Is Bettman plotting for a 36-team NHL?

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

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

Because the billionaire owner will sucker said market into helping pay for his arena. So the NHL buy-in is steep but is immediately offset by an asset that they only paid a portion of.

The current owners get to split the franchise fee without having to share with players, the new owner ends up with a new stadium. Everybody wins except most NHL fans.

 

[Siludin]

Quebec getting its team back should be no different than India getting the crown jewels back.
They lost them for economic reasons but not for good reasons.
It's pure evil depressive psychological torment to keep the NHL out of Quebec.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Atlanta Flames 1972-1980
Atlanta Thrashers 1997-2011

Quebec Nordiques 1972-1995

You're forgetting the Quebec Bulldogs 1919-1920

 

[hockey20000]

i am hoping for utah houston.. quebec and kansas city.. i hope they do not give atlanta a 3rd team ugh.. salt lake city would be super cool in my opinion could be my new west coast favorite team

 

[Snuggs]

Counting WHA years lol


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

Lol, I actually laughed. I get your point. Like I said... for whatever it's worth.

I just take it as someone in the uppers don't want a team there.

 

[Siludin]

You're forgetting the Quebec Bulldogs 1919-1920

Is this the type of false equivalence that a city like Atlanta can finally bring to the table?

We're talking about decisions made within the lifetimes of a lot of existing owners and management - within the modern era of the league.

 

[cowboy82nd]

i am hoping for utah houston.. quebec and kansas city.. i hope they do not give atlanta a 3rd team ugh.. salt lake city would be super cool in my opinion could be my new west coast favorite team

So Quebec gets a third team and not Atlanta?

 

[Siludin]

Lol, I actually laughed. I get your point. Like I said... for whatever it's worth.

I just take it as someone in the uppers don't want a team there.

It's only funny when you aren't the one getting hurt.
But thanks for accepting my point.
I know I'm taking it to the extreme but at this point I may as well make a dent in this discourse because I do have strong feelings about it.

 

[bossram]

I mean yeah, obviously the league wants expansion. They get to pocket the huge expansion fee. If you could grab near a billion dollars for free, you would do it too!

 

[hockey20000]

So Quebec gets a third team and not Atlanta?

yea quebec has more potential to pull in money then atlanta.. if not quebec then give it to hamilton weather leafs like it or not.

 

[StickShift]

I’m going to say yes, that a 36-team league is indeed what Bettman is aiming to achieve before he retires.

The expansion teams in Vegas and Seattle have been the NHL’s most successful product. It makes sense that they want to keep repeating those wins—even if it might dilute the overall product.

Makes sense for the business, even if it takes away from the game.

 

[Snuggs]

It's only funny when you aren't the one getting hurt.
But thanks for accepting my point.
I know I'm taking it to the extreme but at this point I may as well make a dent in this discourse because I do have strong feelings about it.

Then maybe make sure you aren't painting everyone with a broad stroke of your paint brush if you actually care.

I actually do get your point. ESPECIALLY with ATL. No one down there wants a NHL team even.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Is this the type of false equivalence that a city like Atlanta can finally bring to the table?

We're talking about decisions made within the lifetimes of a lot of existing owners and management - within the modern era of the league.

How is that false? Quebec did have two teams and yes, I'm well aware of how long ago that was.

yea quebec has more potential to pull in money then atlanta.. if not quebec then give it to hamilton weather leafs like it or not.

Well, don't the Leafs have some sort of agreement with the league about that? I'm sure I've read about it on here (or somewhere).

 

[Lacaar]

Anyone think the playoff format will be adjusted then as well?

Right now only 1/2 the teams make the playoffs. I could foresee some really long playoff droughts potentially.

As much as I'd love to see a team back in Quebec city I have two concerns.
1. The NHL values population over fans. 400k/600k watching hockey isn't as value'd as 40k/6million. They're in it for the quick payoff but they also have the hope/dream/plans of hockey taking off in the USA.
2. Canadian teams have a hard time attracting talent. Everyone's no trade/move clauses is littered with Canadian franchises. I don't see Quebec coming close to the success of even Seattle. My guess is they'll be a basement team barring lottery success with a Crosby/Ovechkin/McDavid/Bedard type.

NHL hockey isn't like the other sports. We tend to tune out when the team isn't competitive a lot more than the other major sports is my feeling.

 

[Siludin]

How is that false? Quebec did have two teams and yes, I'm well aware of how long ago that was.

Because you're talking about an era so far removed from the current timeline and completely absent from the memories of of any living human. It's not the same.
The modern NHL had two teams in Atlanta and one team in Quebec.
It failed twice in Atlanta and failed once in Quebec, but it wasn't for lack of fan interest in one of those places.

 

[Snuggs]

Anyone think the playoff format will be adjusted then as well?

Right now only 1/2 the teams make the playoffs. I could foresee some really long playoff droughts potentially.

