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FireCaptain

Canada can support 3 more teams in 20yrs

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I agree that what's always been appealing to me about hockey is the low scoring. It's so exciting everytime someone scores. Can you imagine 2 pages of GOOSE! GUSTAV! NIKE! GUS! etc., on this forum if they scored 50 times a game?

I was ok with opening the game up but no need to increase goals.

Agreed. You may as well tune in just for the fourth quarter of basketball because the first 80 points mean nothing lol.

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I agree that what's always been appealing to me about hockey is the low scoring. It's so exciting everytime someone scores. Can you imagine 2 pages of GOOSE! GUSTAV! NIKE! GUS! etc., on this forum if they scored 50 times a game?

I was ok with opening the game up but no need to increase goals.

Exactly each goal can be the deciding one, it may come in the first minute it may come in overtime but better not miss any of the action and I absolutely love it. In other sports you can skip a lot because the dynamics are only heating up during the final minutes, hockey is nonstop tension.

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The game is called ICEhockey for a reason, so if you put icehockey into places where you have almost no winters, not a lot of funding AND a non winning enviroment it's a setup for a team to fail. Personally speaking I don't want the game to grow. Less teams would be a good thing for a lot of the Original 6 teams:

- less revenue sharing

- less competiton for playoffs, stanley cups

- more talent for less teams = higher talent pool

- players: stars/superstars can finally get their huge paydays without GMs having to worry about the cap

This stupid "more scoring, oh no we can't have a white sport, grow the game" and other mantras are really pissing me off. If people want to see double or triple digits = watch NFL, NBA ...if people don't want to watch a white sport watch NBA, NFL, soccer where countries even have to take foreigners into the national teams because the real natives have given up on the sport (as did fans). Constantly tweaking and bitching things about the game will only lead to the following: fans who are happy will give up and it's harder to gain new fans than to keep the old ones.

The best analogy would be the Simpsons: look at this great series during the early episodes and compare them to now ? It's almost like two complete different series, they've completely lost their charme because some smartguy thought it would be a good idea to go even more mainstream and change from hand drawn to computer animated episodes and add more "pop references" ...changing for the sake of change is not always the way to go.

If the Stars, Jackets, Coyotes and Panthers aren't cutting it then move them to Canada, the league didn't have a problem moving the Jets, Nordiques and other teams from Canada...so fair is fair.

Also as a disclaimer:

I have absolutely nothing against their fanbases but if not enough people are showing up, what can you do ? Expecting other teams to pay for their failures ? That's just stupid because it would mean teams like the Wings are helping the competition out and the reward would be losinga gainst them ? Sorry, but no.

btw. the league can't support 30 teams so going to 32 would not only be overkill but absolutely idiotic. My personall view is, even support 24 - 28 is a hard thing at some point sports become too big for their own good - i.e soccer - hope that doesn't happen to hockey in my lifetime.

This League just ain't about the Original Six teams anymore,yes,they were the Original Six,but the NHL is not gonna eliminate teams in favor of the Original Six.This is game growing and will continue to grow whether you like it or not.

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If the Stars, Jackets, Coyotes and Panthers aren't cutting it then move them to Canada, the league didn't have a problem moving the Jets, Nordiques and other teams from Canada...so fair is fair.

Problem is, I can only see Quebec City as a Canadian city the league is willing to move to. No way are there 5 Canadian cities that are ready to support an NHL team. Relocation of that kind is only possible in the US, by trying other markets.

Hamilton is always tossed around, but is Hamilton ready to support an NHL team? Are there enough non-Leafs fans in Hamilton that would support an NHL team over their own OHL team that's been there longer?

Are cities like Saskatoon, Medicine Hat (LOL) or Mississauga able to support teams?

Edited by GMRwings1983

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Problem is, I can only see Quebec City as a Canadian city the league is willing to move to. No way are there 5 Canadian cities that are ready to support an NHL team. Relocation of that kind is only possible in the US, by trying other markets.

