Report: Balsillie gets deal in Hamilton

[Zeta Power 40 1]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?id=209447&hubname=

bye nashville?

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

Wow , it looks like the Preds might actually be moving.

[Statts 4]

It will happen eventually. Balsillie did not buy the preds for $220 mil to keep them in Nashville.

[T-Ruff 47]

It will happen eventually. Balsillie did not buy the preds for $220 mil to keep them in Nashville.

No doubt.....

[Guest jaytan]

Well, it's about time this relocation thing went the other way!

Wait a minute.... How the heck are they going to get approval of the sale of the Predators now that this is officially out of the bag?

[redwingfan19 293]

so who moves into the central division, Minny?

[HenrikRules40 14]

so who moves into the central division, Minny?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Four games is enough with them! I can't stand their "style" of play. Please noooo!

On a side note, I kind of feel bad for Nashville fans...kind of.

[MacK_Attack 108]

Well, it's about time this relocation thing went the other way!

Wait a minute.... How the heck are they going to get approval of the sale of the Predators now that this is officially out of the bag?

It was never a secret. What Bettman said was simply for PR purposes. Bettman has always known that Balsillie's intentions are to move a team to Southern Ontario. That has been known since he entered into the Pittsburgh chase.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

*Waits for Bettman's comments*

[Guest jaytan]

so who moves into the central division, Minny?

I'd like it if we could move East with them, and maybe they could send two Eastern teams into the Central.... How about Pittsburgh and Buffalo? Nobody'd complain about a shift in the balance of power, and it wouldn't kill them to travel to Columbus, Chicago and St. Louis.

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

I'd like it if we could move East with them, and maybe they could send two Eastern teams into the Central.... How about Pittsburgh and Buffalo? Nobody'd complain about a shift in the balance of power, and it wouldn't kill them to travel to Columbus, Chicago and St. Louis.

I would love to see the Wings move East , but it ain't gonna happen. The Wings are the Western conference . they're the only consistantly successful team who are capable of drawing in huge home crowds for the opposing teams anytime they travel to play them. The NHL would never allow them to move .

Edited May 31, 2007 by glasgowcelticwing

[vangvace 12]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?id=209447&hubname=

bye nashville?

...and if Balsillie can't do it no one will. It will be an interesting offseason.

[Elshupacabra 0]

So, didn't Bettman say Nashville wasn't going anywhere?

I'm sure he has some say in this right?

I'm just going to assume that none of this means anything until the Nashville Preds are no longer a team.

[LIDDYGIBBY5 1]

Can you hear the screams from the Leafs and the Sabers? This is going to go over like a turd in the punch bowl with the management of those teams. Do you really think Bettman will allow three teams that close together?

[Mighty Wings 0]

until the board of governors approve it, all this will just be pure talk.

Edited May 31, 2007 by Mighty Wings

[Guest bullocks]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?id=209447&hubname=

bye nashville?

he always had that deal in place, he just re-activated it. that as nothing to do with the nhl.

Can you hear the screams from the Leafs and the Sabers? This is going to go over like a turd in the punch bowl with the management of those teams. Do you really think Bettman will allow three teams that close together?

three teams are that close in new york

toronto is a hockey hot bed, if new york can do it, we certainly can.

[Flip-check 6]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Four games is enough with them! I can't stand their "style" of play. Please noooo!

On a side note, I kind of feel bad for Nashville fans...kind of.

In a way I like Nashville having a strong hockey team. I'll miss them more than I would, say, Phoenix.

A few weeks ago I was thinking... "good! Take the team to Ontario! It'll be better there and it's a better market." But now I wonder.

he always had that deal in place, he just re-activated it. that as nothing to do with the nhl.

three teams are that close in new york

toronto is a hockey hot bed, if new york can do it, we certainly can.

Yes. To say the least...

[betterREDthandead 58]

he always had that deal in place, he just re-activated it. that as nothing to do with the nhl.

three teams are that close in new york

toronto is a hockey hot bed, if new york can do it, we certainly can.

New York has 8 million people in the city alone, plus another 4 or 5 within TV rights distance. When Southern Ontario can put up those kinds of numbers, then we'll talk comparison. Buffalo is a small market and they already have to compete with the Leafs for the Niagara Falls/St. Catherine's area of Canada. They'll just love to have competition in Hamilton too.

Also, I think it's cute how so many of you think Bettman has a say in the matter. You must be the same folks who think it was his idea to put a team in Phoenix and Raleigh.

Finally, why would anyone jump to the conclusion that a Hamilton team would move East?

[Guest bullocks]

New York has 8 million people in the city alone, plus another 4 or 5 within TV rights distance. When Southern Ontario can put up those kinds of numbers, then we'll talk comparison. Buffalo is a small market and they already have to compete with the Leafs for the Niagara Falls/St. Catherine's area of Canada. They'll just love to have competition in Hamilton too.

Also, I think it's cute how so many of you think Bettman has a say in the matter. You must be the same folks who think it was his idea to put a team in Phoenix and Raleigh.

Finally, why would anyone jump to the conclusion that a Hamilton team would move East?

if you don't think another team in southern ontario will succeed, then u my friend are lost. people in new york don't give a s*** about hockey. like i said, if new york can have 3 hockey teams, then the toronto area can. i could care less about how many ppl they have in their city.

[MonkeyGoalie 14]

I just have a feeling that if the Preds are moved then they most likely will be put into the East Conf. and then the team to take their place in the West would Atlanta. I say this because Atlanta is almost in line with Detroit and Columbus. Then they would also take Nashville's spot in the Central Division. This is just my logical guess of what could happen.

[Kp-Wings 3]

This is all falling into place pretty fast.

I had predicted that, with Blackberrys buying the team, it would happen eventually. Like in a period of a few years. But it already looks like the Preds are gone after next season. We'll wait and see.

[Guest jaytan]

I doubt they'd move Atlanta into the Central. There's no natural rivalries there, and all the other teams are in the Midwest. Bettman thinks the only way his little experiments in the South are going to work is if they all play each other every other game of the season.

What about Pittsburgh moving West?

[Kp-Wings 3]

I doubt they'd move Atlanta into the Central. There's no natural rivalries there, and all the other teams are in the Midwest. Bettman thinks the only way his little experiments in the South are going to work is if they all play each other every other game of the season.

What about Pittsburgh moving West?

Atlanta is the most logical choice to move west though. In fact, they are actually further west then Columbus. It only makes sense to move them into Western Conference.

Atlanta's only rivalry in the south is probably Washington. Ovechkin smashes their face every game they play each other, and their was a brawl between the two teams in an early game this season. Other than that, most teams in the south don't really have a natural rivalry with Atlanta. They are expandable in that sense, and probably will move west when the Preds move east.

[toby91_ca 620]

Finally, why would anyone jump to the conclusion that a Hamilton team would move East?

Well, not having Hamilton in the same division as Toronto and Buffalo would make zero sense.

[eva unit zero 271]

he always had that deal in place, he just re-activated it. that as nothing to do with the nhl.

three teams are that close in new york

toronto is a hockey hot bed, if new york can do it, we certainly can.

New York can't do it.

[/font]

Check attendance figures for New York teams not named Rangers.