Which Cities are Candidates to Get an NHL Team?

[Artorius Horus T]

I think it should be; who deserves it the most,
that would be: Springfield,MA.

I think its super crazy that, that city never had a pro major hockey franchise there.
..." They could have played in the NHL"...

 

[Fenway]

The NHL seems destined to have 34 teams about 5 years from now..............We know Seattle is a lock, and most likely Nords 2.0 and a second team in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario will finally be approved.

What the NHL should do is take a hard look at how soccer works in the UK and Europe in general.

Have a 'Premier League' where the top teams are allowed to continue into the Stanley Cup and the bottom teams are relegated to a 'Champions League' and the top teams in the second tier league are also allowed slots for the Cup.

Vegas is becoming a nightmare for the NHL as fans of teams who have suffered for many years look at VGK and

 

[Fenway]

They are a small city in the economically depressed Atlantic of Canada. They aren't a viable location.

The CFL can't make a franchise in the Maritimes work and they desperately need a 10th team. The $$$$ simply is not there.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

What's the scene in Halifax? Curious because I've seen the name on some articles up in Canuckistan and really don't know how viable they are.

Halifax, nor any other Atlantic Canadian city are not viable... they've gone either the Canadian Junior route, or as St. John's keeps trying to buck the trend by having a pro team, it's why the QMJHL became more and more the viable route once the corporate teams starting acquiring the affiliated team to operate.... it's strictly financial.

 

[KevFu]

The NHL seems destined to have 34 teams about 5 years from now..............We know Seattle is a lock, and most likely Nords 2.0 and a second team in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario will finally be approved.

What the NHL should do is take a hard look at how soccer works in the UK and Europe in general.

Have a 'Premier League' where the top teams are allowed to continue into the Stanley Cup and the bottom teams are relegated to a 'Champions League' and the top teams in the second tier league are also allowed slots for the Cup.

Vegas is becoming a nightmare for the NHL as fans of teams who have suffered for many years look at VGK and

I really think there should be one P/R thread allowed on this site, because it probably would never, ever, ever, ever happen --- if they can't do it in USA/Canada pro soccer, it'll never happen outside of soccer in the USA/Canada. But it is really fun to talk about.

And I have both an MLS and an NHL plan that could work.

 

[Price is Wright]

I'm guessing for the NHL it goes Seattle and Houston.

For me I'd go Seattle, Houston, Toronto, Montreal, Milwaukee, Portland.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Houston
Seattle

I feel the NHL wants back in Atlanta if possible. Also one of Portland or KC.

 

[Zippy316]

League preference:

1) Seattle
2) Houston
3) Toronto 2.0 or Southern Ontario

Milwaukee and Quebec City are likely going to be two candidates that wait around and see if they can be in the right time at the right place (like Winnipeg was for Atlanta). Otherwise they're too small of a market for the NHL to want to go there.

 

[burnoutberry]

Besides Seattle in a few seasons, which cities/States are Candidates to Get a Team: QC? Atlanta? Houston? Somewhere in Alabama ? Hamilton/ Toronto?

Of those suggestions I can tell you who will never again host another NHL team. Here's a hint: They've already lost 2 NHL franchises. You got it! Atlanta. They lost the Flames to Calgary and Thrashers to Winnipeg. I believe that the Greater Toronto Area could easily support another team, but I figure that the Maple Leafs would try their best to block it in order to protect their monopoly in merchandise. Quebec City could likely support a team, but I don't know whether they have an ownership group that has their sh/t together enough that they'd be able to sustain a franchise through thick and thin.

 

[Jeffrey93]

Sure. But this topic is recycled every 3 months.

I wonder why.....

When a Soap Opera's plot circles back to the same stuff every 90 days.....do you get angry at your Soap Opera...and then continue to tune in? Or just stop watching?

I was kind of hoping this thread would simply focus on the markets.

Could Cleveland support an NHL team?
- Where would they get one from? Doesn't matter
- Who would own the franchsie? Doesn't matter
- How would alignment work? Doesn't matter
- Is alko interested in discussing this? Doesn't matter

 

[Jets4Life]

I wonder why.....

When a Soap Opera's plot circles back to the same stuff every 90 days.....do you get angry at your Soap Opera...and then continue to tune in? Or just stop watching?

I was kind of hoping this thread would simply focus on the markets.

Could Cleveland support an NHL team?
- Where would they get one from? Doesn't matter
- Who would own the franchsie? Doesn't matter
- How would alignment work? Doesn't matter
- Is alko interested in discussing this? Doesn't matter

Jeffrey93!

Wow this is a blast from the past. I remember you from over a decade ago, from here and the Return of the Jets website, when you would constantly say Winnipeggers were delusional, we would never get a team, our arena was too small, we were too cheap, etc. You must be enjoying crow, now that the Jets are in the Western Conference Final, sold out seven straight years, and made money!