Hamilton is always tossed around, but is Hamilton ready to support an NHL team? Are there enough non-Leafs fans in Hamilton that would support an NHL team over their own OHL team that's been there longer?

Are cities like Saskatoon, Medicine Hat (LOL) or Mississauga able to support teams?

I think Quebec, Hamilton and Saskatoon would be no brainers, people in Canada are hockey-crazy. Also a more affordable priced team near the Leafs would be a very good thing and that's why Bell and Rogers would fight hard against it.

I mean a 13 - 14.000 arena should be decently filled as long as there is a team to cheer for.

This League just ain't about the Original Six teams anymore,yes,they were the Original Six,but the NHL is not gonna eliminate teams in favor of the Original Six.This is game growing and will continue to grow whether you like it or not.

It doesn't matter what I want but i think it's been clear that the league can't support 30 teams so why even talk about 32 teams ? I'm also not saying the Wings should get any favors all I'm saying is I don't think it's fair to support other teams so they - in return - can become more competitive without getting any advantages out of it. In Baseball you can go over the cap but all that money goes to the small franchises, that's a good system.

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Hamilton is always tossed around, but is Hamilton ready to support an NHL team? Are there enough non-Leafs fans in Hamilton that would support an NHL team over their own OHL team that's been there longer?

The area could definitely support another team. Fans would convert over time.

As someone born in London, Ontario, I think a lot of Southern Ontario has a natural animosity against the city of Toronto so they would probably love to have a different team to cheer for.

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Regular ticket revenue can't support a team. You need local media money and corporate sponsorship.

Las Vegas games would all be sell outs where "fans" get tickets as comps at casinos, show up late, and leave early if they don't just spend the whole time in the casino that would probably be attached to the arena.

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I think Quebec, Hamilton and Saskatoon would be no brainers, people in Canada are hockey-crazy. Also a more affordable priced team near the Leafs would be a very good thing and that's why Bell and Rogers would fight hard against it.

I mean a 13 - 14.000 arena should be decently filled as long as there is a team to cheer for.

It doesn't matter what I want but i think it's been clear that the league can't support 30 teams so why even talk about 32 teams ? I'm also not saying the Wings should get any favors all I'm saying is I don't think it's fair to support other teams so they - in return - can become more competitive without getting any advantages out of it. In Baseball you can go over the cap but all that money goes to the small franchises, that's a good system.

like they say life is not fair,well in hockey it is not fair,you are supporting the other team when you buying tickets to see your team play in their arena,helping out their ticket sales

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Regular ticket revenue can't support a team. You need local media money and corporate sponsorship.

Las Vegas games would all be sell outs where "fans" get tickets as comps at casinos, show up late, and leave early if they don't just spend the whole time in the casino that would probably be attached to the arena.

What a demoralizing environment that would be for a team. They'd have less following than Phoenix did before they got an owner. Sounds like a great idea.

Might as well put another team in Michigan and move the Griffs to Mackinaw City lol

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like they say life is not fair,well in hockey it is not fair,you are supporting the other team when you buying tickets to see your team play in their arena,helping out their ticket sales

I know how it works but at the end of the day, I don't have to like it. Like I said nothing against the loyal fans there I am sure being a hockeyfan is extremely difficult in such markets so they have my utmost respect.

That being said if not enough people are showing up what can you do? It's really funny a league which can't support their current teams is talking about expansion when they really should be talking about relocation

I could easily see them trying a failure like Vegas....

Edited by frankgrimes

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How many NHL players want to play in Saskatoon or have their families move there?

Remember Pronger's wife in Edmonton?

What's wrong with Saskatoon ? If you are a hockeyplayer you for sure expect to play in a hockey-climate. The thing with Pronger is purely on the Oilers, he made it known from the start that he nor his - at that time girlfriend - didn't want to go there and they drafted him anyway, so their fault not his.

Winnipeg has one - if not the smallest - building in the NHL and yet it's sold out every time, I could see something like this working for Saskatoon, Hamilton and obviously Quebec.

