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Potential Atlanta NHL Expansion Team Thread

dj4aces

dj4aces

An Intricate Piece of Infinity
Dec 17, 2007
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LadyStanley said:
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I saw the article last week, but since it doesn't contain anything new, didn't think it'd be pertinent. It is nice to see more coverage by more reporters, which at least gives the impression that the league returning is a certainty.

Really, if you read the article and listen to the interviews he's done this week, it's almost like Burnside is a frequent reader of this thread... and if you're here, Scott, don't be shy! Say hello!
 
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ponder719

ponder719

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Jul 2, 2013
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AtlantaHockeyFanatic said:
No way the league picks Houston before us, correct?
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I mean, if the league decides they must have a new team start before your barn is up, Houston's one of the few places with the infrastructure to do so (presuming Fertitta's on board), but other than that very narrow situation, I have to think either Atlanta goes first or both teams come in together.
 
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dj4aces

dj4aces

An Intricate Piece of Infinity
Dec 17, 2007
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Duluth, GA
AtlantaHockeyFanatic said:
No way the league picks Houston before us, correct?
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The league, near as I can tell, wants to be here just as badly as we want the league to be here. But I think the league has learned a lot of lessons since they expanded from 21 to 30 during the 1990s. So if Atlanta returns after Houston, so be it, just so long as the league takes its time to do it the right way.

YMMV, of course. Just my opinion.
 
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aqib

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Feb 13, 2012
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Bijelo said:
Houston and Atlanta at least new to the NHL?

Four new teams to the NHL?
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If I had to guess there would be 4 teams staggered out over a couple years.
AtlantaHockeyFanatic said:
No way the league picks Houston before us, correct?
Click to expand...
They could announce them both at once with Houston starting sooner since they have an arena ready to go. Like Houston starts in 2025 and Atlanta in 2027 when the arena is ready. Of course this depends on how the Coyotes situation shakes out. They could send the Coyotes to Houston then announce expansion to Salt Lake City and Atlanta for when their arenas are ready. Eventually they will go to 36 to have 4 divisions of 9 teams each.
 
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tucker3434

tucker3434

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Atlanta and Houston have felt like a package deal the whole time. It’s not like the league was going to go to 33 with no plans for 34. Houston is closer to ready than we are. They could drop the puck sooner. But I doubt the NHL is going to go more than a season or two at 33.
 
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aqib

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Feb 13, 2012
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tucker3434 said:
Atlanta and Houston have felt like a package deal the whole time. It’s not like the league was going to go to 33 with no plans for 34. Houston is closer to ready than we are. They could drop the puck sooner. But I doubt the NHL is going to go more than a season or two at 33.
Click to expand...

There were 4 years between the Golden Knights and Kracken. Given that both got good early on the league maybe inclined to stagger things out because it gives teams a better chance to be competitive early. They don't want teams to suck for 6-8 years before they sniff the playoffs. Adding one team and then another a couple of years later helps.

Although I don't think there will be any announcements until after the Coyotes situation resolves itself. If they move then that takes one city out. It would make sense for them to go to Houston and then expand to SLC and Atlanta.
 
tucker3434

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aqib said:
There were 4 years between the Golden Knights and Kracken. Given that both got good early on the league maybe inclined to stagger things out because it gives teams a better chance to be competitive early. They don't want teams to suck for 6-8 years before they sniff the playoffs. Adding one team and then another a couple of years later helps.

Although I don't think there will be any announcements until after the Coyotes situation resolves itself. If they move then that takes one city out. It would make sense for them to go to Houston and then expand to SLC and Atlanta.
Click to expand...

That was a wider gap than I remember, but that’s probably because Seattle was a foregone conclusion only several months after Vegas’s expansion draft.

Atlanta has their development MOU which Seattle didn’t get until shortly after Vegas’s expansion draft. If Houston was awarded a franchise today, that expansion draft would probably take place in the summer of ‘25. If everything went perfectly for Atlanta, they’d be ready in ‘27 I believe. So the timelines of the two teams should be narrower than before. But who knows how the actual timing will work out.

If they do end up trying to enter the league near the same time, I expect they’ll figure out a way to give both an opportunity to be reasonably competitive. It’ll be worth a billion to them to make it happen. The NHL will want to cash those checks.
 
dj4aces

dj4aces

An Intricate Piece of Infinity
Dec 17, 2007
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Duluth, GA
AtlantaWhaler said:
Ha...most of that interview is with Kevin Cheveldayoff.