As much as I'd love to see a team back in Quebec city I have two concerns.
1. The NHL values population over fans. 400k/600k watching hockey isn't as value'd as 40k/6million. They're in it for the quick payoff but they also have the hope/dream/plans of hockey taking off in the USA.
2. Canadian teams have a hard time attracting talent. Everyone's no trade/move clauses is littered with Canadian franchises. I don't see Quebec coming close to the success of even Seattle. My guess is they'll be a basement team barring lottery success with a Crosby/Ovechkin/McDavid/Bedard type.

NHL hockey isn't like the other sports. We tend to tune out when the team isn't competitive a lot more than the other major sports is my feeling.

I think the league could justify a best of 3 play-in with the bottom 4 teams in a 10-team playoff race. top 8 are locked in, 9-12 play for the play-in, 9 playing 12, 10 playing 11 in each conference, 2 winners advance as the 10th/9th seeds, and you roll a 10-team playoff format after that. Top 8 teams get a 6-7 day rest. Still can roll-out same lottery format for draft. This part could be a rough sell for owners... but maybe a 75-game season with the extend playoff round essentially. Tough sell, pretty sure owners wouldn't even consider.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

I think the league could justify a best of 3 play-in with the bottom 4 teams in a 10-team playoff race. top 8 are locked in, 9-12 play for the play-in, 9 playing 12, 10 playing 11 in each conference, 2 winners advance as the 10th/9th seeds, and you roll a 10-team playoff format after that. Top 8 teams get a 6-7 day rest.

The disadvantage is that it would make a season that is already too long (and about to go to 84 games) one week longer.

Folks complain about the quality of play deteriorating, but a major driver of that is that these guys get worn out from playing too much hockey in too compressed a time (particularly the hated back-to-backs), sustain more injuries, can't get properly healed up, etc.

 

[Canovin]

The Leafs finally getting a second team

 

[Snuggs]

The disadvantage is that it would make a season that is already too long (and about to go to 84 games) one week longer.

Folks complain about the quality of play deteriorating, but a major driver of that is that these guys get worn out from playing too much hockey in too compressed a time (particularly the hated back-to-backs), sustain more injuries, can't get properly healed up, etc.

It's true, but only for 4 teams that have earned the right.

The top 8 teams aren't/wouldn't necessarily playing more. Playoffs just might last a full week longer in June.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

It's true, but only for 4 teams that have earned the right.

The top 8 teams aren't/wouldn't necessarily playing more. Playoffs just might last a full week longer in June.

I get that, but I also think it is a mistake for the season to go past June 1 as it is.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'm all for it and I think it is happening

The one issue I have is that I like the rule that every team gets to host every other team at least once. When you add this many teams either that goes out or we get rid of extra divisional and conference games.

And before that rule about every team hosting every other team it was political. Small markets didn't get to host the exciting marquee teams as much

 

[mrhockey193195]

My primary concern with an even bigger league is that it becomes harder and harder to make sure that every team plays each other home & away (and selfishly, as a Rangers fan living in Colorado and spending lots of time in CA, I like knowing that I'll have many opportunities to see them play live). That might just be the reality though. There are a handful of markets that I'd love to see have an NHL team (Portland, Houston, Cincy, amongst others).

EDIT:

Option 1: 4 divisions of 9 teams. 84 game schedule.
- Play each divisional opponent 6 times (6x8 = 48 games)
- Play each non-divisional conference opponent twice, home and away (2x9 = 18 games)
- Play each non-conference opponent once, alternating home and away each season (1x18 = 18 games)

Option 2: 6 divisions of 6 teams. 82 Game schedule.
- Play each divisional opponent 8 times (8x5 = 40 games)
- Play each non-divisional conference opponent twice, home and away (2x12 = 24 games)
- Play each non-conference opponent once, alternating home and away each season (1x18 = 18 games)

 

[Snuggs]

That is legit, more I think about that. They'll add games both in playoffs and regular season.

It's not unreasonable to think they'd start 2 weeks earlier to make sure everyone plays each other.

 

[cowboy82nd]

I think the league could justify a best of 3 play-in with the bottom 4 teams in a 10-team playoff race. top 8 are locked in, 9-12 play for the play-in, 9 playing 12, 10 playing 11 in each conference, 2 winners advance as the 10th/9th seeds, and you roll a 10-team playoff format after that. Top 8 teams get a 6-7 day rest. Still can roll-out same lottery format for draft. This part could be a rough sell for owners... but maybe a 75-game season with the extend playoff round essentially. Tough sell, pretty sure owners wouldn't even consider.

I hate play-in games. You make the playoffs based on the regular season. If you are not good enough to make the playoffs .... do better.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Because you're talking about an era so far removed from the current timeline and completely absent from the memories of of any living human. It's not the same.
The modern NHL had two teams in Atlanta and one team in Quebec.
It failed twice in Atlanta and failed once in Quebec, but it wasn't for lack of fan interest in one of those places.

I'm just pointing out facts. Two teams for each city.