Expansion coming per Allan Walsh

[Unfathomable]

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”?

What's wrong with trying to get more black people to watch the game its untapped potential. This is how you grow the game.... lol

[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.

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

I just dont see it.

If there were, you wouldnt have some of the dross we currently have in the league.

Or you end up with teams icing a load of rookies, which isnt good either.

You could maybe add another team in a couple of years and then leave it 4 or 5 years before adding another.

My view is there are some very bad teams in the league currently and this doesnt help in making the league more competetive.

[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

I just dont see it.

If there were, you wouldnt have some of the dross we currently have in the league.

Or you end up with teams icing a load of rookies, which isnt good either.

You could maybe add another team in a couple of years and then leave it 4 or 5 years before adding another.

My view is there are some very bad teams in the league currently and this doesnt help in making the league more competetive.

No matter how many teams there are , you are going to have bad teams…same in every other sport as well. You can’t have a league where every team is ready to win at the same moment. You don’t think that every current NHL team has at least two more players in the organization that could play for them right now? Blues have several players that could play a regular shift in the NHL that aren’t on their roster right now.

[BrummerStealsHome]

People really struggle with the concept of expansion. The whole point is to create a market where one doesn't currently exist.

That's not it. Questioning expansion usually revolves around dilution of the product. We'll see about 40 more players playing who would otherwise be playing in some lesser league, and the dilution of schedules. It's good to play your division rivals several times, and it's also good to see the teams from the other conference come into your building once a year. That's gonna change for the worse.

[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”?

What's wrong with trying to get more black people to watch the game its untapped potential. This is how you grow the game.... lol

I agree. The nhl should want any untapped markets/demographics they don’t currently have. Bigots be damned

[Pierre McGuire]

People really struggle with the concept of expansion. The whole point is to create a market where one doesn't currently exist.

That's not it. Questioning expansion usually revolves around dilution of the product. We'll see about 40 more players playing who would otherwise be playing in some lesser league

The overall talent is better than it’s ever been and just because they are playing in the AHL or juniors doesn’t mean they aren’t ready to play in the NHL. I think the talk of the product being watered down because of expansion just doesn’t hold truth today.

[LuvthaBlues]

I herd a while ago the Dancin’ Anson Carter was among the Atlanta investment group. The logic for trying to go back was that the previous attempts had chosen locations for the arena that made it difficult to travel to, kinda like Ottawa.

Their approach was to go to a new location and a different marketing approach.

Idk…I guesss we’ll see!

Also, Bill Daley’s interview with Cam and Strick kinda explained the league’s perspective in a digestible way.

[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.

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

I just dont see it.

If there were, you wouldnt have some of the dross we currently have in the league.

Or you end up with teams icing a load of rookies, which isnt good either.

You could maybe add another team in a couple of years and then leave it 4 or 5 years before adding another.

My view is there are some very bad teams in the league currently and this doesnt help in making the league more competetive.

No matter how many teams there are , you are going to have bad teams…same in every other sport as well. You can’t have a league where every team is ready to win at the same moment. You don’t think that every current NHL team has at least two more players in the organization that could play for them right now? Blues have several players that could play a regular shift in the NHL that aren’t on their roster right now.

But those players would be worse.

Those players also likely passed through waivers or have otherwise been passed over by every other team in the league.

We could add MacMac and Scheuneman for example, i dont think makes the league better.

[moose-and-squirrel]

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

I just dont see it.

If there were, you wouldnt have some of the dross we currently have in the league.

Or you end up with teams icing a load of rookies, which isnt good either.

You could maybe add another team in a couple of years and then leave it 4 or 5 years before adding another.

My view is there are some very bad teams in the league currently and this doesnt help in making the league more competetive.

No matter how many teams there are , you are going to have bad teams…same in every other sport as well. You can’t have a league where every team is ready to win at the same moment. You don’t think that every current NHL team has at least two more players in the organization that could play for them right now? Blues have several players that could play a regular shift in the NHL that aren’t on their roster right now.

But those players would be worse.

Those players also likely passed through waivers or have otherwise been passed over by every other team in the league.

We could add MacMac and Scheuneman for example, i dont think makes the league better.

for the roles they would play, it wouldn't make the league worse either

[HighStick]

When is expansion coming? Are they planning on this next off season or in a couple of years? 2 teams at the same time? That's going to dilute the league pretty bad. I'm already hoping they pick Krug.

[netboy65]

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”?

Not at all. I think it would be great and beneficial to the league. You also have to be realistic. If it were going to catch on, it would have done so by now. Same reason GOP doesn’t spend much time/money campaigning in Calif. it’d be great to get them but probably not going to happen.

[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

I just dont see it.

If there were, you wouldnt have some of the dross we currently have in the league.

Or you end up with teams icing a load of rookies, which isnt good either.

You could maybe add another team in a couple of years and then leave it 4 or 5 years before adding another.

My view is there are some very bad teams in the league currently and this doesnt help in making the league more competetive.

No matter how many teams there are , you are going to have bad teams…same in every other sport as well. You can’t have a league where every team is ready to win at the same moment. You don’t think that every current NHL team has at least two more players in the organization that could play for them right now? Blues have several players that could play a regular shift in the NHL that aren’t on their roster right now.

But those players would be worse.

Those players also likely passed through waivers or have otherwise been passed over by every other team in the league.

We could add MacMac and Scheuneman for example, i dont think makes the league better.

I think you’re looking at the wrong players

[BrummerStealsHome]

People really struggle with the concept of expansion. The whole point is to create a market where one doesn't currently exist.

That's not it. Questioning expansion usually revolves around dilution of the product. We'll see about 40 more players playing who would otherwise be playing in some lesser league

The overall talent is better than it’s ever been and just because they are playing in the AHL or juniors doesn’t mean they aren’t ready to play in the NHL. I think the talk of the product being watered down because of expansion just doesn’t hold truth today.

Yet oftentimes it does mean just that, as evidenced by the ever-churning NHL rosters.

[Sudsy 11]

Please let Houston get an expansion team. Live in San Antonio. Two hours to Dallas is a heck of a lot better than the long drive through Austin to Dallas.

[Pierre McGuire]

Please let Houston get an expansion team. Live in San Antonio. Two hours to Dallas is a heck of a lot better than the long drive through Austin to Dallas.

So much smoke and people running with the story that it seems like Houston is probably announced sooner than later.

[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.

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”?

Never meant it like that, growing the sport can only be a good thing in my eyes.