Ah, the circle of life.
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I did find that pretty amusing, First, Illegal Curve interviews him, then he plays second fiddle to the former GM of the Atlanta AHL affiliate. The only thing left is for Burnside to be interviewed on-air during a Winnipeg Jets vs Calgary Flames preseason game taking place at Gas South! :laugh:
 
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Headshot77

Headshot77

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I found some super confidential expansion documents in Bettman's office. They say this:

2025 - Houston (Central)
2026 - SLC (Pacific)
2027 - Atlanta (Metro)
2028 - QC (Atlantic)
 
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KevFu

KevFu

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May 22, 2009
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Headshot77 said:
I found some super confidential expansion documents in Bettman's office. They say this:

2025 - Houston (Central)
2026 - SLC (Pacific)
2027 - Atlanta (Metro)
2028 - QC (Atlantic)
Click to expand...

cowboy82nd said:
Did you see any documents about the Phoenix situation?
Click to expand...


I'm sure I'll be accused of tin-foil hat wearing.... but if the NHL decided to expand to Atlanta and Salt Lake City, the ensuing questions are "When will they start playing?" (3 to 5 years) and "What about the Coyotes?"

So if you're committed to SLC/ATL expansion, and the Coyotes have a roster but has to wait 3-5 years to complete a new arena if they win their land auction bid.
And Salt Lake has an arena but has to wait 3-5 years on a roster via expansion.

Doesn't it just make more sense to put the existing roster in the existing arena and have one complete franchise for the next 3-5 years?

Just take your little chart from above and add: "2024 - Utah Rebranded Coyotes" at the beginning and change SLC to "Return of Arizona Coyotes via expansion"
 
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KevFu

KevFu

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It's funny watching the people in the Arizona Coyotes thread...

A backroom deal for a SLC/ARZ franchise switcharoo makes everything make complete sense. But the folks who've been cheerleading for the death of the Coyotes for 15 years are acting like it's crazy.

Either the guy who's been willing to fund the team in a college arena and put forth TWO stadium deals he'd pay for, is suddenly doing an about-face on hockey in PHX, while the NHL is also doing a 180 on both hockey in PHX AND the owner they picked....

... or they decided SLC/ATL needs to happen, and hey, SLC's Delta Center solves the Coyotes' Mullet problem with a franchise switch-a-roo.

If I'm a Thrashers, Nordiques or Houston hockey fan, I'd be stoked by this news. Because a 33rd team needs a 34th, and 17/17 with 8/9 in each conference isn't lasting very long.
 
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Melrose Munch

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Mar 18, 2007
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KevFu said:
It's funny watching the people in the Arizona Coyotes thread...

A backroom deal for a SLC/ARZ franchise switcharoo makes everything make complete sense. But the folks who've been cheerleading for the death of the Coyotes for 15 years are acting like it's crazy.

Either the guy who's been willing to fund the team in a college arena and put forth TWO stadium deals he'd pay for, is suddenly doing an about-face on hockey in PHX, while the NHL is also doing a 180 on both hockey in PHX AND the owner they picked....

... or they decided SLC/ATL needs to happen, and hey, SLC's Delta Center solves the Coyotes' Mullet problem with a franchise switch-a-roo.

If I'm a Thrashers, Nordiques or Houston hockey fan, I'd be stoked by this news. Because a 33rd team needs a 34th, and 17/17 with 8/9 in each conference isn't lasting very long.
Click to expand...
It's juvenile hour for the league to leak this to pressure the Coyotes with the playoffs a week away.

Merulo is not helping things, that's why.
 
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sneakytitz

sneakytitz

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Mar 8, 2023
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KevFu said:
It's funny watching the people in the Arizona Coyotes thread...

A backroom deal for a SLC/ARZ franchise switcharoo makes everything make complete sense. But the folks who've been cheerleading for the death of the Coyotes for 15 years are acting like it's crazy.

Either the guy who's been willing to fund the team in a college arena and put forth TWO stadium deals he'd pay for, is suddenly doing an about-face on hockey in PHX, while the NHL is also doing a 180 on both hockey in PHX AND the owner they picked....

... or they decided SLC/ATL needs to happen, and hey, SLC's Delta Center solves the Coyotes' Mullet problem with a franchise switch-a-roo.

If I'm a Thrashers, Nordiques or Houston hockey fan, I'd be stoked by this news. Because a 33rd team needs a 34th, and 17/17 with 8/9 in each conference isn't lasting very long.
Click to expand...

I mean we got word that Tilman and Krause were in NYC yesterday at NHL HQ - I have to imagine that had either most or everything to do with what is happening today.
 
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