Bettman meeting with Ryan Smith, owner of Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake (upd: Smith asks NHL to open expansion process)

[GKJ]

In todays 32 Thoughts, it is titled ‘Dinner Date’ as that’s exactly what happened with Gary Bettman and Ryan Smith.



Elliotte notes that Smith and the NHL have been in each other’s orbit, and that Bettman knows how to have owners lined up.

The obvious thing here, and mentioned, is it this would be connected to the Coyotes if the Tempe thing falls through.

Click to read more...

 

[ForsbergForever]

Utah Grizzlies NHL edition?

 

[GKJ]

Also, Salt Lake is the favorite for the 2030 Olympics, which would mean they’re looking at new building.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

DID Friedman sit near them at the next table or something LOL

 

[edog37]

This is interesting. Sounds like this may be a backup plan if things go south in Arizona.

 

[Hammahtime]

Super interesting to me, I think ATL/Houston would be better business on the surface I truly think they will be expansion.
SLC would fit in nicely in my opinion and as much as I would not want the Yotes fans to lose a team I think Utah would embrace a franchise

 

[LadyStanley]

VGK would be losing Utah as TV market. They have done summer tour with stop in SLC.

 

[rojac]

VGK would be losing Utah as TV market. They have done summer tour with stop in SLC.

On the other hand, if it’s a move of the Coyotes, Vegas probably gains Arizona.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I’ve said for a while now that Utah absolutely should be a longterm expansion target for the NHL. It’s rapidly growing and very wealthy with a solid winter sports tradition. Only real downsides to it is that it’s still on the small side, for now, and geographically their market is very long and narrow, making a lot of the fanbase a trek and a half away from a game.

But Jazz fanbase is rock solid, and I have no doubt that the NHL would absolutely work there. Would love for them to be the Utah Yellowjackets, but that would be a tad too repetitive to have two jackets squads in the NHL. Probably something else bee-related, promoting the Grizzlies name (although with the Memphis Grizzlies I’m not sure if there are any hiccups with an NBA owner owning a major pro team in another league with a potential rival’s name), or something else with a double z.

 

[MNNumbers]

No predictions. Bettman and Daly say all the time that they listen to information from lots of cities. However, in this specific case....

Suppose Tempe is a no go
Suppose Houston is a no go because Fertitta won't pay

You have to have somewhere. Bettman learned that early on with Winnipeg falling into Phoenix because the better option (Mpls) fell through and there wasn't another choice.

 

[ponder719]

No predictions. Bettman and Daly say all the time that they listen to information from lots of cities. However, in this specific case....

Suppose Tempe is a no go
Suppose Houston is a no go because Fertitta won't pay

You have to have somewhere. Bettman learned that early on with Winnipeg falling into Phoenix because the better option (Mpls) fell through and there wasn't another choice.

Absolutely. This feels an awful lot like "In the event of an emergency, what ripcord can I pull here that isn't Quebec, with all the attendant hassle of having 17 ETZ teams in a 32 team league?"

That said, a 40 team NHL in the 2030s or 40s almost certainly has all the time in the world for SLC, so that's another great reason to lay the foundations now.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I’ve said for a while now that Utah absolutely should be a longterm expansion target for the NHL. It’s rapidly growing and very wealthy with a solid winter sports tradition. Only real downsides to it is that it’s still on the small side, for now, and geographically their market is very long and narrow, making a lot of the fanbase a trek and a half away from a game.

But Jazz fanbase is rock solid, and I have no doubt that the NHL would absolutely work there. Would love for them to be the Utah Yellowjackets, but that would be a tad too repetitive to have two jackets squads in the NHL. Probably something else bee-related, promoting the Grizzlies name (although with the Memphis Grizzlies I’m not sure if there are any hiccups with an NBA owner owning a major pro team in another league with a potential rival’s name), or something else with a double z.

