Seattle looking to join NHL?

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

It makes sense to add another team or two. That would make the divisions in the new alignment equal between the conferences.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Instead of adding 'new' franchises - I'd much rather see re-location of current franchises to more attractive markets.

I have no issue with Seattle - as long as Quebec City gets a team before them (speaking of new venue being built - QC is in the process of building a 18,000 plus seat multi-purpose facility).

Once again - Bettman, and the BOG will f**k things up.

Exactly an expansion "draft" is bad for every team involved and doesn't do the new ones any favors they are basically getting leftovers and players who don't want to be there in the first place.

Seattle may be a big market but are they a big hockey market where the owners are willing to invest into an NHL club WITHOUT the NBA being #1 priority ? Also I'm starting to question the BOG more and more, guys like Dolan, Mr. I, Pegula should be part of it.

I mean first the sellout to a piss poor quality product = sportsnet for 12 years and now favoring Seattle over Quebec ? Something doesn't add up

Also Seattle is very close to Vancouver I guess most NHL fans there are already fans of the Canucks.

Edited May 19, 2014 by frankgrimes

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

An article from ESPN (where the motto was, is and always will be: "We No Hockey!"), dealing with an hour-long interview of Uncle Gary by Pierre LeBrun, featuring a lot of 'Bettmanspeak", including my favourites:

"We had a few hours to kill, we were in the neighborhood, so I figured I'd go to Seattle to find out what the building story was," Bettman said. "We weren't there campaigning, we weren't asking for anything, and that's been misreported. Based on the level of interest we're getting from lots of people in Seattle and a fair amount of uncertainty and confusion about the building, we decided 'Let's go find out for ourselves what the story is with the building.' And there's no prospect of a building right now."

"The possibility of a new arena is at best uncertain," Bettman said. "And that's what we learned."

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

An article from ESPN (where the motto was, is and always will be: "We No Hockey!"), dealing with an hour-long interview of Uncle Gary by Pierre LeBrun, featuring a lot of 'Bettmanspeak", including my favourites:

He should have just said no comment and left instead of however long of maybe it will happen maybe it won't at this time all I can say is that the prospect of bringing a team to Seattle is up in the air with a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man, and it's uncertain whether we should move one bad location team to another bad location while we sort out our priorities we just wanted to see if Seattle was warm enough for hockey, at this time we will have to wait to see if they get snow in the winter, if they don't, we will move forward with our plan to negotiate on whether or not we should have a team there, if it drops below 50 degrees the answer is no.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Chris Hansen's number one priority is getting an Association franchise back in Seattle, even though the time-honoured excuses of "poor attendance", "need a new facility" and "can't find local investment" forced the first franchise to move. He wants a commitment from Adam Silver before ground is broken and the dump trucks start moving. Instead of sniffing around Hansen, Uncle Gary's interest should be focused on possible investors who want to bring hockey to Seattle. One huge part of Bettman's make-up is his need to be in total control of situations. The Seattle situation must be cramping his colon.

My guess is that Bettman is looking to set up a location for a move of a failing franchise (take your pick).

Edited May 24, 2014 by cusimano_brothers

[T.Low 1,011]

Exactly an expansion "draft" is bad for every team involved and doesn't do the new ones any favors they are basically getting leftovers and players who don't want to be there in the first place.

Seattle may be a big market but are they a big hockey market where the owners are willing to invest into an NHL club WITHOUT the NBA being #1 priority ? Also I'm starting to question the BOG more and more, guys like Dolan, Mr. I, Pegula should be part of it.

I mean first the sellout to a piss poor quality product = sportsnet for 12 years and now favoring Seattle over Quebec ? Something doesn't add up

Also Seattle is very close to Vancouver I guess most NHL fans there are already fans of the Canucks.

It can take 3 hrs to get from Seattle to Rogers Place in Vancouver. Most Seattle sports fans know that Todd Bertuzzi did a bad thing to that one guy and now he's not allowed back in the country, and they'd be really hard pressed to name another Canuck.

