They should do some international games in Mexico City. Its not a traditional hockey market but neither is the southern US. I could see them expanding there somewhere down the road.
I could and couldn’t, though it would be great to see, I don’t think a lot of players would want to live there. But who knows, I could be completely wrong.
This plan is OK with me. You added five teams in the West and three in the East, so someone (probably Nashville or Chicago) would have to realign from West to East to balance out the conferences. As a Detroit fan, I would be opposed to any expansion plan which would require someone to realign from East to West, unless I got a guarantee that Detroit would NOT be the team doing so. Back when we were in the Western Conference, prior to the 2013 realignment, we already played too many key playoff games that started at 10:30 at night Eastern time on a night before a work day. Getting Chicago or Nashville to also move to the East would be a bonus, giving us a Central time zone team as a buffer of sorts, another team which would move back West before us in any subsequent realignments. With Chicago we would also have the added bonus of having all of the Original Six teams in the same Conference again.
Atlanta and Phoenix for sure with Houston probably. The Maple Leafs and the Sabres will block another Toronto or Hamilton team. Saskatoon would sell out a 18,000 seat arena but there is no way the NHL would consider the location and I think players would not want to go there.
@oldhab7890 I know Harold Ballard had some kind of clause stating that a team couldn't be within 100 miles from Toronto city limits or something like that...or at least that's what Ballard thought . Again, I'm pretty sure there was a court ruling 5 years ago, stating no such clause even existed. Basically the courts ruled that free enterprise is free enterprise, just like a Home Depot can't deny a Lowe's opening 1,000 feet away. In otherwords, I'm pretty sure Toronto can have another team.
Sadly I think it would be a stretch to get 1 or 2 Canadian teams. The market sizes and the Canadian dollar are too much of a deterrence for the NHL. Saskatoon would be fun though. If they were to go to 40 teams, I think the NHL would unfortunately push for Atlanta. Boise and Milwaukee might be other good options.
Quebec City has NO hope of ever getting an NHL team. The weak Canadian dollar compared to the US, high taxes in Quebec (the highest in NAmerica), language issues etc. And who is going to pony up the expansion fee? And forget about Hamilton also. Toronto and Buffalo will not have a team in their territorial areas and Hamilton hasn't supported either an AHL or OHL team well before. NHL hockey in Hamilton will be a "novelty" for a year or two, and then it will fade away as it has for other teams that came there.
Problem is with Alaska, though it would be great to have one, is they don’t have an arena and the population of Anchorage is about 300k, which would be by far the smallest market. I’d love them to have a team though
Alaska doesn't have the population. There would also be greater travel costs. The closest teams to them are vancouver and edmonton. The closest teams to them are a couple hours drive away. Would be do able with and NFL like shedule.
@@dom2009 yeah i mean the old aces arena could work? but still there’s not enough people in any of the cities to actually start a new team there, even edmonton (the northernmost team rn) has more people than the entire state-
Attendance would be no issue, it’s just the US teams get the more expensive tv deals and generally have more money. But Canadian teams such as the Oilers and Leafs are the two best teams in the league in terms of revenue. So Canada would have no problem getting another few teams.
There are many teams that should be disbanded now--they don't need a team in Tampa Bay, Carolina, Anaheim (especially with the Kings nearby),likely Winnipeg (as attendance there is tanking) and Buffalo (Sabres are a joke both off and on the ice)
@bufnyfan1 the teams I would get rid of: 1) Buffalo 2) San Jose 3)Ottawa 4) Can't see Utah making a go of it... give 5 years, moving somewhere else, hopefully not Quebec City...maybe Houston or Toronto ( Toronto could easily support another team, no question)
rip az. yotes-hahaha. nhl needs to bring back whale and nords and kc scouts. go into canada to saskatoon and t o 2/hamilton and to houston. Omaha is too close to kc. Cincy too close to bj's. And no to fkn atlanta 3.0. Or try a brand new untapped pro market-des moines. Iowa needs a pro team. And the utah h c plays a pre-season game in des moines in sept. Portland, milwaukee already got nba teams. and pac. nw just got kraken and hawks claim milw. as their territiory so no go to both. sd when they get their new arena would be a nice new market with only padres there for nhl to tap into. Okl. city could have interest too with nba there. And nawlins? No fkn way.
