The Business of HockeyDiscuss the financial and business aspects of the NHL. Franchise sales, valuations, TV contracts, ratings, expansion, relocation, the CBA and work stoppage discussion goes here.
If a team is placed in Hamilton, they'll get their lump sum payment and should be happy they're getting that, as quite frankly they've never had any presence in the city. If a team in placed in Markham, they deserve squat and will get squat.
Imo. This is why if Buffalo has a choice they'd pick Hamilton over Markham.. Might as well get paid for all that sucking and blowing they've been doing over this market.
That an arena doesn't have to be located in the downtown of a primary city nor even relatively near to the downtown.
And especially when you have an area like southern Ontario, where no one city in itself might be big enough to support an NHL franchise (other than probably Hamilton), but all of those cities taken together could easily support a team.
If you drew a circle with Woodstock (the 401/403 intersection) at the center with a radius extending out 75km, the population within that circle would be well over 2 million, likely close to 3 million.
But watering down the product more via expansion is a terrible idea. Much less for a league that wants to continue believing it's bigger than it actually is.
i agree it's already a diluded product. relocation is 1 thing but not expansion.....Pho to seattle and maybe Flo should be the next 1 to consider moving.
Get rid of the Coyotes and Blue Jackets, relocate Panthers and the Canes to Canada, or vise versa
2 of the worst profitable teams are removed from the league and the next 2 worst profitable teams are moved to Canada and become top 10 in profitable markets.
I feel the league is watered down with hockey players who are not NHL caliber. removing 2 rosters helps this situation and will slightyl boost the other 28 markets.
The 28 team league makes the 4 conferences with 7 teams each very possible
Get rid of the Coyotes and Blue Jackets, relocate Panthers and the Canes to Canada, or vise versa
2 of the worst profitable teams are removed from the league and the next 2 worst profitable teams are moved to Canada and become top 10 in profitable markets.
I feel the league is watered down with hockey players who are not NHL caliber. removing 2 rosters helps this situation and will slightyl boost the other 28 markets.
The 28 team league makes the 4 conferences with 7 teams each very possible
Legally can't move the Blue Jackets, the Canes are going nowhere.
Get rid of the Coyotes and Blue Jackets, relocate Panthers and the Canes to Canada, or vise versa
2 of the worst profitable teams are removed from the league and the next 2 worst profitable teams are moved to Canada and become top 10 in profitable markets.
I feel the league is watered down with hockey players who are not NHL caliber. removing 2 rosters helps this situation and will slightyl boost the other 28 markets.
The 28 team league makes the 4 conferences with 7 teams each very possible
Not going to happen. If they want Seattle quebec city and another Ontario team in the toronto area contracting is not the solution.
28 team league is ideal imo. Get rid of the Coyotes and Blue Jackets, relocate Panthers and the Canes to Canada, or vise versa
Like it or not, the NHL believes that for now, 30 teams is the optimum size. Contraction is not an option, not even a word in their vocabulary. Your core point however, that a smaller more compact & elite league is one with plenty of support on both sides of the Border. Exclusive as opposed to being inclusive, dispensing with Revenue Sharing, a soft Cap, maybe 16 Teams in total, fewer games etc. Alas, thats just not in the cards.
The Panthers have a Lease that runs through 2029 I believe, and despite the team being a lost leader, the building itself makes money. Tallon is in the midst of a re-build after over a decade of complete failure, and I do believe they will turn the corner, succeed. Carolina is run by the parsimonious Rutherford & Karmano's, and here again, the building does extremely well, the team too always competitive, a Cup under their belt, going nowhere. Columbus, thanks to Brain Dead GM Doug MacLean and a beyond horrible Lease was pushed to the brink, but those problems are gone, absolutely no reason for the NHL to fail in Ohio. As for Phoenix, ya, looks like a Relo job for sure, and for that I blame NHL Inc. Not Moyes, not the fans, the league itself.
