Future Expansion

[Kovy27]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... Ww-;_ylv=3

[slappybrown]

lololololol

You're a bit late on this one. Its shelved indefinitely.

[shafnutz05]

lol....huh? This article is from early December and, as slappy said, it was shelved indefinitely in early January because the players didn't like it.

[Kovy27]

WTF...why the hell did Puck Daddy post it on facebook then? Bastard!

Delete!

My bad.

[Kovy27]

He changed it to expansion...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck- ... Ww-;_ylv=3

[MRandall25]

SI's twitter did something similar, where they reposted news from 2009 that the Kings gave Jack Johnson a 2 year extension.

[Admin]

Poor KC.

[CERV96]

I still hate the 4 confrence idea. Just stick with 2 and make 4 divisions like they used to.

[Kovy27]

Poor KC.

I'd rather have KC in the league over another Toronto team...if you keep the 4 conference alignment, bring Columbus to our conference, Quebec to Boston's, KC to Detroits.

[frenchpens-fan]

I still hate the 4 confrence idea. Just stick with 2 and make 4 divisions like they used to.

it's good, Québec city is a great hockey city. but 4 conference it will be weird.

[Idoit40fans]

IF the Maple Leafs allowed it, Toronto would be an obvious place for another team. Otherwise, I don't really care. I think its inevitable that this become a 32 team league though.

[no name]

I personaly love the realignment idea. And anything that might bring Toronto off its pearch is welcomed, so a 2nd Toronto team might help spread the wealth around. It would be hard to believe some of the Toronto faithful would switch and be a fan to another franchise though.

You would have to put them in different confrences so you could have the Toronto vs Toronto in the SCF.

KC and Seattle can wait until Florida, Phoenix, Dallas or Nashville relocate. The realignment would also make it easier to relocate teams in the event of relocation.

[Idoit40fans]

I don't think they would switch, but people would fill the arena just because they'd be able to get tickets for the games.

[k0la]

I don't think they would switch, but people would fill the arena just because they'd be able to get tickets for the games.

Two teams = double the chance of a Stanley Cup for Toronto is probably what they would be thinking.

[pekkasteele]

I don't see how it would work with a new team in such a "set" market, would someone really switch team just because they could get tickets easier?

Would anyone of you that lives in Pittsburgh do that if a new team started there? I know I wouldn't, and im not even from the same continent.

[Idoit40fans]

No, but I also already have 3 tickets to every game every year, so I wouldn't need to. There are people that would though, and there are people that would go to whichever team was playing on any given night because it was live NHL hockey. Also the demand for those tickets in Toronto has to be well over 2,3,5 times that of Pittsburgh.

[no name]

No, but I also already have 3 tickets to every game every year, so I wouldn't need to. There are people that would though, and there are people that would go to whichever team was playing on any given night because it was live NHL hockey. Also the demand for those tickets in Toronto has to be well over 2,3,5 times that of Pittsburgh.

They had no trouble moving the Islanders into the Rangers fan base area also NJ is almost the same as NY. I would think over time some young fans might change teams in Toronto. Also your point on tickets and just cause it was NHL hockey would bring the fans in, i agree.

I can't see how anyone wouldn't want to see the Nordiques back in the NHL.

[DelPen]

Logisticaly, Seattle and KC make the most sence to get 16 in the West either 2 8 team divisions or 4 4 team:

Pacific: (LA, Anaheim, San Jose, Phoenix), (Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton)
Central: (Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis, KC), (Colorado, Chicago, MN, Winnipeg)

NE: (Pittsburgh, Columbus, Detroit, Buffalo), (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston)
Atlantic: (Florida, TB, Carolina, Wash), (NYR, NYI, NJ, Philly)

I know, Pens not in the old Patrick. BFD. Geographically Detroit, Columbus, Toronto and Buffalo are all closer than all the NY teams. I'd rather get 6 games vs Columbus than the Isles. I liked the NE division games in the 90's anyways.

[Malkamaniac]

They should put a team in Atlanta. I really think it'd do well there.

[slappybrown]

Logisticaly, Seattle and KC make the most sence to get 16 in the West either 2 8 team divisions or 4 4 team:

Pacific: (LA, Anaheim, San Jose, Phoenix), (Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton)
Central: (Nashville, Dallas, St. Louis, KC), (Colorado, Chicago, MN, Winnipeg)

NE: (Pittsburgh, Columbus, Detroit, Buffalo), (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston)
Atlantic: (Florida, TB, Carolina, Wash), (NYR, NYI, NJ, Philly)

I know, Pens not in the old Patrick. BFD. Geographically Detroit, Columbus, Toronto and Buffalo are all closer than all the NY teams. I'd rather get 6 games vs Columbus than the Isles. I liked the NE division games in the 90's anyways.

IMO, this is a horrifyingly bad alignment from a fan perspective -- I'm on the other end, I hated the NE division in the mid-90s. The geography is pretty irrelevant in terms of distance, and I can't see the Penguins and Flyers being split up (also, you are splitting up some other great rivalries like CHI-DET).

I also think you're much more likely to see a team in Markham and Quebec City before you see KC and Seattle. After yet another lockout that resulted because the NHL business model is fundamentally broken, going into a questionable (at best) market like KC isn't happening, and with Seattle, you're battling for sports dollars with the NBA (assuming that goes through), MLB, and NFL, plus an MLS team that draws 40K to every game and has sold out every game since inception.

[no name]

Pittsburgh, Washington NY Islanders, NY Rangers, NJ Devils, Carolina, Philadelphia
Buffalo, Ottawa, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay
Dallas, Detroit, Minnisoda, St .Louis, Chicago, Winnipeg, Nashville, Colombus
Colorado, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angelas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary Phoenix

Add Qubeac and a 2nd Toronot franchise, Eliminate 2 and add KC and Seattle.

Move Phonenix to Seattle and Florida to KC
Swap KC takes Columbus spot in the mid west,
Columbus is added to the Atlantic to make 8 teams,
Toronto to the North

Pittsburgh, Washington NY Islanders, NY Rangers, NJ Devils, Carolina, Philadelphia, Columbus
Buffalo, Ottawa, Boston, Montreal, Toronto ML, Tampa Bay, Qubeac, Toronto2
Dallas, Detroit, Minnisoda, St .Louis, Chicago, Winnipeg, Nashville, Kanas City
Colorado, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angelas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Seattle

24 teams out of confrence, home and away = 42 games
7 interconfrence teams you play 6 times 42 game = 84 game season.

[PghSkins]

I don't think they would switch, but people would fill the arena just because they'd be able to get tickets for the games.

Two teams = double the chance of a Stanley Cup for Toronto is probably what they would be thinking.

Know what the best thing ever would be? Expansion team moves into, like, Mississauga and wins the Cup before the Leafs win another.

[TheHammer24]

I don't think they would switch, but people would fill the arena just because they'd be able to get tickets for the games.

Two teams = double the chance of a Stanley Cup for Toronto is probably what they would be thinking.

Know what the best thing ever would be? Expansion team moves into, like, Mississauga and wins the Cup before the Leafs win another.

Hahaha. That would be great.

[no name]

I don't think they would switch, but people would fill the arena just because they'd be able to get tickets for the games.

Two teams = double the chance of a Stanley Cup for Toronto is probably what they would be thinking.

Know what the best thing ever would be? Expansion team moves into, like, Mississauga and wins the Cup before the Leafs win another.

Hahaha. That would be great.

Actually Saskatoon was mentioned as a possible site for a team, i think back in the 80s. Is that remote enough for ya.