NHL Board of Governors to approve opening of expansion process; Atlanta and Houston believed to be leading candidates

[Koivu11]

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[teravaineSAROS]

The Fertitta who owned the UFC?

 

[GhostfaceWu]

We don't need anymore f***ing teams.

 

[ponder719]

The Fertitta who owned the UFC?

Yep. CEO of Landry's, also the owner of the Houston Rockets.

 

[Koivu11]

 

[Zirakzigil]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

This has been obvious for awhile.

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

Great, I love watching my favorite team have less of a chance to win the Cup

 

[Jared Dunn]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

They could obviously support it but even with the Canadian dollar issue aside, I genuinely do think between the weather, taxes and Quebec's aggressive pushback against anglophones they might never sign a non Quebecois free agent. I suppose some of the euros would like it as it might feel closest to home

 

[Tawnos]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

There isn't an owner right now willing to pay the expansion fee where it sits today. There wasn't even one willing to do it back in 2015 when it was less than half what it's going to be this time around.

 

[Jumptheshark]

We don't need anymore f***ing teams.

Thank you

NHL teams are just desprate for expansion money and nothing else.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Other owners WANNA GET PAIDDDDDD

 

[Jumptheshark]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

Political and financial. If the habs did not have a massive war chest they would have been in trouble a few times

 

[CanadienShark]

Again? Ugh.

 

[brentashton]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

Good. Not. A. Major. League. Caliber. City.

 

[Albatros]

Relocate an existing team if you want new markets.

 

[Viqsi]

Relocate an existing team if you want new markets.

Let he or she who would take a team away from fans first volunteer his or her own. No exceptions. Ever. No, not even if you follow an established or O6 team.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I get it. It might help.

To be honest I couldn't care less about my team playing McDavid at home every year, or Bedard, or whomever.

This might help hockey to a degree. It will dilute the skill level so players who really aren't NHL material will make it and allow for more goals, more skill plays as it's easier to pull on inferior opponents. Likely brings back some tougher players and could result in more animosity, which this game and sports in general is severely lacking.

At the same time the NHL will just push it so you play every team minimum twice and less games against "rivals", teams just adapt a more defensive play and now you have the dead puck era again and shit hockey.

You look at celebrities, or stars from other sports who like hockey and when asked why they're usually talking about the fights and speed.

Hopefully I'm dead wrong and there's some animosity that comes back, but not the Marty McSoreley type.

 

[SEALBound]

I can't believe Atlanta is any serious discussion. I say go to KC before giving Atlanta a chance at a 3rd failure.

Houston makes a bit of sense. Wonder if you could make somewhere like Boise, ID work to try to capitalize on the rocky mountain region?

 

[StreetHawk]

Back door discussions should already be done. Especially with Houston. Either Fertitia is willing to pay the expansion price or he doesn’t. NHL needs to know that and probably what the plans are for the Toyota Center for the next 2 decades.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

I am happy with this

More NHL teams is good thing and its great if Houston finally is in. Should have been one of the late 90's expansion teams if not for the mutliple bids, potential legal fights, etc that sunk Houston's chances

And I think Atlanta will do great in suburbs like Braves. And area will only continue to grow

With all the speculation/interest reported this past year it's not surprising. And for this process to begin its clear NHL and those interested have been having preliminary talks for a while now

Atlanta and Houston seem safe bets for #33 and #34

Wonder if any other interested parties will put together enough of a bid to be #35 and #36

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Poor Quebec. NHL really doesnt care to go back there.

Atlanta is the fertile ground where small market Canadian NHL teams get their start.

Calgary
Winnipeg 2.0
Quebec 2.0?

 

[HockeyScotty]

ned the UFC?

Yep. CEO of Landry's, also the owner of the Houston Rockets.

No, different Fertitta; this is a cousin: Tilman. (edited from original that I had "brother")

Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta were the UFC guys

 

[The Shadow]

What makes people think Atlanta will work the 3rd time around.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Atlanta for a 3rd time lol

Houston makes sense but why the f*** do we need 34 teams? absurd the watering down of the product