Probably as many Red Wing, Boston, and now Chicago fans as Canucklehead fans.

Seattle is a bandwagon market. Right now, the Seahawks and Sounders soccer are hot, but Husky football and Mariners baseball season tickets are easy to get great seats.

Sounders fans march across the city to the games, singing together, with other fans coming out of the pubs to job with them, just like in Europe. They meet with the team owner, comedian Drew Cary, at big outside gatherings in the city, and they tell him how they as fans want to participate in the whole scheme of Sounders Soccer and he actually responds quite favorably. They usually sellout the lower bowl, like 47,000 seats or something. That's what Bettman ought to be studying in Seattle.

Check it out.

Edited May 25, 2014 by T.Low

[frankgrimes 1,836]

It can take 3 hrs to get from Seattle to Rogers Place in Vancouver. Most Seattle sports fans know that Todd Bertuzzi did a bad thing to that one guy and now he's not allowed back in the country, and they'd be really hard pressed to name another Canuck.

Probably as many Red Wing, Boston, and now Chicago fans as Canucklehead fans.

Seattle is a bandwagon market. Right now, the Seahawks and Sounders soccer are hot, but Husky football and Mariners baseball season tickets are easy to get great seats.

Sounders fans march across the city to the games, singing together, with other fans coming out of the pubs to job with them, just like in Europe. They meet with the team owner, comedian Drew Cary, at big outside gatherings in the city, and they tell him how they as fans want to participate in the whole scheme of Sounders Soccer and he actually responds quite favorably. They usually sellout the lower bowl, like 47,000 seats or something. That's what Bettman ought to be studying in Seattle.

Check it out.

Wow nice seeing european supporters style is getting a foot into the US culture now, the atmosphere will benefit a lot from things like this :-)

But if Seattle is really a badwagon market boy giving them an expansion team would not be a good idea, if they aren't doing well = low attendance ? I think relocation to Quebec and if it needs to be another american city Seattle would be the better way to go.

As always it all starts at the top if they can get Paul Allen involved then sure, because money won't ever be an issue then.

[joshy207 156]

Wow nice seeing european supporters style is getting a foot into the US culture now, the atmosphere will benefit a lot from things like this :-)

On a side note, this very thing is happening in Detroit, less than a mile from where the new Arena will be built... the semi-pro Detroit City Football Club has built up a strong, loyal following of European-style fans, with the pregame parties, marching to the stadium, chants all game long, smoke bombs, etc. They drew over 3100 fans to their match on Friday. It's pretty awesome.

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

Anyone remember the rules for expansion teams as fat as getting a player from every team in the nhl. I remember we had so many players that we could keep safe but they then got to select a player that was unsafe.

[BadgerBob 297]

I think the Panthers should move before the NHL adds any more teams. They're always near the bottom in attendance and moving them to the west would even the conferences up.

[STL-Wings 36]

Seattle just feels weird for an NHL team. Portland might be a better fit...might.

In a perfect world, Quebec City and Hamilton would be on the map but that's all academic debate. Meanwhile Kansas City still sits with a nice arena but with MLS, MLB, and NFL that city is tapped out with population.

However, if Seattle were to get an expansion or relocated team, I would instantly support the name being the Metropolitans. Hang the banner!

[number9 3,297]

Tucson Arizona deserves a team....

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Using the old tried and true "there's only so much disposable income for entertainment" theorem, I'm guessing that the good denizens of Seattle and it's environs would put hockey at the bottom of their list of the four major sports.

But, this pipe dreams is all about Uncle Gary.

[number9 3,297]

I would like to see a large two team expansion at a later date. Seattle and another team joining the west to even the conferences.

[wings4thecup06 504]

I think the Panthers should move before the NHL adds any more teams. They're always near the bottom in attendance and moving them to the west would even the conferences up.

I would like to see a large two team expansion at a later date. Seattle and another team joining the west to even the conferences.

