Coyotes or Thrashers to Winnipeg

[Majsheppard 203]

BTW, would love to see Atlanta move. Good team on the rise in a market that doesn't care. Moves Detroit east, and maybe the Panthers move to Atlanta a few years after that and strengthen Tampa Bay.

Still want Arizona to carry a team, all those people there are redneck cold weather transplants, so they SHOULD be able to support a team. They just need to actually have a shot at a cup. Yandle is moving them in that direction, but losing Brys would be the end of that franchise.

I continue to think that Seattle should have a team. It would be a good foe for Vancouver and can definitely draw better with the loss of their basketball team. The Key Arena would be a good home for a team from a bad market.

[Barrie 900]

I am from Manitoba. Winnipeg will never again have a NHL team. They could not support a team before and not much has changed. There simply is not enough people to support a team in Winnipeg and surrounding area and the Manitoba Government is not going to throw money in. I am not even sure if the new MTS Center is big enough anyways.

Add to that a friend was telling me he heard players in Phoenix were saying they don't want to play in Winnipeg.

No. Compression to 26 teams would release a tremendous number of skilled players; the KHL would likely pick these up and become much more powerful. Is that something you want?

The only thing though, despite Bettman saying how financially well the league is doing, if there's 10 teams in financial trouble and for sale, and no one to buy them, they may have to cut back a few.

[paulwoodsfan 52]

I am from Manitoba. Winnipeg will never again have a NHL team. They could not support a team before and not much has changed. There simply is not enough people to support a team in Winnipeg and surrounding area and the Manitoba Government is not going to throw money in. I am not even sure if the new MTS Center is big enough anyways.

I disagree. Regardless of the market size and the arena size, they have one of the world's richest individuals (David Thomson) bankrolling the behind-the-scenes bid for a team. Given how crazy Canada is about hockey, the team will be able to make enough money to be viable (and will make WAY more money than the Coyotes). Take it to the bank -- a team will be in Winnipeg within two years. Players may not like it but it will happen.

As for the discussion about whether Wings will or won't move to the East, I would guess they will but I can't see them ending up in a different conference than Columbus. CBJ need the geographic proximity/rivalry to succeed. I bet either both move to the East or both stay in the West.

[eva unit zero 271]

The only thing though, despite Bettman saying how financially well the league is doing, if there's 10 teams in financial trouble and for sale, and no one to buy them, they may have to cut back a few.

Cut back a few?

You can't just kick teams out of the league, or say "ok, we're dissolving the Coyotes, Thrashers, Islanders, and Panthers" and have it be ok. The Coyotes are a steward of the NHL currently, and could potentially face that fate, but every other team is a privately owned business which is part of an organization. A team could be removed from the league if the NHL's BoG decided to, but it's unlikely to happen.

If the NHL did want to eliminate teams, the NHL would have to purchase whichever of those 10 teams are for sale they want to eliminate and eliminate them. And then the NHL loses any current or potential new interest in that market. That is more of a revenue drain on the NHL than keeping them around.

[eva unit zero 271]

That's unfortunate.

Maybe contraction and a draft would be a better idea after all.

Yeah, contraction and a draft. Let's just have the NHL buy the teams that are being contracted, dissolve them, and then we'll disperse the players.

Phoenix, Atlanta, Florida, and the Isles people say? Pretty high costs for the League. But put that aside. That brings a couple elite goaltenders, a few good defensemen, and some high end forwards. It also completely changes the landscape of the conferences and divisions. So maybe we see divisions as such:

Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis

Anaheim, Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Los Angeles, San Jose, Vancouver

Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington

That kind of set up certainly works out. Moving two of the teams to any two of Seattle, Quebec, Houston, and Winnipeg also would work out.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Smallest Current NHL markets:

Metro Buffalo Population: 1,124,309 (2008)

Metro Raliegh-Durham Population: 1,742,816 (2009) / 1,130,490 (2010 census)

Metro Edmonton Population: 1,034,945 (2006)

-----

Metro Winnipeg Population: 694,668 (2006)

Metro Hamilton Population: 692,911 (2006)

Metro Quebec City Population: 715,515 (2006)

-----

Metro Phoenix Population: 4,192,887 (Census 2010)

Metro Atlanta Population: 5,475,213 (2009)

Edited April 4, 2011 by CaliWingsNut

[eva unit zero 271]

Smallest Current NHL markets:

Metro Buffalo Population: 1,124,309 (2008)

Metro Raliegh-Durham Population: 1,742,816 (2009) / 1,130,490 (2010 census)

Metro Edmonton Population: 1,034,945 (2006)

-----

Metro Winnipeg Population: 694,668 (2006)

Metro Hamilton Population: 692,911 (2006)

Metro Quebec City Population: 715,515 (2006)

-----

Metro Phoenix Population: 4,192,887 (Census 2010)

Metro Atlanta Population: 5,475,213 (2009)

But they're in Canada, so every person counts for ten Americans.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

So, when does this rabid fan support in Phoenix and Atlanta show up?