Like it or not, the NHL believes that for now, 30 teams is the optimum size. Contraction is not an option, not even a word in their vocabulary. Your core point however, that a smaller more compact & elite league is one with plenty of support on both sides of the Border. Exclusive as opposed to being inclusive, dispensing with Revenue Sharing, a soft Cap, maybe 16 Teams in total, fewer games etc. Alas, thats just not in the cards.
The Panthers have a Lease that runs through 2029 I believe, and despite the team being a lost leader, the building itself makes money. Tallon is in the midst of a re-build after over a decade of complete failure, and I do believe they will turn the corner, succeed. Carolina is run by the parsimonious Rutherford & Karmano's, and here again, the building does extremely well, the team too always competitive, a Cup under their belt, going nowhere. Columbus, thans to Brain Dead GM MacLean and a beyond horrible Lease was pushed to the brink, but those problems are gone, absolutely no reason for the NHL to fail in Ohio. As for Phoenix, ya, looks like a Relo job for sure, and for that I blame NHL Inc. Not Moyes, not the fans, the league itself.
Not to mention contraction is bush league. No major league can afford the loss of prestige that contraction entails. Contraction is what FAILED leagues do, on their way to going under completely.
Get rid of the Coyotes and Blue Jackets, relocate Panthers and the Canes to Canada, or vise versa
2 of the worst profitable teams are removed from the league and the next 2 worst profitable teams are moved to Canada and become top 10 in profitable markets.
I feel the league is watered down with hockey players who are not NHL caliber. removing 2 rosters helps this situation and will slightyl boost the other 28 markets.
The 28 team league makes the 4 conferences with 7 teams each very possible
This scenario would work if it were to be played out but I wouldn't say talent is watered down. More skilled players rather than less skilled players are in today's professional hockey world than 10 years ago. Move those 4 teams you mentioned up to Canada (Quebec City, Hamilton, Markham, Saskatchewan) screw Seattle.
The game can only improve and happen in this way when the NHLPA finally gets rid of Bettman which at this point looks inevitable.
I disagree. The 4 conference proposal was just begging for 2 more teams.
... you could look at it that way as well, though earlier in either this thread or another many apparently dont. I do believe the NHL could & should Expand, provided its graduated & done properly, QC, Markham, Hamilton, Seattle, Portland & Houston over the next decade if possible.
This scenario would work if it were to be played out but I wouldn't say talent is watered down. More skilled players rather than less skilled players are in today's professional hockey world than 10 years ago. Move those 4 teams you mentioned up to Canada (Quebec City, Hamilton, Markham, Saskatchewan) screw Seattle. The game can only improve and happen in this way when the NHLPA finally gets rid of Bettman which at this point looks inevitable.
1. Saskatoon (I assumed that's what you meant) cannot support an NHL franchise
I disagree. The 4 conference proposal was just begging for 2 more teams.
Yeah, but it's really begging for two more teams in the Central.
If GTA or Hamilton gets a team, I can't see how they're not put into that division. No way the NHL gives them dibs over CBJ (who needs it) or DET (who's paid their dues).
Exactly! Why would the NHLPA's opinion of Bettman be a threat to his job?
People don't seem to get that league commissioners are employees of the owners. They stay employed only so long as they make those owners happy and no one else.
Not to mention contraction is bush league. No major league can afford the loss of prestige that contraction entails. Contraction is what FAILED leagues do, on their way to going under completely.
How many times have leagues contracted when there wasn't a World War going on? Once?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryancoke13
I feel the league is watered down with hockey players who are not NHL caliber. removing 2 rosters helps this situation and will slightyl boost the other 28 markets.
The salary cap waters it down more than expansion:
There's a limit on what you can spend, so you spend it on the best players you can fit and then round out the roster with young (CHEAP) guys from the minors.
See also: The Islanders ability to bring in guys like Weight, Reasoner, and Boyes since the salary cap. Before the cap, guys like that signed with someone capable of winning the Cup. Now those Cup contenders don't have room for them under the cap.