 

[Jets4Life]

I think it should be; who deserves it the most,
that would be: Springfield,MA.

I think its super crazy that, that city never had a pro major hockey franchise there.
..." They could have played in the NHL"...

Technically, the WHA New England Whalers played one season in Springfield, MA in the mid 70s before the team moved into the new Hartford Civic Center.

 

[Jeffrey93]

Jeffrey93!

Wow this is a blast from the past. I remember you from over a decade ago, from here and the Return of the Jets website, when you would constantly say Winnipeggers were delusional, we would never get a team, our arena was too small, we were too cheap, etc. You must be enjoying crow, now that the Jets are in the Western Conference Final, sold out seven straight years, and made money!

Give it time. That venue will be outdated faster than any other. The better the NHL does...the worse it is for the Jets.

You should be hoping that the Coyotes, Panthers, Hurricanes, etc. draw flies for many more years.....you literally need to hope the NHL struggles. That will make the Jets solid.

If the NHL booms.....if Miami takes off for some unknown reason.....if TV viewers spike........Winnipeg is kind of screwed.

Smallest market and smallest venue....plus the taxes and exchange rate.

I hope they stay and are stable.....but it's pretty easy to see my initial view of the potential franchise years ago.

Calgary is crying that they might get outpaced by the league and be in financial trouble. I get most of it is because they want a new building. But......Winnipeg would love to have Calgary's building AND their population.

Fringe team.....we'll see.

I'm actually shocked at how long they've been around already....time flies.

 

[Jets4Life]

Give it time. That venue will be outdated faster than any other. The better the NHL does...the worse it is for the Jets.

You should be hoping that the Coyotes, Panthers, Hurricanes, etc. draw flies for many more years.....you literally need to hope the NHL struggles. That will make the Jets solid.

If the NHL booms.....if Miami takes off for some unknown reason.....if TV viewers spike........Winnipeg is kind of screwed.

Smallest market and smallest venue....plus the taxes and exchange rate.

I hope they stay and are stable.....but it's pretty easy to see my initial view of the potential franchise years ago.

Calgary is crying that they might get outpaced by the league and be in financial trouble. I get most of it is because they want a new building. But......Winnipeg would love to have Calgary's building AND their population.

Fringe team.....we'll see.

I'm actually shocked at how long they've been around already....time flies.

lol....never change, Jeffrey. Never change...

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

If I was a billionaire, I'd totally consider Milwaukee for an NHL location. Now they have a new arena, not far away from Chicago, good NCAA hockey fans, it'd be a no-brainer to place a team there.

I mean, there should be a four-team expansion of these teams (after Seattle).

Kansas City/Houston - Central
Milwaukee - Central
Quebec - East
Hamilton - East

Colorado and Arizona would move back to the Pacific.
Florida and Tampa would join the Metro and be re-named Atlantic.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Technically, the WHA New England Whalers played one season in Springfield, MA in the mid 70s before the team moved into the new Hartford Civic Center.

Hartford's arena roof had collapsed, Jets, tbth....

 

[Jets4Life]

Hartford's arena roof had collapsed, Jets, tbth....

Then the Whalers played in Springfield twice. The first time was during the 1974-75 season, while they waited until the Civic Center opened up. Then again in from over a season, when the roof collapsed in January 1978.

 

[AmericanDream]

If I was a billionaire, I'd totally consider Milwaukee for an NHL location. Now they have a new arena, not far away from Chicago, good NCAA hockey fans, it'd be a no-brainer to place a team there.

I mean, there should be a four-team expansion of these teams (after Seattle).

Kansas City/Houston - Central
Milwaukee - Central
Quebec - East
Hamilton - East

Colorado and Arizona would move back to the Pacific.
Florida and Tampa would join the Metro and be re-named Atlantic.

Milwaukee is easily my top choice for the reasons you stated..

To sit here and think the state of Wisconsin has no professional hockey team is crazy - great college hockey program over the decades, supported an AHL team well for decades, right across the border to a massive rival city - at this point in time, all I want to hear is Milwaukee as the next team...it would do well there, and I understand some concerns like lack of corporations and population, but as I have said previously, that Northern Illinois market is huge, barely an hour away from Milwaukee depending on what major part of Chicago you are at...its not a hard sell at all, Many hockey fans all over Wisconsin...I hope they are on that short list whenever that comes up again.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

and I understand some concerns like lack of corporations and population

I see it all the time and have no idea where it comes from. Where are these lack of corporations? There are for all intents and purposes 15 Fortune 1000 companies in Milwaukee. More than Miami, Nashville, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Tampa, San Diego, Portland, Raleigh and on par with Seattle, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Denver and Detroit.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Milwaukee is easily my top choice for the reasons you stated..