[matt198913 932]

BTW, would love to see Atlanta move. Good team on the rise in a market that doesn't care. Moves Detroit east, and maybe the Panthers move to Atlanta a few years after that and strengthen Tampa Bay.

Still want Arizona to carry a team, all those people there are redneck cold weather transplants, so they SHOULD be able to support a team. They just need to actually have a shot at a cup. Yandle is moving them in that direction, but losing Brys would be the end of that franchise.

I continue to think that Seattle should have a team. It would be a good foe for Vancouver and can definitely draw better with the loss of their basketball team. The Key Arena would be a good home for a team from a bad market.

If all goes according to the evil plan Yandle becomes a WING in the very near future

[ACallToArms 270]

I would love to see both Atlanta and Phoenix move.

Send Phoenix to Winnipeg and Atlanta to Quebec City.

PS.....Why haven't we heard Milwaukee mentioned as a possible destination for a NHL franchise? Hockey is big in Wisconsin.

I've been saying this for a while. Its crazy that Wisconsin doesn't have any hockey teams, it would be nice to see Milwaukee get a hockey team.

[Guest Shoreline]

Smallest Current NHL markets:

Metro Buffalo Population: 1,124,309 (2008)

Metro Raliegh-Durham Population: 1,742,816 (2009) / 1,130,490 (2010 census)

Metro Edmonton Population: 1,034,945 (2006)

-----

Metro Winnipeg Population: 694,668 (2006)

Metro Hamilton Population: 692,911 (2006)

Metro Quebec City Population: 715,515 (2006)

-----

Metro Phoenix Population: 4,192,887 (Census 2010)

Metro Atlanta Population: 5,475,213 (2009)

While I'm sure there's a large number of Red Wings fans that go to the Joe outside the metro Detroit area, likewise for other teams outside the host city's metro area, that's pretty sad when the Phoenix/Glendale metro area has 6 times the amount of Winnipeg and still isn't financially viable. If that isn't a symbol of "we can't support an NHL team", I dunno what is.

So, when does this rabid fan support in Phoenix and Atlanta show up?

It shows up momentarily if they go on a cup run. Like Carolina, as soon as they miss the playoffs, that fairweather cup crowd dissipates pretty quickly.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Shoreline

[grwingfan 21]

BTW, would love to see Atlanta move. Good team on the rise in a market that doesn't care. Moves Detroit east, and maybe the Panthers move to Atlanta a few years after that and strengthen Tampa Bay.

Still want Arizona to carry a team, all those people there are redneck cold weather transplants, so they SHOULD be able to support a team. They just need to actually have a shot at a cup. Yandle is moving them in that direction, but losing Brys would be the end of that franchise.

I continue to think that Seattle should have a team. It would be a good foe for Vancouver and can definitely draw better with the loss of their basketball team. The Key Arena would be a good home for a team from a bad market.

I agree about Seattle. I can't believe we haven't heard about them as a landing spot. If both Phoenix and Atlanta need to be moved I would move Phoenix to Seattle and move Atlanta to Quebec City.

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

The Wings help carry a lot of the western teams. No way does Buttman move us. You know when Atlanta, Phoenix, and the Blue Jackets see us playing in their building on the schedule they get giant boners over the ticket sales.

[CrimsonFlame 424]

If Phoenix moves to Winnipeg, the wings will not go over to the east. A west/west transaction will not allow them to move over to the east. It needs to be an east going west. And even then, there are other teams that could go in place of the Wings.

Am I the only person that likes being in the west?

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

While I'm sure there's a large number of Red Wings fans that go to the Joe outside the metro Detroit area, likewise for other teams outside the host city's metro area, that's pretty sad when the Phoenix/Glendale metro area has 6 times the amount of Winnipeg and still isn't financially viable. If that isn't a symbol of "we can't support an NHL team", I dunno what is.

