League Expansion is

[Bluesbacker]

Coming sooner than later. While grooming all the talent we currently have in the A and future talent such as Jirick, Carbonneau how do we proceed with our current roster?

[diehardbluesfan1]

That’s your best chance to lose Buch and you pray it does happen

[the miracle]

Definitely depends on the timing of WHEN expansion occurs. Previous NHL expansion rules allowed the protection of 7 forwards, 3 defensmen, 1 goalie. First and second year players were automatically protected, as were unsigned draft picks.

If expansion happened next year, once you eliminate the less than 2 years of service players, I'd almost have a problem coming up with 11 dudes on this team that I'd want to keep / feel are untouchable.
- Dvorsky, Mailloux, Stenberg, and Snuggerud are all protected since they have less than 2 years of service
- Hofer, Holloway, Broberg and Neighbours are the only guys I'd really be upset about losing, and are who I'd protect if I was GM

The only real problem I see for the Blues is this scenario: Expansion occurs 5 years from now. Every one of the Blues prospects currently in the pipeline reaches their ceiling or exceeds it, and every prospect they draft from this point forward is a dud.

[Cahokanut]

The last thing this league needs is more expansion.
When most teams have up to two throw away lines, your league is too watered down.

There is just so defensive first hockey fans to support more players whose best skills isn't with a puck and stick.

[BrummerStealsHome]

Definitely depends on the timing of WHEN expansion occurs. Previous NHL expansion rules allowed the protection of 7 forwards, 3 defensmen, 1 goalie. First and second year players were automatically protected, as were unsigned draft picks.

If expansion happened next year, once you eliminate the less than 2 years of service players, I'd almost have a problem coming up with 11 dudes on this team that I'd want to keep / feel are untouchable.
- Dvorsky, Mailloux, Stenberg, and Snuggerud are all protected since they have less than 2 years of service
- Hofer, Holloway, Broberg and Neighbours are the only guys I'd really be upset about losing, and are who I'd protect if I was GM

The only real problem I see for the Blues is this scenario: Expansion occurs 5 years from now. Every one of the Blues prospects currently in the pipeline reaches their ceiling or exceeds it, and every prospect they draft from this point forward is a dud.

I dunno, man. We'll be back-to-back Stanley Cup champs then so losing a good player or two won't seem like such a big deal.

[BrummerStealsHome]

The last thing this league needs is more expansion.
When most teams have up to two throw away lines, your league is too watered down.

There is just so defensive first hockey fans to support more players whose best skills isn't with a puck and stick.

I hear that Atlanta and Phoenix can support NHL teams. The league needs to take a serious look at both!

[LGB73]

When was last time the NFL expanded? It's the number 1 sports league in North America and they haven't pulled the trigger on adding more teams and sucking up more expansion dollars. The NHL has just added two teams to get to the logical number of 32 teams. Let's let that breathe for a bit, like 10-15 years before thinking about adding more teams. We don't need to water the talent level down any more or the product is going to suffer.

[Frank Barone]

When was last time the NFL expanded? It's the number 1 sports league in North America and they haven't pulled the trigger on adding more teams and sucking up more expansion dollars. The NHL has just added two teams to get to the logical number of 32 teams. Let's let that breathe for a bit, like 10-15 years before thinking about adding more teams. We don't need to water the talent level down any more or the product is going to suffer.

The main difference between the NFL and NHL on the expansion subject is that the NHL has 7 teams in Canada and the NFL has none. There are more large cities available to the NHL like Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix. No need to worry about the talent level getting watered down as the NHL pulls players from all over North America and Europe.

I think the NFL should and will expand, with the best new cities being St. Louis and Toronto.

[TruBlueFan_1970]

When was last time the NFL expanded? It's the number 1 sports league in North America and they haven't pulled the trigger on adding more teams and sucking up more expansion dollars. The NHL has just added two teams to get to the logical number of 32 teams. Let's let that breathe for a bit, like 10-15 years before thinking about adding more teams. We don't need to water the talent level down any more or the product is going to suffer.

The main difference between the NFL and NHL on the expansion subject is that the NHL has 7 teams in Canada and the NFL has none. There are more large cities available to the NHL like Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix. No need to worry about the talent level getting watered down as the NHL pulls players from all over North America and Europe.

