Is Bettman plotting for a 36-team NHL?

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

My main problem is it could lead to extending the season. More teams. More games. More money for the billionaires. Crappier hockey and “schedule losses” for the fans.

 

[GindyDraws]

It’s the idiotic scheduling. Get rid of cross-conference games… awful start times, against teams no one wants to watch. Actually play your division games a meaningful amount of games instead of the pitiful 4 times a year.

They tried that. People complained due to not seeing stars (and the Dallas Stars), so they relented after two seasons.

 

[Malaka]

Am I a curmudgeon if I don’t want anymore new teams? Seems like an unnecessary risk for a sport that is still largely a niche sport in the US.

You’re a cotton headed ninny muffins.

Salt Lake (near summit park/Park City) and Milwaukee, then relocate or add Quebec and Atlanta

Oh, and bring back the whale

 

[MikeyMike01]

They tried that. People complained due to not seeing stars (and the Dallas Stars), so they relented after two seasons.

Mind-boggling

Another thing the NHL gets horribly wrong, and the NFL gets extremely right

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

It's been said numerous times...

But what about expansion to Europe. 32 Teams in North American playing in the NHL. Winner wins the Stanley Cup.

Create an NHL Europe or something slowly expanding teams as the game grows.

Stockholm
Oslo
Berlin
St Petersburgh
Moscow
Prague
Bratislava
Paris
London

NHL Europe plays for a new trophy......the Bettman Cup.

Than, the winner of each League plays off in the International Cup or something similar.

Some variation on that idea in my opinion is the best way to grow the game. Get the NHL truly in Europe as the top marketer for all things Ice Hockey.

Europe already has Champions league. It will keep growing. I expect good things from it but it will take time to grow.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

32 is more than enough.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

The NHL's leadership has had a blind spot regarding the emotional and cultural impact of their decisions over the past three decades.

The NHL is a business, no more, no less, and the franchises are only responsible to their investors -- not the fans, not the culture, not humanity generally. What you describe is a problem for the Canadian government, not the NHL which is expected by its investors to rigorously pursue it own selfish self-interests to the very limits of what is allowed by law.

There has been an overall decline in hockey participation in recent years. Since peaking on 205, there has been a 30% drop of people playing hockey in Canada, despite a 15% increase in the country's population.

But how is the NHL actually at fault? The problem with the Canadian teams not winning Cups is solely on their owners, who happen to be Canadian themselves (unless you think that Canadian teams should be gifted Cups every so often just to inspire the kiddies). Then, there are other factors that have caused declines in Canadian youth hockey, not the least of which is soaring costs of the youth leagues that limit participation to only the more affluent families and the growing popularity of youth soccer.

 

[Breakers]

There is already enough AHL trash in this league to begin with

 

[LeafGrief]

Ponzi scheme.

There may be enough talent among forwards to fill out more NHL rosters, but there is already a deficit of quality goaltenders, officials, coaches, and executives.

They’d genuinely be better off just expanding a few rinks to 40k seats rather than adding new teams. But of course this is just about expansion fees and has nothing to do with organic growth.

 

[StreetHawk]

There's a bunch of markets that would probably make sense in the US.

Wasn't Kansas City pushing for a team at one point?
Could probably put another team in Ohio (Cincinnati, Cleveland?)
Houston as you pointed out.
Portland would be a nice rivalry for Seattle
OKC

NHL maxed out non NBA markets already. LV and SEA will get the next 2 NBA expansion teams. But, the NHL got there first.

ATL, HOU (more NHL wanting this than Fertitia willing to pay the price for a team now), Salt Lake, and 1 more, can be POR depending on who buys the Blazers and arena, SD is building a new arena with help from Kroenke, Avs owner.

Don't expect an open bid process. Going to be like Seattle, where all the work is done behind the scenes and the NHL just announces it one day. Hou, SLC, POR are NBA markets right now, so very easy for the NBA owner to contact Bettman and the NHL to inquire about a team. ATL, a group is working on a new arena and entertainment district.

 

[patriotfan]

I would love for there to be a lower NHL league where they could promote/relegate a couple teams every year but I'm guessing the current owners would never agree to that. They wouldn't like the reduced revenue playing in a lower tier league, but it would be very exciting for fans.

dude that would be a great idea of demotions but like you said the owners are too greedy it will never happen, and this league is already to watered down as it is, don't need anymore teams, should fix a couple right now like move them or fold them period, so the rich down have to pay any of that bettman revenue sharing bullcrap that is going on, imagine the top teams are supporting the bottom feeders so they can come and beat you and your paying them...hmmmmm

 

[Malaka]

There may be enough talent among forwards to fill out more NHL rosters, but there is already a deficit of quality goaltenders, officials, coaches, and executives.

I believe the mainboards should definitely co opt a team.

We could vote on all moves, and make proposals that would hamstring the rest of the league in phone call volume.

