GreenHornet
Registered User
But why do that when we can just keep the BIG OWE TRAIN CHURNING?!?!
But why do that when we can just keep the BIG OWE TRAIN CHURNING?!?!
But why do that when we can just keep the BIG OWE TRAIN CHURNING?!?!
West - Mountain | East - Atlantic |
Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Seattle Colorado Salt Lake City (Relocation) | Montreal Boston Toronto Detroit Ottawa Buffalo |
West - Pacific | East - Metro |
Los Angeles Anaheim San Jose Vegas Phoenix (Expansion) San Diego (Expansion) | New York Rangers New York Islanders New Jersey Philadelphia Pittsburgh Columbus |
West - Central | East - Southeast |
Winnipeg Minnesota Chicago St Louis Dallas Houston (Expansion) | Washington Carolina Tampa Florida Nashville Atlanta (Expansion) |
Is that what all 32 owners told you directly?The NHL. is not going to put 4th team in California
California, as an individual state, has the 5th highest gdp of any NATION in the WORLD.The NHL. is not going to put 4th team in California so if build that arena it will be for the NBA . not the NHL.
Cities most likely to be considered for an NHL. team
Houston
Quebec City
Southern Ontario (Hamilton)
Kansas City
Portland
The NHL. is not going to put 4th team in California so if build that arena it will be for the NBA . not the NHL.
Cities most likely to be considered for an NHL. team
Houston
Quebec City
Southern Ontario (Hamilton)
Kansas City
Portland
Quebec city and 2nd GTA team is a pipe dream. Only way franchises end up in the two markets is because no American markets/owners want a team.The NHL. is not going to put 4th team in California so if build that arena it will be for the NBA . not the NHL.
Cities most likely to be considered for an NHL. team
Houston
Quebec City
Southern Ontario (Hamilton)
Kansas City
Portland
This is a fantastic alignment, well done. I might swap Columbus and Washington but really that's minor. Nashville being in the east allows them to easily be flipped back west if a west team relocates to Toronto or QC.If Phoenix does indeed return as a future expansion franchise, and Atlanta and Houston happen as expected—there is an obvious path towards adding another California franchise to create a balanced 36-team / 6-division NHL:
West - Mountain East - Atlantic Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
Seattle
Colorado
Salt Lake City (Relocation)Montreal
Boston
Toronto
Detroit
Ottawa
BuffaloWest - Pacific East - Metro Los Angeles
Anaheim
San Jose
Vegas
Phoenix (Expansion)
San Diego (Expansion)New York Rangers
New York Islanders
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
ColumbusWest - Central East - Southeast Winnipeg
Minnesota
Chicago
St Louis
Dallas
Houston (Expansion)Washington
Carolina
Tampa
Florida
Nashville
Atlanta (Expansion)
I've never been to SD but from everything I've heard, I agree 100%. Players would love it there. SD once they get the arena makes even more sense than SLC given the only other pro competition is baseball, so only a 2ish month overlap.Barring an ecological catastrophe that would impact a helluva lot more places than just California, betting on California's economy to continue to grow is a smart bet. Especially since the city lost the Chargers, there's absolutely a demand for more pro sports in the area.
Also, to reiterate, it is easily the most pleasant major city I have ever been in my life. There was an old NFL joke that the reason why the Chargers never succeeded was because you have to be angry to be good at football, and it's impossible to be angry in San Diego (if you have money). That's a place that'll easily attract free agents.
I like the area so much that I got a parking ticket at Torrey Pines State Beach just to the north of the city, and I'd still recommend the beach as being great.
If Phoenix does indeed return as a future expansion franchise, and Atlanta and Houston happen as expected—there is an obvious path towards adding another California franchise to create a balanced 36-team / 6-division NHL:
West - Mountain East - Atlantic Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
Seattle
Colorado
Salt Lake City (Relocation)Montreal
Boston
Toronto
Detroit
Ottawa
BuffaloWest - Pacific East - Metro Los Angeles
Anaheim
San Jose
Vegas
Phoenix (Expansion)
San Diego (Expansion)New York Rangers
New York Islanders
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
ColumbusWest - Central East - Southeast Winnipeg
Minnesota
Chicago
St Louis
Dallas
Houston (Expansion)Washington
Carolina
Tampa
Florida
Nashville
Atlanta (Expansion)
Sacramento has never had any lower level of hockey before have then, either AHL, IHL, ECHL? So, no surprise there. Without a tenant who needs it, and since the city paid a portion of it, no reason for them to add to the costs.Sacramento built a basketball arena. San Francisco built a basketball arena. San Diego is plotting to build more than a basketball arena, but only to a certain size.
My joke of the hour, however, is that the Golden Knights are the Inland Empire’s team. Hey, Vegas is California’s backyard, after all.
I wonder if the success of Tampa, Florida, and Nashville since then changes that? Feels like a different league now than then.The league really seems to like grouping traditional (northern) hockey markets with non-traditional (southern) markets - probably because it helps drive ticket sales in southern markets when northerners visit for winter holidays. The former south-east division was seen as unsuccessful for that very reason, and you now see the Florida teams in a division with a bunch of northern teams despite the fact it makes for longer travel.
I wonder if the success of Tampa, Florida, and Nashville since then changes that? Feels like a different league now than then.
I wonder if the success of Tampa, Florida, and Nashville since then changes that? Feels like a different league now than then.
And those people would be full of shit as Vegas has higher average ticket prices than Edmonton.So Vegas-Edmonton is a first round series. Vegas has been a very successful franchise. Yet I still hear people saying it costs as much to fly to Vegas and see a game as it does to see a game in Edmonton.
There's still a north / south divide in hockey, even if it isn't as steep as it once was.
The funniest part isn't even the Canadian markets you got wrong, it's the *American* markets you got wrong.....The NHL. is not going to put 4th team in California so if build that arena it will be for the NBA . not the NHL.
Cities most likely to be considered for an NHL. team
Houston
Quebec City
Southern Ontario (Hamilton)
Kansas City
Portland
It's very similar lifestyle and weather to Anaheim and yet the Ducks haven't been that great at getting free agents. San Diego in it's own way doesn't really care as much about sports. I think an NHL team would do fine there but I don't think it would be anything like the success of VGK or Seattle. I think the same can be said for Houston or Atlanta too. The bar has been set really high and to be received as just another entertainment option in crowded markets might make the NHL want to pause. Then again if people are offering up new arenas paid with taxpayer contributions and billion dollar franchise fees I can see why they keep addingI've never been to SD but from everything I've heard, I agree 100%. Players would love it there. SD once they get the arena makes even more sense than SLC given the only other pro competition is baseball, so only a 2ish month overlap.
If the NFL wants 34, the NHL will try to beat them there. Bettman was dreaming about 32 teams the second the NFL went there.
And those people would be full of shit as Vegas has higher average ticket prices than Edmonton.
Cheapest ticket I can find in Las Vegas - $95 (US)
Cheapest ticket I can find in Edmonton - $271 (Cdn)
I don't know that it's cheaper once you include the flight, but there's definitely a difference.
Yeah, but that's not what "average" is. You have to factor in what the billionaire casino moguls are paying for their suites.
But... you don't.
If' I'm an average schlub who is a passionate hockey fan what's the cheapest cost to get me into the game is what matters to me.
If anything you'd be better off arguing what the median price is - because the fact a few billionaire casino moguls pay a ridiculous price would otherwise skew the numbers. But for after-market prices that's much more difficult to figure out.