the only thing stopping an NHL team from comming to Quebec is a modern arena with suites. I think a team could very well be in Quebec with a new arena but I don't see it beeing a possibility on a short notice.

Winnipeg sure have a good push because of the new arena but they would have to make renovations to put in more seats. Apparently the arena was designed with the posibility of adding seats if an NHL team would like to relocate.

I don't see a team moving around in the US and Gary Bettman also said a couple of years ago that if ever a team relocates, he would like to go back to Canada, but remember, Bettman said it.

[Jim A 4]

Portland, Paul Allen buys them, no $ worries..and then a team like Nashville moves back to the east (South while Washington moves to the ATL), Dallas to the Central and Portland in the West..

[kosydar 0]

Portland, Paul Allen buys them, no $ worries..and then a team like Nashville moves back to the east (South while Washington moves to the ATL), Dallas to the Central and Portland in the West..

Portland would work well I think. Believe it or not, there is actually a pretty good hockey market up there. Plus they wouldn't have to build a new arena, the Rose Garden is relatively new and nice.

[kingjames23rulz 0]

i played at the Colisee about 7 times last year in February for the Internation Peewee tournament....but youy have to remember the Quebec Remparts play at the Colisee also,i loved Quebec City, and an NHL team would seem again. On a side note, i got to play againat a quebec team in the tournament, and the stadium was filled, and it seems more than 15,470 when they open up the white colored seats at the top

[Jason Harris 31]

My guess is Portland, but I'd like to see it be a Canadian city.

After having visited Toronto three times in the past fifteen months, you guys are WAY more passionate about hockey than we are.

[McCabe24 0]

We couldn't support the UHL here in Brantford. Hamilton has low team interest as well, only good turnouts when they are winning as mentioned. If I had a realistic choice it would be somewhere in Canada but maybe somewhere like Ohio could support a team. Maybe they will put it out East though, if any team will play there it is Crosby's.

[Rustybender 0]

As much as Canadian fans deserve another team, I doubt an American team would move to Canada, Bettman still believes that there is money to be made in America.

Kansas City would be sweet, only a 3 hour drive for me. I've heard rumblings about Houston also.

[ryno 0]

I get tired of hearing places like Winnepeg mentioned. If the city did nothing to keep the team around the first time why should they get a team again. Nothing personal against the city of Winnipeg. From a fans perspective I hate the fact that the Jets, Nords, North Stars all moved when they did.

I live a little over an hour outside of Pittsburgh, if the city of Pittsburgh is willing to let the Penguins go then that's their fault. I just find it asinine that they are not willing to help out the Penguins with a new building after throwing all the money they did to the Pirates and Steelers. What's it been 15 years since the Pirates actually had a season over .500? There's money well spent.

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

I think when Columbus first came about there was lots of talk about a San Antonio team,

[Eazy_b97 1]

I get tired of hearing places like Winnepeg mentioned. If the city did nothing to keep the team around the first time why should they get a team again. Nothing personal against the city of Winnipeg. From a fans perspective I hate the fact that the Jets, Nords, North Stars all moved when they did.

The NHL was able to make alot of money off moving the franchises away from those cities and they weren't built for the free spending NHL.

[J-Shera 0]

Come where hockey is most popular, the praires! Can someone say The Saskatchewan Penguins. Ok, so it does'nt really ring that good.

[whbd18 0]

Hartford ;)

[G.M. 0]

What's it been 15 years since the Pirates actually had a season over .500? There's money well spent.

Here's a fact for you on this; heard it the other day on the radio from a very knowledgable baseball person...

The Pirates have been profitable for ALL of those 15 years!

[nsa97531 0]

Im with whbd18 hartford bring back the whalers they are basically my schools mascot everyone loves them they chant lets go whalers during my high school games

[hockechamp14 0]

Im with whbd18 hartford bring back the whalers they are basically my schools mascot everyone loves them they chant lets go whalers during my high school games

I don't think hartford was ever losing money while they were here. The city of hartford did a ton along with the fans to try and keep the whalers around, but they couldn't seem to sway Karmanos.

[D3nZ 0]

Mario just spoke on the Pittsburgh situation and told that he is affraid that he might run out of time on the topic of a new arena. Apparently Kansas City already has shown interest in getting the team (they want to renovate the old arena) and that apparently that the NHL has sent a couple of delegates to look at the situation in Las Vegas if that could be a potential site.

EDIT: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=146628&hubname=

[Chadd 916]

Mario just spoke on the Pittsburgh situation and told that he is affraid that he might run out of time on the topic of a new arena. Apparently Kansas City already has shown interest in getting the team (they want to renovate the old arena) and that apparently that the NHL has sent a couple of delegates to look at the situation in Las Vegas if that could be a potential site.

EDIT: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=146628&hubname=

The Pens organization has done quite a bit to ensure that they would be moving when the lease expires.

[beaucoup_fish 0]

I'd like to see the NHL avoid southern states all together, and bring hockey back to a traditional hockey market. It would be great to see the Pens move to a former NHL city and bring back the name too...personally, I've missed the Hartford colour scheme a lot, and miss the Jets...but that's me...I'm thoroughly expecting an American city to win the honour of having a new NHL team though...