[News] Utah Jazz owners formally ask NHL to begin expansion process to bring a team to Utah

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Give them Winnipeg.

Give them Edmonton

[Locke]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

You would think that the NHL would want expansion to come in pair, maybe not in the exact same year, but close together like with Vegas and Seattle.

If Utah gets a team, I wonder if there is a market in the east that gets a shot as well to keep the symmetry. My guess would be Atlanta gets a 3rd go at it.

Lets get a Mexican Team!

The Tijuana Tempters!

[Reggie Dunlop]

Atlanta is more speculative at this point. Houston can probably put together a legitimate bid.

[FanIn80]

^^ Quebec.

VAN vs WPG
CGY vs EDM
TOR vs OTT
MTL vs QUE (instead of BOS (even though that's a great rivalry too))

[SeanCharles]

I don't think the league should expand beyond 32.

There are some struggling markets as is and you don't want the talent pool to become too diluted. You have a team full of minor leaguers in Chicago currently so I'm not sure we need to dilute it even further by adding two more teams, since I would assume the league wants balanced conferences.

[Strange Brew]

At least SLC is a winter sports city.

And it's pretty clear from the statement that the arena/Olympic bid are tied together here. Sound familiar?

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

I don't think the league should expand beyond 32.

There are some struggling markets as is and you don't want the talent pool to become too diluted. You have a team full of minor leaguers in Chicago currently so I'm not sure we need to dilute it even further by adding two more teams, since I would assume the league wants balanced conferences.

The reason why that happens is because of the cap. You have to spend huge money on stars and fill out the rest of the roster with cheap players, so some players realize this and go make more money in European leagues.

The best 640 hockey players on earth are not all in the NHL.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Locke

I can envision the jerseys now...they'd be in the form of those magic undershirts!

Beer at the hockey game? We only serve Water. No coffee, tea or pop!

I've attended a total of one (1) event at the Delta Center, but they were selling all of the above at the concessions. However, they also had pink lemonade for the benefit of their Mormon customers – something I haven't seen anywhere else.

[Matty81]

33 teams would be odd and unfair in that teams in one conference and division ends up with more competition to make the playoffs. Would think the only equitable way to do another round of expansion would have to be to go to 36, even if it happened in a few rounds.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I've attended a total of one (1) event at the Delta Center, but they were selling all of the above at the concessions. However, they also had pink lemonade for the benefit of their Mormon customers – something I haven't seen anywhere else.

Me too and it was awesome, though I am admittedly a Utah Jazz fan.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by butterfly

The reason why that happens is because of the cap. You have to spend huge money on stars and fill out the rest of the roster with cheap players, so some players realize this and go make more money in European leagues.

The best 640 hockey players on earth are not all in the NHL.

I realize that but most of those players are playing in their home countries and may not bother coming over anyways.

There are other things that go into this line of thinking as well. Some players who play in Europe are not suited for the N.A. game even if you could argue they are better players than many players in the NHL.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

I don't think the league should expand beyond 32.

There are some struggling markets as is and you don't want the talent pool to become too diluted. You have a team full of minor leaguers in Chicago currently so I'm not sure we need to dilute it even further by adding two more teams, since I would assume the league wants balanced conferences.

Is it really though? Aside from the ####show that is Arizona, and Winnipeg being hit hard by economic conditions in a market that has no margin for error, every other market appears to have ideal support. Carolina and Florida were markets that were hated on due to low attendance, but those teams have been competitive of late, and have gotten fans to stick around as a result. And Columbus has been abysmal for most of the franchise's history, but still do get a crowd.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Matty81

33 teams would be odd and unfair in that teams in one conference and division ends up with more competition to make the playoffs. Would think the only equitable way to do another round of expansion would have to be to go to 36, even if it happened in a few rounds.

There were 4 teams in the AL West and 6 teams in the NL Central for decades. I don't think owners are going to turn down an expansion fee check for an imbalanced league.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

I realize that but most of those players are playing in their home countries and may not bother coming over anyways.

There are other things that go into this line of thinking as well. Some players who play in Europe are not suited for the N.A. game even if you could argue they are better players than many players in the NHL.

That's probably true, though there are a decent number of Canadian and American players who are playing over there.

[Coach]

There should be 2 teams in Toronto. 2 in New York (3 of you count NJD literally across the river). 2 in LA. Should be 2 in TO. The MLSE protectionist stuff prevents the league from a second cash cow.

[Erick Estrada]

Toronto really should have two teams but MLSE will never let that happen.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Coach

There should be 2 teams in Toronto. 2 in New York (3 of you count NJD literally across the river). 2 in LA. Should be 2 in TO. The MLSE protectionist stuff prevents the league from a second cash cow.

The Toronto metropolitan area has half the population of L.A. and a third that of NYC. A second Toronto team would be an also-ran with the local fans, like the Islanders or Devils. What's worse, the lion's share of the local media is run by the same companies that own MLSE. I'm not sure the business case works for a team to make a profit off of the Leafs' leftovers.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The Toronto metropolitan area has half the population of L.A. and a third that of NYC. A second Toronto team would be an also-ran with the local fans, like the Islanders or Devils. What's worse, the lion's share of the local media is run by the same companies that own MLSE. I'm not sure the business case works for a team to make a profit off of the Leafs' leftovers.

An also-ran Toronto team would be in the top half of the league for profitability.

That place is a top 10 city for population and has a way higher concentration of hockey fans. Plus imagine how funny it would be if they won the Stanley Cup before the Leafs.

[MRCboicgy]

Wait, now I need to now ask my LDS friends what the deal is with pink lemonade?

[JBR]

Originally Posted by Jordan!

The Coyotes are not moving



More on that in 2 weeks

2 weeks from Monday?