Another Southwestern Ontario / GTA NHL team ? [Mississauga?]

[Evilhomer]

hockey is dying in Ontario because hockey is expensive. having another team here to inspire them won't make a darn difference if they can't afford to play.

Yup, and new generations leaning far more into other sports like basketball.

 

[sxvnert]

iirc Leafs and Sabres have veto rights in a 40km radius (give or take). This is reason why Hamilton and Markham are always rumored and not Mississauga or Scarborough.

 

[barilko05]

There's really only one way this could happen, and it's probably still way out of the realm of possibility. Either Rogers or Bell (probably Bell) decides they want to pull out of MLSE and run their own franchise within the boundaries of the GTA. Either expansion or moving one of the league sad sacks ( although with ARI already pulling up stakes, not sure who that leaves, TBH. CBJ maybe?). The two entities make a territorial agreement, money changes hands, palms greased, etc. New TO Team plays in SBC until such time as an arena is built, in Markham, Downsview, Vaughn, etc...and then , of course, goes on to win the Cup in 5 years, still before the Leafs do!

 

[ULF_55]

Too many teams in Canada now and another won’t add any consumers.

Too many teams. Period.

Need about 12 Premiere League teams.

 

[francis246]

The province needs to step in.

Buck a beer Ford is the obvious choice.

There is a never ending decline of hockey in Canada and the youth need more inspiration. Does no one think about the kids ?

Hockey is dying because the rate of return sucks. How many players make it to the NHL? How many even make it to the CHL or college? You pay a ton and end up topping out in AA or AAA.

Young men are realizing you can play soccer, volleyball, basketball, rugby and get scholarships and be elite at those sports too and they are cheaper than hockey.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Young men are realizing you can play soccer, volleyball, basketball, rugby and get scholarships and be elite at those sports too and they are cheaper than hockey.

you compete with the whole world for those sports.

for hockey you compete against 8 countries for the most part

 

[Drytoast]

Leafs won't allow it. They have control I think over the surrounding market. Balsillie wanted a team in Waterloo and pushed HARD for it back in the late 90's

 

[Sypher04]

I don’t need or want another Toronto team.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I don’t need or want another Toronto team.

It won't be. Thats the whole point.

 

[Sypher04]

you compete with the whole world for those sports.

for hockey you compete against 8 countries for the most part

View attachment 879804

It’s harder to make the NBA than the NHL.
Especially as a Canadian

 

[HamiltonNHL]

It’s harder to make the NBA than the NHL

especially as a canadian.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Demographic replacement means more kids will be interested in soccer, cricket, and basketball. Hockey is a sport for the undeserving privileged white male and will be deconstructed in the coming years.

 

[Menzinger]

The Sabres and Leafs will be vehemently against it, and it makes more sense from the leagues pov to think about the US tv/streaming market.

Never say never, but there'll be at least two more US teams before they think about another Ontario team

 

[Maple Leaf]

Hamilton Hockey Club

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[HamiltonNHL]

The Sabres and Leafs will be vehemently against it, and it makes more sense from the leagues pov to think about the US tv/streaming market.

They've been on that track for decades.
Time to change it up a bit.

Ticket sales will matter more in the future IMO.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Another slow news day while we wait on the Finals. Fear not, never happen.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

never happen.

The Leafs have to hold fans prisoner vs. healthy competition.
Sad loser .org.

 

[Evilhomer]

Hockey is dying because the rate of return sucks. How many players make it to the NHL? How many even make it to the CHL or college? You pay a ton and end up topping out in AA or AAA.

Young men are realizing you can play soccer, volleyball, basketball, rugby and get scholarships and be elite at those sports too and they are cheaper than hockey.

Volleyball is already more popular in the US than hockey is. As the parent of a teenager, I can tell you that far more kids look at volleyball as a viable US college scholarship than hockey.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Volleyball is already more popular in the US than hockey is. As the parent of a teenager, I can tell you that far more kids look at volleyball as a viable US college scholarship than hockey.

334 Division 1 women's volleyball colleges, (men would have that many and more).
there are 64 schools that fielded men's ice hockey teams in NCAA Division I in the most recent 2023–24 season,

 

[Evilhomer]

334 Division 1 women's volleyball colleges, (men would have that many and more).
there are 64 schools that fielded men's ice hockey teams in NCAA Division I in the most recent 2023–24 season,

Yup. Volleyball is a massive sport in US colleges. I mean, other than the handful who end up making an Olympic team, professional volleyball players probably make less than what a garbageman would make in Canada, but that is a different story.

 

[hamzarocks]

I would become a fan of scarborough, markham, richmond hill, Hamilton, etc if they got a team

They would be my #1 and leafs a backup

It wont ever happen though

 

[francis246]

Volleyball is already more popular in the US than hockey is. As the parent of a teenager, I can tell you that far more kids look at volleyball as a viable US college scholarship than hockey.

ahaha I played pro volleyball. good luck to your kid! It's an amazing sport, played in college, then played a couple years pro, coached for 12 years and have just retired from coaching! Going to enjoy playing in adult leagues for cash!

Whats crazy is the sport was just growing when I played, it has now exploded! It's been amazing to see both the Canadian men's and Canadian women's team take big leaps forward on both the indoor and beach. Hopefully they can contend for medals at the olympics!

 

[keonsbitterness]

Mississauga isn't in southwestern Ontario. Thread invalid.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Will never happen.

 

[kevsh]

Hasn't been a thread in 10 years.

Because nothing has changed in 10 years.

There's a better shot at the Maple Leafs organization going bankrupt or relocating due to poor ticket sales than a team relocating to or being awarded a franchise anywhere near Toronto.

In fact, I'm still surprised to this day the Leafs allowed a team a mere 4 1/2 hours away in Ottawa.