[Rumour] NHL to expand to 34 teams? Houston and Atlanta

[ComixZone]

There has been some random rumours online for the last few weeks, but this is the first time I've seen a decent "Insider" mention it:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1632493085958578178

[PuckSlap]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

There has been some random rumours online for the last few weeks, but this is the first time I've seen a decent "Insider" mention it:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1632493085958578178

Atlanta. We don't fail once, not twice but thrice!

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[getbak]

That makes no damn sense.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Atlanta isn't a hockey town

Figure it out

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by PuckSlap

Atlanta. We don't fail once, not twice but thrice!

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The future Nordiques.

[Flames1217]

If Atlanta gets another shot before Quebec City I will legit be pissed.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Houston

Milwaukee

Second team in Southern Ontario

[Jiggy_12]

Maybe we can incentivize one of them to take Huberdeau

[midniteowl]

Atlanta AGAIN? Do they think 3 is a charm?

[Coach]

Houston. Yes.

Atlanta. Really? Again?

Agreed with Toronto 2 or Milwaukee. I like the NHL getting creative with Columbus and Vegas and Nashville etc. Would rather see them hit another small market that will support than one that's failed twice over already.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Atlanta isn't a hockey town

Figure it out

The NHL is big on getting into BIG markets. There's a reason they're putting so much effort into Arizona.

With the Salary Cap, if they have a good ownership group interested I could absolutely see Atlanta FINALLY working out.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

If Atlanta gets another shot before Quebec City I will legit be pissed.

Gotta keep Quebec open for the Flames. Can’t have too many Canadian teams.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Flames1217

If Atlanta gets another shot before Quebec City I will legit be pissed.

May be that's the plan? Give it to Atlanta knowing that they will fail and then When they have to move, move them to Quebec City?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Move Arizona to Houston.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Gotta keep Quebec open for the Flames. Can’t have too many Canadian teams.

Also Quebec and Calgary are small market teams, so yeah...I actually don't think you're far off. It's pretty wild that Alberta actually has two teams given our limited population.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Someone will put up huge honey for another Southern Ontario team. Expansion fee PLUS a sizeable territorial sum to MLSE.

Massive market.

[devo22]

no thanks. I'm all for getting Houston a team via relocation, but yet another expansion? Nah. Two 16 team conferences are perfect.

[Joborule]

It's interesting that Bettman at the luncheon mentioned Atlanta indicating interest when the question of expansion came up.

Maybe there is actually something to this.

NHL really doesn't want to give up on Atlanta. Gotta get the dirty South on skates if they go to Atlanta and Houston!

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by devo22

no thanks. I'm all for getting Houston a team via relocation, but yet another expansion? Nah. Two 16 team conferences are perfect.

Mo teams = mo money.

Kraken expansion fee was $650 Million.
Golden Knights expansion fee was $500 Million.

I would imagine that Houston and Atlanta would be paying at least $750M if not more.

The league would absolutely go after that $1.5B

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Coach

Houston. Yes.

Atlanta. Really? Again?

Agreed with Toronto 2 or Milwaukee. I like the NHL getting creative with Columbus and Vegas and Nashville etc. Would rather see them hit another small market that will support than one that's failed twice over already.

New York having 3 teams and Toronto having 1 makes no sense.

Houston and Atlanta are huge places, but so is Dallas, and even they have fairly pedestrian interest until the playoffs. 3 sports radio stations there and they rarely talk about the Stars.