San Diego would be a good market I guess. The San Diego Gulls of the AHL do well. Thing is, California already has 3 teams. If I were the NHL I would expand to the Midwest
@@dom2009 yes but sd is america's finest city and would be right in between so cal teams and vgk. midwest kc fits. i like des moines over omaha. They would be right between blues and wild.
Toronto St Pats would probably win the Stanley Cup before Maple Leafs 😂
The PWHL Toronto Team. They were awesome
Every team will win the cup before the LAFFS!!!
Paul Kariya will make the Paul Kariya Paul Kariyas and they will win every Stanley Cup possible
I could see a 40team NHL but you can't give both Toronto a second team while also giving Hamilton a team
You probably could. The NHL could probably have like 5 or 6 teams in southern Ontario that do great.
@@dom2009 not enough billionaires Willing to step up
@@BobSaxon-ou7ww yeah, that’s the thing sadly
leafs an sabres wont allow another Hamilton .Blocked it once .and leafs wont allow another TO.Bettman don't want anymore cdn teams either .
They should do some international games in Mexico City. Its not a traditional hockey market but neither is the southern US.
I could see them expanding there somewhere down the road.
I could and couldn’t, though it would be great to see, I don’t think a lot of players would want to live there. But who knows, I could be completely wrong.
Yeah, there are likely so many reasons it wouldn't work. Geography isn't a limitation, however. Just one of those "what if..." thoughts.
Yeah, just like Alaska
This plan is OK with me. You added five teams in the West and three in the East, so someone (probably Nashville or Chicago) would have to realign from West to East to balance out the conferences.
As a Detroit fan, I would be opposed to any expansion plan which would require someone to realign from East to West, unless I got a guarantee that Detroit would NOT be the team doing so. Back when we were in the Western Conference, prior to the 2013 realignment, we already played too many key playoff games that started at 10:30 at night Eastern time on a night before a work day.
Getting Chicago or Nashville to also move to the East would be a bonus, giving us a Central time zone team as a buffer of sorts, another team which would move back West before us in any subsequent realignments. With Chicago we would also have the added bonus of having all of the Original Six teams in the same Conference again.
I think that more western team would be great, Nashville and Chicago would be great to add to the Eastern Conference!
Only way expansion can work if more divisions are added, 6 divisions, 36 or 42 teams.
Obviously, it would probably be four five-team divisions in a conference, with expanded playoffs
Atlanta and Phoenix for sure with Houston probably. The Maple Leafs and the Sabres will block another Toronto or Hamilton team.
Saskatoon would sell out a 18,000 seat arena but there is no way the NHL would consider the location and I think players would not want to go there.
I know, I’m annoyed the NHL wants those cities instead of Canadian markets. Houston should get a team, Atlanta I wouldn’t want one, Phoenix maybe.
if you ask a fan in NYC or Los Angeles where Winnipeg is on a map they couldn't tell you. Imagine the "Saskatoon Prairie Dogs" being in the NHL LOL
@oldhab7890 I know Harold Ballard had some kind of clause stating that a team couldn't be within 100 miles from Toronto city limits or something like that...or at least that's what Ballard thought .
Again, I'm pretty sure there was a court ruling 5 years ago, stating no such clause even existed. Basically the courts ruled that free enterprise is free enterprise, just like a Home Depot can't deny a Lowe's opening 1,000 feet away.
In otherwords, I'm pretty sure Toronto can have another team.
@@dom2009 Apparently, Phoenix will never get another NHL team.... they're toast.
@@RememberMe123-b4b There’s no ruling in Canadian law that says no, so that means they can. A team only needs 75 percent of the owners to say yes.
Sadly I think it would be a stretch to get 1 or 2 Canadian teams. The market sizes and the Canadian dollar are too much of a deterrence for the NHL. Saskatoon would be fun though. If they were to go to 40 teams, I think the NHL would unfortunately push for Atlanta. Boise and Milwaukee might be other good options.
