[News] Update: NHL green lights season-ticket drive for Las Vegas

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by kn

Duha postulated on the radio that there is no reason the NHL could have more teams in the east and restructure the league to follow more of an NFL model. It was an interesting take but the NHL is not exactly lead by visionaries.

They could do something like the MLB where you have 2 conferences, each with three 5 team divisions that are east, west and central so that way both leagues have to deal with the same level of travel.

[Finger Cookin]

I think the NHL prefers the idea of each team playing each other every season after trying an unbalanced schedule for a few seasons. It would be easy to switch the schedule again though.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

They could do something like the MLB where you have 2 conferences, each with three 5 team divisions that are east, west and central so that way both leagues have to deal with the same level of travel.

I think it will be moot. I think the NHL expands to Las Vegas first, then when an Eastern team is ready to move (Florida, Carolina are my best guesses) they will move to KC, Houston, Portland or Seattle and then the NHL will expand to Quebec City.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I hope that when they expand they do a couple 1 off expansions like they did with the Sharks, Thrashers and Predators rather than forcing 2 new teams in at once like they did with Ottawa/Tampa, Anaheim/Florida and Minnesota/Columbus

The Sharks were the only single team expansion, and that kicked off the formal expansion process for what ended up being the Ottawa and Tampa franchises. The Sharks also brought the league to an even number of teams.

Columbus, Minnesota, Nashville, and Atlanta were all awarded expansion franchises on the same day, but they were conditional upon the teams having an arena available to play in, which is why they started play in different seasons. Nashville's arena was already complete and Atlanta's was under construction when the conditional franchises were awarded, which is why they started play before the other two, whose arenas didn't break ground until a year later.


The league will almost certainly want the next expansion to be an even number as well.

[sureLoss]

Stephen Whyno @SWhyno
Bob Hartley jokes that as a visiting team in Las Vegas he'd need all players sleeping in one big room and "the coach right at the door."

[CroFlames]

Haha Bobisms.

Oh, Bob

[FireGilbert]

The 2016 draft thread got me thinking, if there is expansion what draft spots do Las Vegas and Quebec get? Looking at recent expansion:

• Sharks 1991: 2nd (Lindros draft)
  
• Lightning & Sens 1992: 1st & 2nd (The Sharks are not given first in 91 and then lose the first in 92)
  
• Anaheim & Florida 1993: 4th & 5th (The Sharks lose again dropping to 6th)
  
• Nashville 1998: 3rd (The Sharks say screw this and end up acquiring the pick through a series of trades)
  
• Atlanta 1999: 2nd (The pick was acquired by Vancouver to draft the Sedins. The NHL keeps screwing the Sharks as they drop from 13th to 14th)
  
• Minnesota & Columbus 2000: 3rd & 4th (Brent Krahn could have been drafted with the 7th overall pick but instead Calgary drops to 9th. San Jose is over things by this point and trades their first rounder)

In conclusion, my guess is any new expansion teams will pick 3rd or 4th. Also suck it San Jose.

[Resolute 14]

I would be a little surprised if the leauge actually expanded by two teams at the same time, only because I don't think Quebec is an expansion target. But assuming Las Vegas comes in alone, my guess is that where they slot the team in depends on who finishes second last. And by that, I mean that Toronto has the political clout to stay in that second spot if they suck that much in 2015-16.

Otherwise, I expect Vegas will be given the #2 slot in the 2017 draft. What I wonder though, is if they lock Vegas in and just draw for 1st and 3rd overall, or if they give Vegas the chance to win the lottery and draft 1st along with the risk of falling to fourth.

[MissTeeks]

Not bad:

@CraigCustance: Good sight line from the top of the upper bowl in Vegas Arena. http://t.co/J9ro0Gnsmp

[CroFlames]

Man that is exciting. If Vegas doesn't get a team, it'll be a travesty.

Private enterprise building an arena, a committed owner, obvious fan support, and my own selfish reasons

[MissTeeks]

Chris Johnston‏@reporterchris3m3 minutes agoParadise, NV Sources: NHL to open formal expansion process today.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl-to-announce-opening-of-expansion-process/…

The time has come. The NHL is ready to expand beyond 30 teams.
Barring something unforeseen, commissioner Gary Bettman will emerge from today’s board of governors meeting at the Bellagio Hotel and announce that the league is opening a formal expansion process, according to several sources.
It will be the first time it’s happened under Bettman’s watch.
John Ziegler was still running the league when Ottawa and Tampa Bay joined for the 1992-93 season.

Bettman is expected to leave the process open-ended: The NHL is ready to entertain bids, but won't commit to a specific number of teams. It will likely end up being two, but no guarantees will be made.

[Muffins]

It will be the first time it’s happened under Bettman’s watch.

Looks like Johnston quickly edited that out after forgetting:

Nashville
Atlanta
Minnesota
Columbus

[Resolute 14]

He was still right on a technicality though. Even those last four teams were added under a plan adopted in 1990, though Bettman obviously oversaw the individual process for those teams, given they were confirmed in 1997.

[Jordan!]

If the Yotes do leave the valley, the Vegas team will be my replacement. I can stomach a few 5 hr trips north to see them.It takes me 1 hour to get to Glendale, might as well add 4 more.

[sureLoss]

There are reports that the Oakland Raiders are meeting with the owner of Sands casino chain to discuss putting a $1 billion NFL stadium in Las Vegas just off the strip

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...eles/79524848/

I wonder if that scares the NHL off. Being the only pro sports team in town is one thing, having to compete with the NFL is another.

[dammage79]

Holy. Yeah I don't think the NHL can compete directly with the NFL.

[codynw]

NFL teams only play like 10 games a year though.

[polak]

I don't get it? The NHL is obviously in it for the long term. Surely they weren't banking on none of the other leagues entering the market?

Everyone knew that once one major league sets up shop in Vegas, more would follow.

[Locke]

I think it helps actually.

One of the biggest issues was the creation of a 'Home Town' spirit. This will help.

[heep223]

Arena opens in 2 months....concerts start immediately thereafter.

Get that city a team!