The thing with Vegas is, the BOG could be crazy enough to be in favor of such a stupid move. Hamilton, Quebec would for sure be slamdunks but Vegas a disaster waiting to happen.

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How many NHL players want to play in Saskatoon or have their families move there?

Remember Pronger's wife in Edmonton?

What's wrong with Saskatoon ? If you are a hockeyplayer you for sure expect to play in a hockey-climate. The thing with Pronger is purely on the Oilers, he made it known from the start that he nor his - at that time girlfriend - didn't want to go there and they drafted him anyway, so their fault not his.

Winnipeg has one - if not the smallest - building in the NHL and yet it's sold out every time, I could see something like this working for Saskatoon, Hamilton and obviously Quebec.

The thing with Vegas is, the BOG could be crazy enough to be in favor of such a stupid move. Hamilton, Quebec would for sure be slamdunks but Vegas a disaster waiting to happen.

Pronger signed in Edmonton as a free agent then allegedly his wife demanded he ask for a trade because he banged a reporter.

Like I said, selling tickets is great but without TV and corporate money a team can't really compete.

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What's wrong with Saskatoon ? If you are a hockeyplayer you for sure expect to play in a hockey-climate. The thing with Pronger is purely on the Oilers, he made it known from the start that he nor his - at that time girlfriend - didn't want to go there and they drafted him anyway, so their fault not his.

Winnipeg has one - if not the smallest - building in the NHL and yet it's sold out every time, I could see something like this working for Saskatoon, Hamilton and obviously Quebec.

The thing with Vegas is, the BOG could be crazy enough to be in favor of such a stupid move. Hamilton, Quebec would for sure be slamdunks but Vegas a disaster waiting to happen.

There is nothing wrong with Saskatoon,but some players would probably like to get out of the cold climate of Canada and go some where with a warmer climate.there is reason why the Nhl puts teams in places that don't really have hockey climate weather

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There is nothing wrong with Saskatoon,but some players would probably like to get out of the cold climate of Canada and go some where with a warmer climate.there is reason why the Nhl puts teams in places that don't really have hockey climate weather

I think want out because of the constant scrutiny and no privacy. Most hockeyplayers can afford to have two houses, so its easy to buy one for the winter and one for the summer

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Just what the NHL needs, more small market teams. Everybody wants to harken back to the good old days and point to southern expansion/relocation as this huge failure, but it's totally off base. Hartford, Quebec City, Winnepeg, and Minnesota (North Stars) had exactly ZERO Cups between them. Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, and Phoenix have exactly four Cups between them. Small market teams can't spend the money it takes too be competitive, and if you don't spend you don't win, and if you don't win people stop coming to games. It's that simple.

Just move struggling franchises to Seattle and/or Milwaukee and be done with it already.

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Just what the NHL needs, more small market teams. Everybody wants to harken back to the good old days and point to southern expansion/relocation as this huge failure, but it's totally off base. Hartford, Quebec City, Winnepeg, and Minnesota (North Stars) had exactly ZERO Cups between them. Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, and Phoenix have exactly four Cups between them. Small market teams can't spend the money it takes too be competitive, and if you don't spend you don't win, and if you don't win people stop coming to games. It's that simple.

Just move struggling franchises to Seattle and/or Milwaukee and be done with it already.

I have to disagree with you a little. Small market teams CAN spend the money, they won't. Any owner has the same money any other owner has. They choose not to invest in their product. I think that's their own problem. Plus now they have revenue sharing, which helps considerably.

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Just what the NHL needs, more small market teams. Everybody wants to harken back to the good old days and point to southern expansion/relocation as this huge failure, but it's totally off base. Hartford, Quebec City, Winnepeg, and Minnesota (North Stars) had exactly ZERO Cups between them. Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, and Phoenix have exactly four Cups between them. Small market teams can't spend the money it takes too be competitive, and if you don't spend you don't win, and if you don't win people stop coming to games. It's that simple.

Just move struggling franchises to Seattle and/or Milwaukee and be done with it already.