 

[Siludin]

Did the NHL remove a team from Quebec or did Quebec sell their team? And like I said above, I would be happy to have a team in Quebec, but not putting an NHL team there is NOT a cultural attack on Canada.

Yes it is. People have been asking for it for decades. You don't play that garbage in Arizona and Atlanta for as long as you have without returning to Quebec. That's some serious bologna. I'm livid they would consider four more American teams before Quebec.
Atlanta absolutely doesn't need another team.

 

[LeafGrief]

I believe the mainboards should definitely co opt a team.

We could vote on all moves, and make proposals that would hamstring the rest of the league in phone call volume.

The fact that we're stupid doesn't make the current GM's any less stupid. I'm a Leafs fan, don't try and tell me that we've been blessed with capable leadership.

 

[CanMerc]

Provide any evidence that QC would be "more self sufficient and profitable" that ARI, and that another team in Southern Ontario is more financially lucrative than a large American market (ATL, HOU). Anything evidence apart from you gatekeeping hockey as exclusively popular in Canada.

Any idiot can see any Canadian city could support a hockey team better than a city in the freakin desert!
Where exactly did I say a southern Ontario team would be more financially lucrative than a large American market?

they really need to bring back comprehension in schools….damn

 

[cowboy82nd]

Yes it is. People have been asking for it for decades. You don't play that garbage in Arizona and Atlanta for as long as you have without returning to Quebec. That's some serious bologna. I'm livid they would consider four more American teams before Quebec.
Atlanta absolutely doesn't need another team.

Why? How many NHL teams did Atlanta have and how many NHL teams did Quebec have?

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I already don’t hate your bruins anymore. It’s just the leafs, it’s sad.

It will only get worse. The NHL will get to NFL levels of playing rivals every three seasons. The NHL desperately fears emotion and hatred.

 

[Siludin]

Why? How many NHL teams did Atlanta have and how many NHL teams did Quebec have?

1. Atlanta Flames
2. Atlanta Thrashers

1. Quebec Nordiques

Which teams had the longer leash? On which city did the NHL waste more money?

 

[VivaLasVegas]

I'm livid they would consider four more American teams before Quebec.

Who exactly has made an application to the NHL for a team to be moved to Quebec?

The way the process works is that a putative owner comes up with a viable stadium deal and tenders a big fat check to the NHL. The NHL's existing owners then decide whether or not to cash the check. So far in recent memory at least, no such check has gone uncashed. The real problem with QC is that there is nobody there even trying to send the NHL a check. That's not the NHL's fault.

 

[CanMerc]

Why? How many NHL teams did Atlanta have and how many NHL teams did Quebec have?

Atlanta Flames 1972-1980
Atlanta Thrashers 1997-2011

Quebec Nordiques 1972-1995

 

[Siludin]

Who exactly has made an application to the NHL for a team to be moved to Quebec?

The way the process works is that a putative owner comes up with a viable stadium deal and tenders a big fat check to the NHL. The NHL's existing owners then decide whether or not to cash the check. So far in recent memory at least, no such check has gone uncashed. The real problem with QC is that there is nobody there even trying to send the NHL a check. That's not the NHL's fault.

The NHL will shop for owners endlessly for an American team in a garbage market with literally no arena.

 

[Snuggs]

Doesn't matter. I'm from the West Coast and I would gladly join a nation wide hockey strike if it meant reinstating a team in Quebec.
Enough mucking around with garbage US markets.
If they can find three more US cities they can maintain the ratio and add one in Quebec.

I think Canada should get another team, just not Quebec City.

I'll leave this quote here and take it for what it's worth.

"The NHL doesn't want hockey in Quebec City, and they will not get the Coyotes," said sports economist professor Moshe Lander of Concordia University.May 18, 2023

 

[Snuggs]

I like how the NHL is turning into a Ponzi scheme. Revenues keep rising because new suckers keep buying in for a billion dollars.

I mean, if 650 million dollar buy in gets me a 1-1.25 billion dollar asset that generates 195 plus million on revenues... sure sign me up for that Ponzi.

Seattle/Vegas laughing to the banks. Same with the Predators/Blue Jackets/Wild/Sharks/Ducks... Only real shining disasters in expansion are ATL and so far through faulty management/ownership, ARIZONA*relocation*.

 

[Siludin]

Atlanta Flames 1972-1980
Atlanta Thrashers 1997-2011

Quebec Nordiques 1972-1995

Counting WHA years lol

I think Canada should get another team, just not Quebec City.

I'll leave this quote here and take it for what it's worth.

I don't care what those cultural terrorists tell their publications to say. I can make a stink.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

1. Atlanta Flames
2. Atlanta Thrashers

1. Quebec Nordiques

Which teams had the longer leash? On which city did the NHL waste more money?

How did the NHL lose money on the failure of any team? The investors in the Flames and Thrashers might have lost money, but not the NHL itself.

The NHL is essentially a franchise business. If a franchisee loses their shirt, it's no sweat off the butt of the franchisor -- indeed, it is an opportunity to sell the next putative franchisee who comes along