I think the NFL should and will expand, with the best new cities being St. Louis and Toronto.

Not to be a jerk, but why would the league remotely consider Phoenix? They literally just moved a team from there to Utah after the nightmare that was the Coyotes.

[DawgDad]

It will get even harder for the Cup or tank crowd to cope. NHL where the norm is your team wins a Cup or gets a top pick once every 34 years? Someone will need to sow a LOT of smelly green grass

[Frank Barone]

When was last time the NFL expanded? It's the number 1 sports league in North America and they haven't pulled the trigger on adding more teams and sucking up more expansion dollars. The NHL has just added two teams to get to the logical number of 32 teams. Let's let that breathe for a bit, like 10-15 years before thinking about adding more teams. We don't need to water the talent level down any more or the product is going to suffer.

The main difference between the NFL and NHL on the expansion subject is that the NHL has 7 teams in Canada and the NFL has none. There are more large cities available to the NHL like Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix. No need to worry about the talent level getting watered down as the NHL pulls players from all over North America and Europe.

I think the NFL should and will expand, with the best new cities being St. Louis and Toronto.

Not to be a jerk, but why would the league remotely consider Phoenix? They literally just moved a team from there to Utah after the nightmare that was the Coyotes.

That's a legit question. The primary problem in Arizona was related to the arena, specifically the location of the arena in Glendale. From what I understand, getting to the arena was difficult for most of the population of the greater Phoenix area, especially for weekday night games. That's why they moved to Arizona State's college-size arena while they tried to get a new building in a better location approved. The new building never materialized.

I've read that the amateur hockey program in the area is very good and there is already high interest in the NHL from the Coyote days. An expansion team would only be awarded if a new building in a good location is fully approved. But back to your question, the NHL would have to be skeptical going into it and do a lot of due diligence to make sure a new franchise would work out.

[Bubble4427]

When was last time the NFL expanded? It's the number 1 sports league in North America and they haven't pulled the trigger on adding more teams and sucking up more expansion dollars. The NHL has just added two teams to get to the logical number of 32 teams. Let's let that breathe for a bit, like 10-15 years before thinking about adding more teams. We don't need to water the talent level down any more or the product is going to suffer.

The main difference between the NFL and NHL on the expansion subject is that the NHL has 7 teams in Canada and the NFL has none. There are more large cities available to the NHL like Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix. No need to worry about the talent level getting watered down as the NHL pulls players from all over North America and Europe.

I think the NFL should and will expand, with the best new cities being St. Louis and Toronto.

Sorry Frank, but the NFL to St. Louis ship has sailed.
It'll never happen.

[skeezix]

Sorry Frank, but the NFL to St. Louis ship has sailed.
It'll never happen.
[/quote]

No truer words have ever been uttered. Suing the NFL and getting an expansion team is ludicrous.

[Bluesbacker]

The last thing this league needs is more expansion.
When most teams have up to two throw away lines, your league is too watered down.

There is just so defensive first hockey fans to support more players whose best skills isn't with a puck and stick.

I hear that Atlanta and Phoenix can support NHL teams. The league needs to take a serious look at both!

Now that’s some funny chit!

[Frank Barone]

When was last time the NFL expanded? It's the number 1 sports league in North America and they haven't pulled the trigger on adding more teams and sucking up more expansion dollars. The NHL has just added two teams to get to the logical number of 32 teams. Let's let that breathe for a bit, like 10-15 years before thinking about adding more teams. We don't need to water the talent level down any more or the product is going to suffer.

The main difference between the NFL and NHL on the expansion subject is that the NHL has 7 teams in Canada and the NFL has none. There are more large cities available to the NHL like Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix. No need to worry about the talent level getting watered down as the NHL pulls players from all over North America and Europe.

I think the NFL should and will expand, with the best new cities being St. Louis and Toronto.

Sorry Frank, but the NFL to St. Louis ship has sailed.
It'll never happen.

Never say never, Bub!

[BalotelliMassive]

1 - expansion is going to ruin this league

2 - F the NHL - we don't need them