It shows up momentarily if they go on a cup run. Like Carolina, as soon as they miss the playoffs, that fairweather cup crowd dissipates pretty quickly.

It shows how badly Phoenix was run into the ground by it's previous owner, not how unsupported the team is. They went from having a publically supported 1billion dollar arena/shopping complex to.... this. That isn't a lack of fan support, it's poor management and lack of funding to regain bandwagon support.

Atlanta on the other hand just lost it's best star this year. The city is also being heavily affected by the economy.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Don't the fans of the Coyotes know how to read the part of the sports section that says "NHL - Standings"? If, with all the "deals" that management has offered, they still can't get people to attend the games, what applies then applies now: they didn't deserve a franchise then and they don't deserve a franchise now.

[rrasco 1,312]

Don't get your hopes up. Bettman shot this down very quickly when it was asked earlier this season during an interview with I think Keating or Thompson. Bettman showed no interest in it, at all.

I could care less what happens to PHX, but if they do move, I hope their affiliates stay put. My AHL team is the farm team and that would suck to not have any hockey here anymore. On that note, for being in Texas and a 'non-hockey-market' I sure do hear a lot of people talking about hockey around here. More and more recently too, they started pushing the AHL games a lot this year.

[Booster313 138]

I've heard both Ken Holland and Bettman say verbally that the Wings would be the first team to move east if and only if an Eastern team moved West.

[Steve Sample 31]

I disagree. Regardless of the market size and the arena size, they have one of the world's richest individuals (David Thomson) bankrolling the behind-the-scenes bid for a team. Given how crazy Canada is about hockey, the team will be able to make enough money to be viable (and will make WAY more money than the Coyotes). Take it to the bank -- a team will be in Winnipeg within two years. Players may not like it but it will happen.

As for the discussion about whether Wings will or won't move to the East, I would guess they will but I can't see them ending up in a different conference than Columbus. CBJ need the geographic proximity/rivalry to succeed. I bet either both move to the East or both stay in the West.

So market size and arena size have nothing to do with picking a place for a NHL team?

Winnipeg has a drawing area of 1,250,000 people at the most within a 4-5 hour drive. When you compare that to any other potential location Winnipeg dosen't look so hot. Also remember that Winnipeg has had a NHL team that they didn't support until they found out that they were losing them. The NHL is not going to repeat what didn't work before, they have too many options.

I hope your right and then I wouldn't have to drive to Minnesota(8hrs) or Alberta(12hrs) to watch the Wings. I will believe it when I see it.

[Ozzie30 170]

Looking more and more likely now.

[grwingfan 21]

So market size and arena size have nothing to do with picking a place for a NHL team?

Winnipeg has a drawing area of 1,250,000 people at the most within a 4-5 hour drive. When you compare that to any other potential location Winnipeg dosen't look so hot. Also remember that Winnipeg has had a NHL team that they didn't support until they found out that they were losing them. The NHL is not going to repeat what didn't work before, they have too many options.

I hope your right and then I wouldn't have to drive to Minnesota(8hrs) or Alberta(12hrs) to watch the Wings. I will believe it when I see it.

Winnipeg as a market will put more butts in seats than Phoenix, Atlanta, Columbus, Isles or Florida for sure and Winnipeg isn't even a 1/3 the size of them.

[Hiei 192]

Let's use some hard attendance figures from this past year comparable to the hard number for the MTS Centre which is 15,015. Estimate in Standing Room and i'll put it at 15,500 Link for this years attendance -> http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

Teams that are above 15,500: Florida, Nashville, Carolina

Teams Below, and related issues:

Dallas (owner is going through bankruptcy proceedings)

Colorado (unknown what owner's stance is at this point)

NJ (Jeff Vanderbeek, who got out of Lehman Bros in 2002, he's probably flush with cash until he's dead)

Anaheim (Just won a cup in 07, owner is not Disney anymore, don't know how much traction they can hold)

Columbus (Owner is probably using the team as write off for his steel fabricating business, plus the arena is wholly owned by Nationwide)

Atlanta (Moving to Winnipeg, will probably be announced after cup final)

NY Islanders (Wang wants out, especially if his last deal to renovate/expand the Mausoleum and the surrounding area fails the county's vote)

Edited May 24, 2011 by Hiei