Larry Miller tried that tbth, with the Utah Starzz.....hence why the Jazz G-League affiliate is SLC Stars, point of contention here.... Vivint Arena isn't conducive like several other NBA Centric arenas (Atlanta/Phoenix, and 2) Maverik Center is in West Valley City.... and that's where Utah had the 2006 Olympics..... I believe the baseball team has the Buzz nickname similiar to the marketing slogan in Charlotte's Spectrum Center aka Buzz City

 

[Fish on The Sand]

Also, Salt Lake is the favorite for the 2030 Olympics, which would mean they’re looking at new building.

Are they really? Seems weird that the IOC would go LA in 2028 and then SLC in 2030.

 

[Hammahtime]

Absolutely. This feels an awful lot like "In the event of an emergency, what ripcord can I pull here that isn't Quebec, with all the attendant hassle of having 17 ETZ teams in a 32 team league?"

That said, a 40 team NHL in the 2030s or 40s almost certainly has all the time in the world for SLC, so that's another great reason to lay the foundations now.

Relocation fee for SLC
Expansion fees for Houston and Atlanta
Keeps East/west balance
Could solidify new arena/Winter Olympics/nhl player at the Winter Olympics

It’s probably nothing but plausible atleast

 

[GKJ]

Are they really? Seems weird that the IOC would go LA in 2028 and then SLC in 2030.

The Olympic bidding process is greatly truncated these days. There’s a lack of legitimate candidates because the cost of even getting involved is so great not to mention the bidding process, and then all the back room dealings (bribes and corruption) and whatnot. LA and Beijing basically won by acclimation, and I suspect the same here. 2026 they’re already going back to northern Italy. This is just gonna go around to the same towns most of the rest of our lives.

As of now the only other cities in the game here are Stockholm and Sapporo. Stockholm and still “doing studies” although they wanted to be in on 2026, and Sapporo is kind of left in the dark because of scandal investigations regarding Tokyo, so it’s kind of like on the table but not being taken seriously. The Swiss have interest but it’s too late to not be serious, and they don’t even have a city they’re focused on, IOC is voting in October. Salt Lake is the only city with enough ducks lined up, especially since they can reuse so many facilities.

 

[StickShift]

It's worth mentioning on the Podcast they said maybe it is Salt Lake City... but maybe it is Portland, OR. That is where Ryan Smith is originally from.

Either way, hard to think that we aren't on a fast track to four team expansion:

Scenario 1:

33. Salt Lake City (Central)​

34. Atlanta (Metro)​

35. Houston (Central)​

36. Kansas City (Central)​

Move Arizona to the Pacific, Nashville to the Metro, Move Columbus to the Atlantic

	Pacific	Central	Metro	Atlantic
1.	Vancouver	Chicago	NY Islanders	Montreal
2.	Edmonton	St. Louis	NY Rangers	Toronto
3.	Calgary	Winnipeg	New Jersey	Ottawa
4.	Los Angeles	Minnesota	Philadelphia	Buffalo
5.	San Jose	Colorado	Pittsburgh	Detroit
6.	Anaheim	Dallas	Washington	Boston
7.	Vegas	Salt Lake City *	Carolina	Tampa
8.	Seattle	Houston *	Nashville **	Florida
9.	Arizona **	Kansas City *	Atlanta *	Columbus **

Scenario 2:

33. Portland (Pacific)​

34. Atlanta (Metro)​

35. Houston (Central)​

36. Kansas City (Central)​

Move Nashville to the Metro, Move Columbus to the Atlantic

	Pacific	Central	Metro	Atlantic
1.	Vancouver	Chicago	NY Islanders	Montreal
2.	Edmonton	St. Louis	NY Rangers	Toronto
3.	Calgary	Winnipeg	New Jersey	Ottawa
4.	Los Angeles	Minnesota	Philadelphia	Buffalo
5.	San Jose	Colorado	Pittsburgh	Detroit
6.	Anaheim	Arizona	Washington	Boston
7.	Vegas	Dallas	Carolina	Tampa
8.	Seattle	Houston *	Nashville **	Florida
9.	Portland *	Kansas City *	Atlanta *	Columbus **

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Hard to think that we aren't on a fast track to four team expansion.

