Seattle Expansion

[MCassel]

As a WA resident, I'm super excited to see a pro team potentially come here, I've always felt Key Arena would be better suited as an NHL building once it was re-done.

Plus now it wouldn't require the plane ticket, hotel, and uber ride to go see my Knights!

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[Bart9349]

Look at the attendance here and you might find a team that could move:

2017-2018 NHL Attendance - National Hockey League - ESPN

I doubt there will be an expansion team in the next few years, however. The VGK team needs to be fully integrated, first.

 

[mundyc3]

Excited for them, but I wanted a little longer honeymoon period.

 

[BattleBorn]

Seattle is still a few years out, there's no real integration issues that I can see. We're talking about it on the Business of Hockey board if you guys want to get pretty deep on the topic.

I was a huge NHL to Seattle supporter back when I thought Las Vegas wasn't realistic.

 

[LadyStanley]

IIRC, VGK was promised that an expansion team within 3 years would exclude expansion draft selection of player from them. So, the only immediate impact could be travel changes.

 

[Puckrobber]

As a resident of Washington for 43 of my 46 years, I've been hoping for an NHL team forever. I'd prefer an expansion team, so, no other hockey fans have to lose theirs. But, if one moved to Seattle, I wouldn't complain.

2020 sounds like the right time for one to appear. Gives the locals time to brush up on their hockey knowledge.

 

[willy702]

Look at the attendance here and you might find a team that could move:

2017-2018 NHL Attendance - National Hockey League - ESPN

I doubt there will be an expansion team in the next few years, however. The VGK team needs to be fully integrated, first.

I can think of 650 million reasons you will be proven wrong. This is happening in 2020, almost no doubt about it. Even if Seattle blew up they would award it to Houston. NHL owners are already pocketing that money and thinking that's their insurance against a prolonged lockout.

 

[derriko]

Man, even more conflicts of interest for me. Is it acceptable to have 3 favorite teams?

Having my two in opposite conferences has worked great, now two in the same conference, and probably even in the same division if it’s Arizona...my heads going to explode.

Born and raised in the Tri-Cities, then lived in Seattle for over 2 years...so essentially I waited about 23 years for a hockey team in Seattle or Portland.

Almost 5 years after I leave it sounds like it’s pretty much a lock to happen. Oh well. If it happened while I was there I wouldn’t be the die hard Vegas fan I am today. I guess that’s a positive haha.

 

[hangman005]

I'm a supporter of NHL to Seattle and to Houston for that matter, but I wouldn't really be a fan of either team. I'm a bit iffy on the Coyotes in Phoenix, I think the NHL could work in Phoenix but I feel that the yotes have poisoned the well so to speak.... but they may surprise me.

I don't think a seattle team is real competition for Vegas in terms of generating support and I think it's a good market for the NHL... is Vegas eligible for a share of the expansion fee or would they have to wait a few more years?

 

[Soundgarden]

Man, even more conflicts of interest for me. Is it acceptable to have 3 favorite teams?

Having my two in opposite conferences has worked great, now two in the same conference, and probably even in the same division if it’s Arizona...my heads going to explode.

Born and raised in the Tri-Cities, then lived in Seattle for over 2 years...so essentially I waited about 23 years for a hockey team in Seattle or Portland.

Almost 5 years after I leave it sounds like it’s pretty much a lock to happen. Oh well. If it happened while I was there I wouldn’t be the die hard Vegas fan I am today. I guess that’s a positive haha.

I feel you, I lived in Seattle for almost a decade before moving to Nashville.

 

[willy702]

Man, even more conflicts of interest for me. Is it acceptable to have 3 favorite teams?

Having my two in opposite conferences has worked great, now two in the same conference, and probably even in the same division if it’s Arizona...my heads going to explode.

Born and raised in the Tri-Cities, then lived in Seattle for over 2 years...so essentially I waited about 23 years for a hockey team in Seattle or Portland.

Almost 5 years after I leave it sounds like it’s pretty much a lock to happen. Oh well. If it happened while I was there I wouldn’t be the die hard Vegas fan I am today. I guess that’s a positive haha.

I think a lot of us are with you. I spent 4 years in Seattle so I have some connection, but honestly wouldn't pull that much for them. I have had season tickets for the Sharks so they were my #1. I live in Denver now and do like the Avs and the experience there, so they were my #2. But I lived in Vegas for 15 years and always believed a team would work and joined the season ticket drive. So they sort of became #1a. What a mess it is. I went to the Sharks game in the preseason and man it was tough even though it was a meaningless game. I decided then I just wouldn't attend games between the teams I like, you leave almost feeling dirty because you want both teams to do well and you don't leave satisfied. I'm dreading if the standings hold a first round matchup between the teams.

 

[BattleBorn]

I think a lot of us are with you. I spent 4 years in Seattle so I have some connection, but honestly wouldn't pull that much for them. I have had season tickets for the Sharks so they were my #1. I live in Denver now and do like the Avs and the experience there, so they were my #2. But I lived in Vegas for 15 years and always believed a team would work and joined the season ticket drive. So they sort of became #1a. What a mess it is. I went to the Sharks game in the preseason and man it was tough even though it was a meaningless game. I decided then I just wouldn't attend games between the teams I like, you leave almost feeling dirty because you want both teams to do well and you don't leave satisfied. I'm dreading if the standings hold a first round matchup between the teams.

