For Your Consideration: Possible NHL Expansion Cities
By Alex Watson
Sport in North American can change in the bat of an eye lid and a team can be in one city one day and be far down the road in the next. NHL has seens it fair share of chopping and changing over its history which spans almost 100 years and people are currently debating if the league will yet again be expanded and with the well documented financial strains of the Phoenix Coyote's, it appears one franchise could be on the move!
But who are the main players in contention to have their city join Gary Bettman's Ice Hockey's elite club?? Here are the main possible cities.
Canada
Hamilton, Ontario: This city is desperate to rejoin the NHL afters it brief appearance in the 1920s and Blackberry creator Jim Balsille has been making a number of efforts to bring hockey to Hamilton. In 2008 he reached an agreement to buy Nashville Predators, only to have his agreement terminated a month later! Later he would attempt to buy Phoenix Coyotes only to have the move fall apart. The city would be a perfect ground to expand Hockey in Ontario- but with only being 50 miles between Buffalo and Toronto could prove an issue!
Quebec City: This area of Canada previously had a proud hockey history before the Quebec Nordiques relocated to Colorado and since 1995 the game has been absent from this part. With interesting looming from Russian businessman Alexander Medvedev, we could soon see a welcome return to Quebec and with a new 18,000 seat arena currently being constructed, this fact is strengthened!
Saskatoon, Saschaketwan: Saskatoon so nearly tasted the NHL in 1982 when Bill Hunter attempted to buy St Louis Blues and bring them across. Since then apart from a failed attempt to buy Phoenix in 2009, all has gone quiet on the Saschaketwan front- but everyone loves a long shot and maybe soon we could see Hockey break through into this prairie province.
Greater Toronto Area, Ontario: Proposals have been put forward to expand hockey in Toronto and it appears they are set on building an arena in Markham, Ontario for a new team called Toronto Legacy (there is even a club badge being presented), but it does beg the question, will this move be popular with the already fanatical Maple Leaf fans?
United States
Las Vegas: Vegas seems hopefully of luring a hockey team to its brightly lit city and but will the glamour of Vegas be an ideal ground? Since 1997 it has hosted the 'Frozen Fury' NHL exhibition game at the MGM Grand which proved it be wildly successful. It seems like an interesting idea to have hockey the Nevada desert- but will its lack of sporting past be a problem?
Seattle: This city already has a vast collection of sporting teams and it would seem a surprise to many that hockey has yet to visit the shores of Washington State and after NBA team Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma- it would appear the NHL would fill the void nicely and after businessman Chris Hansen reached a deal with city council to build an arena, it would seem that this dream may become reality!
Houston: Hockey in Texas is something that has yet to expand and with the money that Houston has, we could well see this game branching out further into this state. Minor league Houston Aeros are looking to upgrade from the AHL and into the big time. Houston has its fair share of big venues so we should expect Hockey here sooner than we think!
Kansas: If Pittsburgh had folded back in 2007, this game would have come to Kansas City and currently its 17,500 seater, Sprint Area isn't getting much use. Missouri could do with an injection of Hockey fever, but where that source will come from is anyone's guess. But its a city that potential so watch this space!
Sport in North American can change in the bat of an eye lid and a team can be in one city one day and be far down the road in the next. NHL has seens it fair share of chopping and changing over its history which spans almost 100 years and people are currently debating if the league will yet again be expanded and with the well documented financial strains of the Phoenix Coyote's, it appears one franchise could be on the move!
But who are the main players in contention to have their city join Gary Bettman's Ice Hockey's elite club?? Here are the main possible cities.
Canada
Hamilton, Ontario: This city is desperate to rejoin the NHL afters it brief appearance in the 1920s and Blackberry creator Jim Balsille has been making a number of efforts to bring hockey to Hamilton. In 2008 he reached an agreement to buy Nashville Predators, only to have his agreement terminated a month later! Later he would attempt to buy Phoenix Coyotes only to have the move fall apart. The city would be a perfect ground to expand Hockey in Ontario- but with only being 50 miles between Buffalo and Toronto could prove an issue!
Quebec City: This area of Canada previously had a proud hockey history before the Quebec Nordiques relocated to Colorado and since 1995 the game has been absent from this part. With interesting looming from Russian businessman Alexander Medvedev, we could soon see a welcome return to Quebec and with a new 18,000 seat arena currently being constructed, this fact is strengthened!
Saskatoon, Saschaketwan: Saskatoon so nearly tasted the NHL in 1982 when Bill Hunter attempted to buy St Louis Blues and bring them across. Since then apart from a failed attempt to buy Phoenix in 2009, all has gone quiet on the Saschaketwan front- but everyone loves a long shot and maybe soon we could see Hockey break through into this prairie province.
Greater Toronto Area, Ontario: Proposals have been put forward to expand hockey in Toronto and it appears they are set on building an arena in Markham, Ontario for a new team called Toronto Legacy (there is even a club badge being presented), but it does beg the question, will this move be popular with the already fanatical Maple Leaf fans?
United States
Las Vegas: Vegas seems hopefully of luring a hockey team to its brightly lit city and but will the glamour of Vegas be an ideal ground? Since 1997 it has hosted the 'Frozen Fury' NHL exhibition game at the MGM Grand which proved it be wildly successful. It seems like an interesting idea to have hockey the Nevada desert- but will its lack of sporting past be a problem?
Seattle: This city already has a vast collection of sporting teams and it would seem a surprise to many that hockey has yet to visit the shores of Washington State and after NBA team Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma- it would appear the NHL would fill the void nicely and after businessman Chris Hansen reached a deal with city council to build an arena, it would seem that this dream may become reality!
Houston: Hockey in Texas is something that has yet to expand and with the money that Houston has, we could well see this game branching out further into this state. Minor league Houston Aeros are looking to upgrade from the AHL and into the big time. Houston has its fair share of big venues so we should expect Hockey here sooner than we think!
Kansas: If Pittsburgh had folded back in 2007, this game would have come to Kansas City and currently its 17,500 seater, Sprint Area isn't getting much use. Missouri could do with an injection of Hockey fever, but where that source will come from is anyone's guess. But its a city that potential so watch this space!
Mike's Suggestion
Anchorage: I know, it's crazy but Anchorage has two things going for it. It has nearly 400,000 residents and a professional hockey team. Admittedly if the Alaska Aces franchise wants to move to the big league, it's going to require a huge overhaul and the Sullivan Arena is just too small. However plans are in place for a larger arena. The downside to Anchorage? The new stadium is still going to be too small to host NHL crowds and Anchorage is really far away. It Might happen. Go Wings. Mike.
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