Expansion coming per Allan Walsh

[skilles]

If expansion is so good for a league than why hasn't the NFL done it in 23 years?

Stick at 32 for at least 10-15 years. Let the talent level rise and create a deeper league, and the on ice product will be better for it.

Because the NFL has a nationwide reach as it is without spending more money, the NHL does not.

[Harry York 37]

A 36 team league sounds awful to me.

Maybe a First and Second Division with generous relegation rules?
- That would make location-based rivalries uncertain and even fleeting.

It is already bad, but you would not even see half of the teams in your home barn even once each season…

[hockey jedi]

No to Atlanta or Phoenix. Houston for sure. Portland? Kansas City/Overland Park? Cleveland?

[Pierre McGuire]

No to Atlanta or Phoenix. Houston for sure. Portland? Kansas City/Overland Park? Cleveland?

Houston and Quebec for me

[britishblue]

Im not sure the talent is there for 2 more teams.

As it stands today are there really 46 legitimate NHL level players playing in the minors?

And im not meaning press box fodder. I mean make your starting lineup 9 games in 10 level players.

[skilles]

Im not sure the talent is there for 2 more teams.

As it stands today are there really 46 legitimate NHL level players playing in the minors?

And im not meaning press box fodder. I mean make your starting lineup 9 games in 10 level players.

It doesn't really matter, its more about how closely matched teams are than how good they are.

I would even argue in some ways it becomes more exciting if they are not as good but very closely matched.

[skilles]

No to Atlanta or Phoenix. Houston for sure. Portland? Kansas City/Overland Park? Cleveland?

lol they want to add new revenue not split the revenue they already have.

[Pierre McGuire]

Im not sure the talent is there for 2 more teams.

As it stands today are there really 46 legitimate NHL level players playing in the minors?

And im not meaning press box fodder. I mean make your starting lineup 9 games in 10 level players.

Not just the minors but juniors and in Europe…without a doubt there are 50 guys that could easily play in the NHL

[We Went Blues]

I just don’t get the Atlanta love (if this report is accurate). How many franchises does a city need to lose before the NHL moves on? So many other cool options for expansion (not that I’m in favor of expansion). Why does Bettmann insist of getting into these markets that clearly aren’t all that stoked about the NHL? I’m looking at you, Arizona.

I'm convinced that the NHL is trying this to get more black folks into hockey. I really believe this is the main motivation in their focus on Atlanta.

[DawgDad]

I just don’t get the Atlanta love (if this report is accurate). How many franchises does a city need to lose before the NHL moves on? So many other cool options for expansion (not that I’m in favor of expansion). Why does Bettmann insist of getting into these markets that clearly aren’t all that stoked about the NHL? I’m looking at you, Arizona.

I'm convinced that the NHL is trying this to get more black folks into hockey. I really believe this is the main motivation in their focus on Atlanta.

I'm all for getting more in, there were several in my son's youth leagues. The Black issue in the City of Atlanta is political and social. I mean, they booted the Braves out of Atlanta!

[bmsnyc]

just idiotic. The talent is already spread really thin.

On top of that, teams are going to lose two really good players yet again.

You contradict yourself here. If “talent is already spread really thin”, then how can teams each “lose two really good players?”.

[bmsnyc]

If expansion is so good for a league than why hasn't the NFL done it in 23 years?

Maybe because NFL teams get most of their revenue from the big national TV contract. That national audience doesn’t change much just because two new teams are added. But the existing teams have to suddenly share that revenue with the two new teams, reducing the share currently received by those established teams.

[Unfathomable]

been listening to a lot of hockey podcast at work the last couple weeks so i can't pinpoint which one said it but i want to say it could of been 32 thoughts as well... Anyway it was mentioned that the NHL has the fewest amount of teams in America out of the big 4 and that is a driving factor they also mentioned that Houston is the biggest city in America that doesn't have a team and the obvious Dallas Rivalry. I don't get the Atlanta thing unless they are trying to hit more Urban areas but New Orleans has even approached the league apparently. NHL is asking close to 2 billion.


This guy is apparently willing to get pretty close to the nhl number from what they were talking and is a big reason the Houston narrative is gaining steam.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/443 ... on-houston

Also they mentioned that at the GM meetings some GM's were worried 2 expansion teams at the same time or to close together would spread the talent to thin also wondered if one one team could get an arena done faster then the other etc.

[TheJackBurton]

just idiotic. The talent is already spread really thin.

On top of that, teams are going to lose two really good players yet again.

You contradict yourself here. If “talent is already spread really thin”, then how can teams each “lose two really good players?”.

That's not a contradiction at all.

The talent can be spread thin and still have quality players on teams.

The rules make it so teams will lose a quality player. I mean if you are going to pay 750 million to join the league they aren't going to let them flounder.

[Hazelwood72]

I lived in the Houston area from ‘94-‘05. Houston will definitely be a great choice. Lots of northern US and Canadians in Houston. Atlanta would be a TERRIBLE choice. Georgia simply is NOT hockey country. There may be a small group of wealthy people in the north Atlanta suburbs who would support hockey, but it will never catch on with the general populace. Kansas City, Portland, or Quebec City would better choices than either Atlanta or Phoenix.

[noted]

I just don’t get the Atlanta love (if this report is accurate). How many franchises does a city need to lose before the NHL moves on? So many other cool options for expansion (not that I’m in favor of expansion). Why does Bettmann insist of getting into these markets that clearly aren’t all that stoked about the NHL? I’m looking at you, Arizona.

I'm convinced that the NHL is trying this to get more black folks into hockey. I really believe this is the main motivation in their focus on Atlanta.

I don’t believe this to be true. But if this were true, is there something wrong with the NHL trying to “get more black folks into hockey”?