Expansion really is just a cash cow for Bettman and the league. What they should really be focusing on is moving teams in crappy markets that are losing money due to the stupid nature of the cap being linked to league revenues. Florida is a prime example. Phoenix shouldn't be there either. Luckily they managed to realise these things in Atlanta and moved them to a solid hockey market. Kansas City would definitely be a mistake IMO, and Seattle I'm uncertain about. The NHL never should have left Quebec city really and that's the first place they should look to go, while having another team in the Toronto area would be a massive win for the league in terms of $$$$. The Leafs might be pissed, but they'd get over it.

[number9 3,297]

Expansion really is just a cash cow for Bettman and the league. What they should really be focusing on is moving teams in crappy markets that are losing money due to the stupid nature of the cap being linked to league revenues. Florida is a prime example. Phoenix shouldn't be there either. Luckily they managed to realise these things in Atlanta and moved them to a solid hockey market. Kansas City would definitely be a mistake IMO, and Seattle I'm uncertain about. The NHL never should have left Quebec city really and that's the first place they should look to go, while having another team in the Toronto area would be a massive win for the league in terms of $$$$. The Leafs might be pissed, but they'd get over it.

I agree with you, but I also I think they're interested in adding geographically western cities so that the conferences can even themselves out better. What are they gonna do? Make Detroit and Columbus move back to the West?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Expansion really is just a cash cow for Bettman and the league. What they should really be focusing on is moving teams in crappy markets that are losing money due to the stupid nature of the cap being linked to league revenues. Florida is a prime example. Phoenix shouldn't be there either. Luckily they managed to realise these things in Atlanta and moved them to a solid hockey market. Kansas City would definitely be a mistake IMO, and Seattle I'm uncertain about. The NHL never should have left Quebec city really and that's the first place they should look to go, while having another team in the Toronto area would be a massive win for the league in terms of $$$$. The Leafs might be pissed, but they'd get over it.

The problem with another team in Toronto aren't just the leafs it's Buffalo, Toronto and maybe even the Devils not liking that but I fully agree giving Quebec back what the NHL has stolen and creating more teams in Canada will be a huge cashmashine for the league.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

What about Wisconsin? We can have the Wisconsin Cheese!

[wings4thecup06 504]

I agree with you, but I also I think they're interested in adding geographically western cities so that the conferences can even themselves out better. What are they gonna do? Make Detroit and Columbus move back to the West?

The problem with another team in Toronto aren't just the leafs it's Buffalo, Toronto and maybe even the Devils not liking that but I fully agree giving Quebec back what the NHL has stolen and creating more teams in Canada will be a huge cashmashine for the league.

I agree with the whole getting another team out west to balance out the difference, and I'm not sure what the answer really is. Maybe it's time to ditch the East and Western conferences and switch to a 3 division/conference format?

Something like West, Central and East? Failing that they would need another NHL team in the West if Phoenix moved - could Saskatchewan house an NHL team?

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

From New York Post:

Wayne Gretzky has joined a group of investors hoping to bring a National Hockey League team to Seattle, The Post has learned.

The Gretzky group is one of three looking to bring an NHL franchise to the home of Starbucks, sources said — but each faces an uphill battle in that league Commissioner Gary Bettman has not said the league is ready to expand.

It is not known if the Gretzky group or either of the other two groups are eyeing an expansion team or hope to move an existing team to the Pacific Northwest.

Uncle Gary has already said "no" to expansion in the "foreseeable future". Plus, he put all that hard work and effort in realignment, not to mention the cool names for the new divisions. However, we are talking about "The Great One"; you know, the one the League still owes that money to...

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

The Seattle baristas.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

If anyone can make it happen, Uncle Gary can.

[Guest DeGraa55]

Least he knows it's not ready to expand...

[Number19 159]

Seattle's a good sports town. Their NFL fans are legendary and their MLS fans are the highest attendence in the league. The NBA f***ed them over, maybe they'll welcome hockey with open arms.

Anyone remember the rules for expansion teams as fat as getting a player from every team in the nhl. I remember we had so many players that we could keep safe but they then got to select a player that was unsafe.

Maybe they'll take Quincey.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Number19