I know, I just like to fantasize about more Canadian teams in the league
Honestly I love the idea of three Canadian teams being added Hamilton, Quebec and Saskatoon would be awesome but highly unlikely to ever happen
More teams = less talented teams
The expansion wouldn’t happen in two years, this would be over like the next 30 to 40 years.
And less and less people play hockey, cause they can’t afford it. So, yes, more teams mean a more watered down league.
@@BurtTurbo it’s still a growing game
I’m surprised you didn’t give Atlanta a team
They already had 2 chances, both didn’t work
100 game seasons.
Hell yeah
Quebec City has NO hope of ever getting an NHL team. The weak Canadian dollar compared to the US, high taxes in Quebec (the highest in NAmerica), language issues etc. And who is going to pony up the expansion fee? And forget about Hamilton also. Toronto and Buffalo will not have a team in their territorial areas and Hamilton hasn't supported either an AHL or OHL team well before. NHL hockey in Hamilton will be a "novelty" for a year or two, and then it will fade away as it has for other teams that came there.
Quebec I’d say is the front runner for a Canadian expansion team, they could support a team, the GTA needs another team too.
Song name?
Morning Happy Background Music - Wavepaper ID
i feel like alaska could have a good team if there were enough people to support it-
Problem is with Alaska, though it would be great to have one, is they don’t have an arena and the population of Anchorage is about 300k, which would be by far the smallest market. I’d love them to have a team though
Alaska doesn't have the population. There would also be greater travel costs. The closest teams to them are vancouver and edmonton. The closest teams to them are a couple hours drive away. Would be do able with and NFL like shedule.
@@dom2009 yeah i mean the old aces arena could work? but still there’s not enough people in any of the cities to actually start a new team there, even edmonton (the northernmost team rn) has more people than the entire state-
The Aces arena sat like 6 thousand people. If they got a team, you’d need a new arena.
@@dom2009 ah okay, yeah i agree then
Bring back the Toronto Toros
We need them back!
I'm not sure Canada can support that many more teams. They don't fully support the one's they have, AND... Omaha??? What's up with that????
Attendance would be no issue, it’s just the US teams get the more expensive tv deals and generally have more money. But Canadian teams such as the Oilers and Leafs are the two best teams in the league in terms of revenue. So Canada would have no problem getting another few teams.
Omaha is a cool place, the league needs more teams out west
I'm a NHL hockey addict....I pray the league doesn't expand to 40 teams. I'll probably quit watching...too many teams already.
So you want it to be back to a 21 team league where 16 teams make the playoffs?
There are many teams that should be disbanded now--they don't need a team in Tampa Bay, Carolina, Anaheim (especially with the Kings nearby),likely Winnipeg (as attendance there is tanking) and Buffalo (Sabres are a joke both off and on the ice)
@bufnyfan1 the teams I would get rid of:
1) Buffalo
2) San Jose
3)Ottawa
4) Can't see Utah making a go of it... give 5 years, moving somewhere else, hopefully not Quebec City...maybe Houston or Toronto ( Toronto could easily support another team, no question)
@@bufnyfan1 the only team you mentioned that struggles with attendance is Winnipeg
@@RememberMe123-b4b San Jose does great when the team is winning, they still bring in 13k fans a game.
rip az. yotes-hahaha. nhl needs to bring back whale and nords and kc scouts. go into canada to saskatoon and t o 2/hamilton and to houston. Omaha is too close to kc. Cincy too close to bj's. And no to fkn atlanta 3.0. Or try a brand new untapped pro market-des moines. Iowa needs a pro team. And the utah h c plays a pre-season game in des moines in sept. Portland, milwaukee already got nba teams. and pac. nw just got kraken and hawks claim milw. as their territiory so no go to both. sd when they get their new arena would be a nice new market with only padres there for nhl to tap into. Okl. city could have interest too with nba there. And nawlins? No fkn way.
San Diego would be a good market I guess. The San Diego Gulls of the AHL do well. Thing is, California already has 3 teams. If I were the NHL I would expand to the Midwest
@@dom2009 yes but sd is america's finest city and would be right in between so cal teams and vgk. midwest kc fits. i like des moines over omaha. They would be right between blues and wild.
@@stevenbauer4799 yeah, San Diego would be great for a team, I just don’t see an owner coming to buy a team