I felt like I'd have this issue when Chicago came to town, turns out it was no issue at all. I enjoyed watching the Hawks, but I was fully on the Knight train.

Then again, I've been in Las Vegas forever, went to high school here versus just elementary school in Chicago. The third Knights game I attended made the Knights the team I've seen live the most. I check the Hawks scores still, but I'm not doing much else.

There is a time in the near-mid future where the Blackhawks sticker next to my Knights sticker will come off the back of my car. The only thing keeping it there now is my lack of adhesive remover to get the gunk off the paint once I take the sticker off.

 

[sabresfan65]

The only downside to Seattle expansion I can see is if Arizona gets moved to the Central Division when Seattle comes in. The only other option would be to move Edmonton and Calgary (they will always be in the same division) and move Colorado into the Pacific. That would break up Edmonton/Calgary/Vancouver division rivalries but with the addition of Seattle it might not hurt as much. Plus it would give a central Canada rivalry with Edmonton/Calgary/Winnipeg in the Central.

 

[BattleBorn]

I've got a feeling the Coyotes will fit right into the Central from their new home in Houston.

Then again, I convinced myself that the Coyotes were coming to Las Vegas for a year, so what do I know?

 

[hangman005]

I felt like I'd have this issue when Chicago came to town, turns out it was no issue at all. I enjoyed watching the Hawks, but I was fully on the Knight train.

Then again, I've been in Las Vegas forever, went to high school here versus just elementary school in Chicago. The third Knights game I attended made the Knights the team I've seen live the most. I check the Hawks scores still, but I'm not doing much else.

There is a time in the near-mid future where the Blackhawks sticker next to my Knights sticker will come off the back of my car. The only thing keeping it there now is my lack of adhesive remover to get the gunk off the paint once I take the sticker off.

I fully expected Vegas to be my 1b team coming into this season, I've been a Flames fan since I got into hockey, but I'm finding it more to be Vegas is my 1 team and the flames are my 2 team. Vegas is the only city in North America that I've ever been too, my best friend lives there and if I could I would too. I still check up on the flames, and follow them, but it seems more of a chore to do that than it is to cheer on Vegas. I won't deny being this competitive early has helped a ton. Just a pity I bought a flames jersey this offseason... I'd much rather it be a Golden Knights one now.

And to think I wanted Vegas to draft Brouwer from the Flames because they were going to suck anyway.... please forgive me hahaha

 

[hangman005]

I've got a feeling the Coyotes will fit right into the Central from their new home in Houston.

Then again, I convinced myself that the Coyotes were coming to Las Vegas for a year, so what do I know?

Yotes to Houston makes too much sense... this is the NHL we're talking about here BB

 

[BattleBorn]

Yotes to Houston makes too much sense... this is the NHL we're talking about here BB

I don't want the Yotes to move, they're our best shot at a "real" rivalry. It just seems like the writing is on the wall. It's been on the wall for years, though. So who knows?

 

[hangman005]

I don't want the Yotes to move, they're our best shot at a "real" rivalry. It just seems like the writing is on the wall. It's been on the wall for years, though. So who knows?

Some how they keep on existing... if any team put as much effort on the ice and Arizona have done just to exist they would be 5 time back to back Stanley Cup Champs.

I'd like to see the yotes stay and succeed, but like you I think the writings on the wall, going to Houston all makes too much sense realignment wise, but with what the coyotes have some how survived I'll believe their gone when they are gone.

And couldn't we always have a real rivalry with the kings and ducks... I always got the impression when I was there that there was no greater scourge on Las Vegas than people from California... though maybe that was just the circles I was running in lol

 

[BattleBorn]

Some how they keep on existing... if any team put as much effort on the ice and Arizona have done just to exist they would be 5 time back to back Stanley Cup Champs.

I'd like to see the yotes stay and succeed, but like you I think the writings on the wall, going to Houston all makes too much sense realignment wise, but with what the coyotes have some how survived I'll believe their gone when they are gone.

And couldn't we always have a real rivalry with the kings and ducks... I always got the impression when I was there that there was no greater scourge on Las Vegas than people from California... though maybe that was just the circles I was running in lol

Kings, Ducks, and Sharks would wind up as a one sided rivalry from us until there's a real history. Even then, the NorCal/SoCal/LA thing would always wind up first. They hate each other more than they could ever hate us.

 

[hangman005]

Kings, Ducks, and Sharks would wind up as a one sided rivalry from us until there's a real history. Even then, the NorCal/SoCal/LA thing would always wind up first. They hate each other more than they could ever hate us.

We should trade for Matthew Tkachuck from Calgary... LA will hate us then lol

 

[IceNeophyte]

I don't want the Yotes to move, they're our best shot at a "real" rivalry. It just seems like the writing is on the wall. It's been on the wall for years, though. So who knows?

You don't see Kings/Knights as a real rivalry?

 

[IceNeophyte]

We should trade for Mather Tkachuck from Calgary... LA will hate us then lol

That dude is just plain mean.

 

[BattleBorn]

You don't see Kings/Knights as a real rivalry?

For us, sure.
For them, I think we're probably on the bottom of their "hate list."

Rivalry is only good when it's mutual.

 

[BattleBorn]

Seattle was likely to happen once they got an arena anyway, but there's never a bad time to take some credit.

They also dive in on what another expansion draft may mean for the Knights.

Vegas Paved The Way For Seattle - SinBin.vegas

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

I like how Gary raised the security deposit on Seattle