Last night me and my buddy were talking about future teams that might make the move to other cities or just cities that might get an NHL team in the next few years. Last year TSN had a show talking about the cities that are most eligible for an NHL team. Now I will take a bunch of cities the NHL is looking at to expand or relocate.
Hamilton- First off we have Hamilton that has been in talks a lot in the past few years about getting an NHL franchise and they have an NHL sized rink ready to do it. The problem is it had its problems in the past with Jim Balsilie trying to move the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton. Gary Bettman wasn't too pleased with Balsilies aggressiveness. The other huge problem Hamilton poses is that it is too close to Toronto and Buffalo and these two cities would not be happy with Hamilton stealing a huge chunk of it's fans. The last thing about Hamilton and I will say this with the other Canadian cities too is that it is too soon after Winnipeg for another Canadian team. I'm sure Bettman wants to wait and see how Winnipeg ends up before he puts another team in Canada.
Quebec City- Quebec City in my mind is going to be the next Canadian city to get an NHL team. After a long absence from the NHL and an old Collise that is now home to the Quebec Ramparts, Quebec is finally going to build a new rink with help from the Federal government. The new arena if being built would be built by 2015 and if you read my post yesterday about the Islanders their lease for the rink expires in 2015. This would be a great opportunity for a relocate. Like I said before Bettman probably wants to wait before he gives another Canadian city a team and to me that timing could be perfect.
Halifax- I've heard rumors from people who want Halifax to be an NHL city but I just really don't think it could happen, not in the next few years at least. I spoke to a buddy of mine from Nova Scotia and he said that Halifax Mooseheads games are rarely sold out and he doesnt believe it would be an NHL city either. What I believe is that it just isn't a big enough market to have a legitimate team that will make the league lots of money. It doesn't always go to the city that most deserves it, it would go to the city that would make the most money. And that is what it comes down to, believe it or not it's a business game. The situation down in phoenix is like my buddy Alex Sifton said "High risk, High reward" Gary Bettmans job is to expand the game and make more money. By having a team in Pheonix he hoped that he would create fans in and around the area those new fans would then spend money on games and merchandise. Thus expanding the hockey universe. If a team were to pop up in Halifax where fans already spend money and buy merchandise then the people would continue not really making much more money. Look at places like Tampa Bay or California where hockey really shouldn't be but thriving, an example of High risk High reward.
Kansas City- This is a city that has been high up on the NHLs list to expand/relocate. They have been looked at a lot lately and I believe that now Winnipeg is done, Kansas City is the next place for a team. Kansas City had a team just 40 years ago I believe, and the NHL is willing to give them another shot. I am not too sure but I think that KC has an NHL sized rink ready to go for a return to the NHL. Now that Phoenix really only has one more year in the NHL, KC would be a quick fix to ship them to.
Seattle- I've heard rumors of an NHL sized rink to be built in Seattle in the next few years. Personally I do not know much about Seattle other than the fact that the feed a good portion of the Vancouver Canuck fans and I also see that WHL teams have been very successful in and around Seattle. The other thing to that would be the Vancouver Canucks organization would not be happy with loosing lots of customers.
Los Vegas- Vegas is my final city and a city that has many Pros, and many cons to an NHL in the city. First of all the pros are that many Canadians visit Los Vegas each year for all of the shows and gambling, and what better show than an NHL game! I think it would be a big market for the NHL but the problems could prove costly. As professional as they are, hockey players could have way too much fun in Vegas and that could be a problem not only for the team but for the League. I feel
Like for all the money it could make the league it could do more harm than good to an innocent Canadian sport.
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