I have to disagree with you a little. Small market teams CAN spend the money, they won't. Any owner has the same money any other owner has. They choose not to invest in their product. I think that's their own problem. Plus now they have revenue sharing, which helps considerably.

Even with revenue sharing Phoenix or Winnipeg doesn't have the same money to spend that Detroit or Toronto does.

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Even with revenue sharing Phoenix or Winnipeg doesn't have the same money to spend that Detroit or Toronto does.

They're not generating the revenue; that doesn't mean the owner doesn't have money to invest like all the owners since the beginning of the league have. Remember when the Preds owner told the press they were never going to spend above the cap floor to get as much revenue sharing as possible? If they're not willing to invest in the team, why should anyone else?

If I were an investor looking to sink my money into a new NHL team, I'd invest in a Canadian team or not at all. The odds are in favor that a new Canadian team would do better than a new US team IMO.

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I have to disagree with you a little. Small market teams CAN spend the money, they won't. Any owner has the same money any other owner has. They choose not to invest in their product. I think that's their own problem. Plus now they have revenue sharing, which helps considerably.

Even with revenue sharing, small market teams aren't spending to the cap AND more importantly, they're not winning anything much. Last small market team to win the Cup was who? Carolina? A relocated team? Hardly an argument for some sort of equal playing field.

The cap was supposed to fix all that and make smaller teams more competitive BUT it loses it's effectiveness if you raise it by 5 million every year.

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Just what the NHL needs, more small market teams. Everybody wants to harken back to the good old days and point to southern expansion/relocation as this huge failure, but it's totally off base. Hartford, Quebec City, Winnepeg, and Minnesota (North Stars) had exactly ZERO Cups between them. Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, and Phoenix have exactly four Cups between them. Small market teams can't spend the money it takes too be competitive, and if you don't spend you don't win, and if you don't win people stop coming to games. It's that simple.

Just move struggling franchises to Seattle and/or Milwaukee and be done with it already.

Quebec City currently has a population of 516,622. That may still be a small market, but the study that started this thread was projecting for the year 2035. Quebec City is a growing city and it's very likely it will be the size of other cities that support an NHL team (Vancouver: 603,502, Winnipeg: 663,617). So it won't be a small market.

I also want to throw in that Buffalo only has a population 259,384 and can only support a team because of the vicinity of other cities. Hamilton (504,560) is also growing, but it would have no problem supporting a team, since it's about an hour away from Toronto, Kitchener, Branford, St. Catherine's.

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Quebec City currently has a population of 516,622. That may still be a small market, but the study that started this thread was projecting for the year 2035. Quebec City is a growing city and it's very likely it will be the size of other cities that support an NHL team (Vancouver: 603,502, Winnipeg: 663,617). So it won't be a small market.

I also want to throw in that Buffalo only has a population 259,384 and can only support a team because of the vicinity of other cities. Hamilton (504,560) is also growing, but it would have no problem supporting a team, since it's about an hour away from Toronto, Kitchener, Branford, St. Catherine's.

Good point, and Buffalo is hardly competitive on a year to year basis as well.

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Quebec City currently has a population of 516,622. That may still be a small market, but the study that started this thread was projecting for the year 2035. Quebec City is a growing city and it's very likely it will be the size of other cities that support an NHL team (Vancouver: 603,502, Winnipeg: 663,617). So it won't be a small market.

I also want to throw in that Buffalo only has a population 259,384 and can only support a team because of the vicinity of other cities. Hamilton (504,560) is also growing, but it would have no problem supporting a team, since it's about an hour away from Toronto, Kitchener, Branford, St. Catherine's.

You want to look at MSA (or other aggregate measures like CMA for Canda) population when talking about the ability to support a team. While the city of Buffalo has a population of 259,384, the two county MSA (only US) has over 1.1 million people.

I don't see Saskatoon getting a team in the near future- the CMA has ~260,000 and less than .5 million when combined with Regina. While the games might sell-out, the corporate money and television broadcast rights would likely be too small. Canadian teams also have to deal with the USD exchange rate.

If there is another expansion, I hope to see a Seattle team and a Quebec City team.

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