​

33. Portland (Pacific)​

34. Atlanta (Metro)​

35. Houston (Central)​

36. Kansas City (Central)​

Move Nashville to the Metro, Move Columbus to the Atlantic

	Pacific	Central	Metro	Atlantic
1.	Vancouver	Chicago	NY Islanders	Montreal
2.	Edmonton	St. Louis	NY Rangers	Toronto
3.	Calgary	Winnipeg	New Jersey	Ottawa
4.	Los Angeles	Minnesota	Philadelphia	Buffalo
5.	San Jose	Colorado	Pittsburgh	Detroit
6.	Anaheim	Arizona	Washingston	Boston
7.	Vegas	Dallas	Carolina	Tampa
8.	Seattle	Houston *	Nashville **	Florida
9.	Portland *	Kansas City *	Atlanta *	Columbus **

show us proof that Kansas City or Portland Oregon are interested because at last check, Kansas City is a hard NO, and hasn't needed a tenant

 

[StickShift]

show us proof that Kansas City or Portland Oregon are interested because at last check, Kansas City is a hard NO, and hasn't needed a tenant

I am 100% in the business of speculation, not facts.

All goof, no proof.

 

[TheLegend]

Suppose Tempe is a no go

Meruelo has another site in Phoenix metro he can go to.

The mayor of Tempe knew this and made a cryptic comment about it all the way back when the RFP process began. My understanding is that location is still available.

So unless something really crazy happens, we can put the "Coyotes could be moving" talk away.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I am 100% in the business of speculation, not facts.

All goof, no proof.

and my point stands..... who's owning teams in Kansas City and Portland, Oregon

 

[MNNumbers]

Meruelo has another site in Phoenix metro he can go to.

The mayor of Tempe knew this and made a cryptic comment about it all the way back when the RFP process began. My understanding is that location is still available.

So unless something really crazy happens, we can put the "Coyotes could be moving" talk away.

You may be right on there being a Plan B, Legend.

But you also must know that the "Coyotes may be moving" talk won't ever go away.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I’ve said for a while now that Utah absolutely should be a longterm expansion target for the NHL. It’s rapidly growing and very wealthy with a solid winter sports tradition. Only real downsides to it is that it’s still on the small side, for now, and geographically their market is very long and narrow, making a lot of the fanbase a trek and a half away from a game.

But Jazz fanbase is rock solid, and I have no doubt that the NHL would absolutely work there. Would love for them to be the Utah Yellowjackets, but that would be a tad too repetitive to have two jackets squads in the NHL. Probably something else bee-related, promoting the Grizzlies name (although with the Memphis Grizzlies I’m not sure if there are any hiccups with an NBA owner owning a major pro team in another league with a potential rival’s name), or something else with a double z.

Their arena is absolutely untenable for NHL though. It’s worse than Barclays.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

You may be right on there being a Plan B, Legend.

But you also must know that the "Coyotes may be moving" talk won't ever go away.

I know you're not one of them that "wants" that to not exist, but the usual suspects on here who want there not to be an Arizona Plan B ignore that likelihood at their peril.... remember, we live here, we're more likely to see these things first than all y'all are. (which is why when I read the OP I rolled my eyes "of course they're gonna say Arizona's moving there...just like they did with Vegas, lol)

 

[tarheelhockey]

and geographically their market is very long and narrow, making a lot of the fanbase a trek and a half away from a game.

This really can't be overstated. SLC has a very weird shape.

 

[MNNumbers]

I know you're not one of them that "wants" that to not exist, but the usual suspects on here who want there not to be an Arizona Plan B ignore that likelihood at their peril.... remember, we live here, we're more likely to see these things first than all y'all are. (which is why when I read the OP I rolled my eyes "of course they're gonna say Arizona's moving there...just like they did with Vegas, lol)

This is exactly what I mean. Until a new arena is finished, with an iron clad lease, the relocation talk will ebb and flo, but will never stop. Not that I think that is what should happen. But, that is the reality.