[News] Group led by Anson Carter asks NHL to bring an expansion team to Atlanta

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Oh, okay. So at age 17 it is too difficult to project goalies. Could that be because…they have a higher variance of outcome than F and D?

No, because they take longer to develop. I’m really not sure what your point is, other than you think it supports your “don’t pay goalies much, you can find them anyway where” stance. But it doesn’t. It actually goes against it that it’s hard to draft a good goalie.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by butterfly

You can find them all over the European leagues, AHL, and ECHL. They’re waiting for a chance at league minimum NHL salary. Do you think it’s just an accident that there isn’t a single one projected to go in the top 2 rounds of the draft?

OK, name five goalies not under contract to an NHL team who are good enough to play in the league if only someone would give them a chance.

[Strange Brew]

You folks might be in the wrong thread if you want to argue about drafting goalies.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

You folks might be in the wrong thread if you want to argue about drafting goalies.

I'm sorry, but the Jankowski thread fell off the main page and we're doing the best we can.

[Dion]

[Jay Random]

I like it, but Moon is never getting an NHL franchise. He only wishes he were that important.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I like it, but Moon is never getting an NHL franchise. He only wishes he were that important.

You just wait until I become the President of Haiti...oooh...we'll get a team and I'll be the GM of the 'Haitian Globetrotters!'

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Locke

You just wait until I become the President of Haiti...oooh...we'll get a team and I'll be the GM of the 'Haitian Globetrotters!'

If you spend much time in Haiti, you're liable to get the trots, so that's a start.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Jordan!

I think at this point. Atlanta will be getting a team. No doubt about it.

Massive media market

Can people also give up on Quebec? Why in gods green earth would the NHL want to go there?? It adds literally zero to the league in terms of growth. Sure, fill some seats for a few years in a small Canadian market.. I guess but that doesn't matter in 2024 and beyond.

SLC
Kansas City
Atlanta
Milwuakee

are all well ahead of Quebec City

Still holding out for Austin TX
The NHL does well in underserviced, mid-size cities (San Jose, Vegas, Nashville, Columbus, Tampa)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Still holding out for Austin TX
The NHL does well in underserviced, mid-size cities (San Jose, Vegas, Nashville, Columbus, Tampa)

Generally except TB's attendance has directly correlated to its success. And Columbus does just OK.

But the premise of a good sized city that has fewer major league teams is sound. Not sure if Austin is the one though.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Austin isn't much of a sports town. It's more of a former hipster/college town that is slowly becoming a corporate tech haven. I get that there's money there now, but you also need to have a culture that supports sports too.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Austin isn't much of a sports town. It's more of a former hipster/college town that is slowly becoming a corporate tech haven. I get that there's money there now, but you also need to have a culture that supports sports too.

I just looked up the Texas Stars attendance (the Dallas AHL team which is in Austin) and they get well over 5K per game on average and last year they were almost at 6K. Pretty good - but 14th out of 32 in the league (though some of the higher ones are definitely not NHL candidates).

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I just looked up the Texas Stars attendance (the Dallas AHL team which is in Austin) and they get well over 5K per game on average and last year they were almost at 6K. Pretty good - but 14th out of 32 in the league (though some of the higher ones are definitely not NHL candidates).

5 K in a population that is almost at 1 million is pretty terrible. Not sure it's a strong sports or hockey market overall. It would be pretty low on my list of potential franchise locations.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

5 K in a population that is almost at 1 million is pretty terrible. Not sure it's a strong sports or hockey market overall. It would be pretty low on my list of potential franchise locations.

If you look on their sports teams page a sizable number are roller derby teams

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

5 K in a population that is almost at 1 million is pretty terrible.

In fairness, didn't Vegas used to have a minor-league team that drew about the same?

Though I agree with you, Austin is not a good bet.