GDT: Around the NHL: Congrats to The Jerks on their SC win

[Buddy Bizarre]

Legitimately no one wants this.

All the other owners do. That sweet sweet expansion money is amazing.
In fact, the Hoffmans certainly want this bc I have a feeling they are relatively cash poor relative to other owners.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Ah I see that the owners have spent the last chunk of expansion fees they were given and need some more walkin' around money,

 

[Empoleon8771]

Legitimately no one wants this.

My major issue with expansion is that you basically have to go from 32 teams to 36 teams to have it make sense. I think the current division setup makes both 32 and 36 make sense, but I don't really want another 4 expansion teams.

Houston makes a lot of sense as another team to add, but you'll need 3 more too. Atlanta is always talked about as an option and I think the NHL wants to go back to Phoenix with better owners. Quebec City is always talked about too but I don't think the market is there. I'd probably argue:

-Central: Houston/Austin
-West: Phoenix
-East: Atlanta or Quebec City

All make sense, but what team are you adding to the Metro there?

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

My major issue with expansion is that you basically have to go from 32 teams to 36 teams to have it make sense. I think the current division setup makes both 32 and 36 make sense, but I don't really want another 4 expansion teams.

Houston makes a lot of sense as another team to add, but you'll need 3 more too. Atlanta is always talked about as an option and I think the NHL wants to go back to Phoenix with better owners. Quebec City is always talked about too but I don't think the market is there. I'd probably argue:

-Central: Houston/Austin
-West: Phoenix
-East: Atlanta or Quebec City

All make sense, but what team are you adding to the Metro there?

From a divison balance standpoint, sure 36 makes more sense than 32.
But there is such a thing as hockey saturation/limitations where there aren't enough fans to support all the franchises. There is an inflection point where fans just stop caring as much and the money well runs dry. Where is that point, IDK but the NHL is in THE worst financial position compared to all other sports. Hell, you could make the argument that the WNBA could be gaining ground on them and overtake them in terms of popularity.

We're going to get this expansion and then, spoiler alert the owners will threaten a lockout. I've seen this all before (multiple times)

 

[Empoleon8771]

From a divison balance standpoint, sure 36 makes more sense than 32.
But there is such a thing as hockey saturation/limitations where there aren't enough fans to support all the franchises. There is an inflection point where fans just stop caring as much and the money well runs dry. Where is that point, IDK but the NHL is in THE worst financial position compared to all other sports. Hell, you could make the argument that the WNBA could be gaining ground on them and overtake them in terms of popularity.

We're going to get this expansion and then, spoiler alert the owners will threaten a lockout. I've seen this all before (multiple times)

How can you argue this is the case, though? The NHL is receiving such insane amounts of revenue that the cap is skyrocketing by like 20% in the next 2 years.

 

[eXile3]

The new thing is to not care about the quality of your product. Just the money it brings in. And since people are starved for escapism they get away with it.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

How can you argue this is the case, though? The NHL is receiving such insane amounts of revenue that the cap is skyrocketing by like 20% in the next 2 years.

I can argue this because it seems the NHL can't help itself where it has a lockout every decade in the modern TV era. This well is going to run dry.
Entertainment dollars are finite . The NHL is the most gate dependent sport of the major 4 sports

 

[Deport Ogie]

My major issue with expansion is that you basically have to go from 32 teams to 36 teams to have it make sense. I think the current division setup makes both 32 and 36 make sense, but I don't really want another 4 expansion teams.

Houston makes a lot of sense as another team to add, but you'll need 3 more too. Atlanta is always talked about as an option and I think the NHL wants to go back to Phoenix with better owners. Quebec City is always talked about too but I don't think the market is there. I'd probably argue:

-Central: Houston/Austin
-West: Phoenix
-East: Atlanta or Quebec City

All make sense, but what team are you adding to the Metro there?

There's been noise in the past around Cincinnati , as well as Kansas City as we know all too well. Cincinnati would make sense geographically while KC would not but I wonder if they would move them to the Central and push Nashville to the Metro.

This is all, of course, assuming the league even gives a shit about geographical sense which they do not always seem to do.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

I thought he played for Atlanta and Minn before coming to us?

And the Rangers.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Put a team in Cleveland. They've got a nice arena.

 

[Jacob]

Oilers coach in 2031:

 

[plaidchuck]

Yep you can guarantee they will take another crack at Phoenix. Why would the league protect the franchise and turn Utah into an expansion otherwise? And if one of these expansion teams pays 500 million like Vegas did you can guarantee they’ll get another favorable draft as well.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

We're gonna have a 40 team league soon aren't we?

Good lord, there's gonna be like one good player per team, or like 4 teams with all the good players.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Gary Bettman turning the NHL into a pyramid scheme.

 

[plaidchuck]

We're gonna have a 40 team league soon aren't we?

Good lord, there's gonna be like one good player per team, or like 4 teams with all the good players.

Gonna see more of what happened this year. Bunch of garbage sloshing around and into the playoffs with only about 2-3 real contenders.

 

[TNT87]

Very busy day with big trades.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

This off season is unhinged and I love it.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

As the number of teams has gone up, my overall interest in this joke of a league has gone down. And that’s not even taking into account all the other bullshit.

The on-ice product nowadays is trash 80% of the time but yeah let’s just add “moar teams”

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Hopefully this just means more meatheads get into the league and bash more skulls.

 

[Al Smith]

Put a team in Cleveland. They've got a nice arena.

They can call them the Barons. Or the LeBarons after the fine automobile. Or the LeBrons if LeBron buys a new NHL franchise for his almost hometown. Kind of keeping in the tradition of naming the local football team after its original owner.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

They can call them the Barons. Or the LeBarons after the fine automobile. Or the LeBrons if LeBron buys a new NHL franchise for his almost hometown. Kind of keeping in the tradition of naming the local football team after its original owner.

"Robber Barons' would be so much better

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Ew Cleveland

 

[heysmilinstrange]

I've been reliably informed that Cleveland rocks.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Ew Cleveland

something about aliens in Cleveland here

 

[Turin]