To sit here and think the state of Wisconsin has no professional hockey team is crazy - great college hockey program over the decades, supported an AHL team well for decades, right across the border to a massive rival city - at this point in time, all I want to hear is Milwaukee as the next team...it would do well there, and I understand some concerns like lack of corporations and population, but as I have said previously, that Northern Illinois market is huge, barely an hour away from Milwaukee depending on what major part of Chicago you are at...its not a hard sell at all, Many hockey fans all over Wisconsin...I hope they are on that short list whenever that comes up again.

Milwaukee would need to have the Bucks be cordial but I believe the issue mainly lies due to that 50 mile radius between them and the Hawks, AD, BUT IF THE Bucks aren't exactly welcoming the existing franchise that's split their arena up until 2 years ago, as AF24 posted that pic earlier of the now gone BMO Harris Bradley Center, which was the arena sacrificed to fit the new Bucks arena (which has not been named yet) into that section of Milwaukee, I don't believe if they're adversarial to the Admirals being a co-tenant, this new arena is similar to Barclays and TSRA, in downtown Phoenix, NEITHER of which were built for the sport of hockey at any level....

 

[AmericanDream]

I see it all the time and have no idea where it comes from. Where are these lack of corporations? There are for all intents and purposes 15 Fortune 1000 companies in Milwaukee. More than Miami, Nashville, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Tampa, San Diego, Portland, Raleigh and on par with Seattle, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Denver and Detroit.

that's what I keep hearing, I see plenty of corps when I have driven through Milwaukee, but I am not an expert on it so just assuming the corporations aren't an influx there I guess...at least that is the narrative on here.

 

[AmericanDream]

Milwaukee would need to have the Bucks be cordial but I believe the issue mainly lies due to that 50 mile radius between them and the Hawks, AD, BUT IF THE Bucks aren't exactly welcoming the existing franchise that's split their arena up until 2 years ago, as AF24 posted that pic earlier of the now gone BMO Harris Bradley Center, which was the arena sacrificed to fit the new Bucks arena (which has not been named yet) into that section of Milwaukee, I don't believe if they're adversarial to the Admirals being a co-tenant, this new arena is similar to Barclays and TSRA, in downtown Phoenix, NEITHER of which were built for the sport of hockey at any level....

do you mean that no teams can be set up within 50 miles of each other/ that the Hawks would have a problem with Milwaukee in the league?

Dollar Bill most certainly did not want a hockey team in Milwaukee, another stupid belief of his, so that was the issue, but Rocky couldn't give 2 shits and has common sense to what close rivalries bring attendance and attention wise just like the Cubs and Brewers. But Dollar Bill has been gone so the doors should be open now... .

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

do you mean that no teams can be set up within 50 miles of each other/ that the Hawks would have a problem with Milwaukee in the league?

Dollar Bill most certainly did not want a hockey team in Milwaukee, another stupid belief of his, so that was the issue, but Rocky couldn't give 2 ****s and has common sense to what close rivalries bring attendance and attention wise just like the Cubs and Brewers. But Dollar Bill has been gone so the doors should be open now... .

THAT RULE OR BYLAW has not changed, AD.... Milwaukee is not within that parameter no matter who backs the franchise or whatever corporate support, you have to convince Jacobs on top of that, even if you get that far....

 

[AmericanDream]

THAT RULE OR BYLAW has not changed, AD.... Milwaukee is not within that parameter no matter who backs the franchise or whatever corporate support, you have to convince Jacobs on top of that, even if you get that far....

that is incorrect, there is nothing stopping Milwaukee from having a NHL team league/Chicago wise..Milwaukee was actually going to bid on a team around the same time as the Lightning, the buy in was just too high for them and that is why they didn't do it - it had nothing to do with proximity or the league stopping them...the only thing they "might" have had to do is compensate Chicago with some unknown figure to be a part of the league, hardly anything blocking them.

If there is another opening for a bid, Milwaukee can bid and have no issues in doing so.

Lloyd Pettit was a part of the ownership group that was going to bring a NHL team to Milwaukee - this has been detailed a lot over the years that they simply backed out when the price jumped up $20mil for a buy in. This group worked with the NHL on the bid process, and was right there ready to do so until the price got upped. This was 1992 roughly - Ottawa and Tampa paid the price, Milwaukee refused because it made no sense at the time to pay that much for a bad team. Milwaukee was trying to get into the NHL then but backed out on their own accord and not for anything stopping them.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

I don't believe if they're adversarial to the Admirals being a co-tenant, this new arena is similar to Barclays and TSRA, in downtown Phoenix, NEITHER of which were built for the sport of hockey at any level....

​

It's nothing like Barclays or TSRA.

that's what I keep hearing, I see plenty of corps when I have driven through Milwaukee, but I am not an expert on it so just assuming the corporations aren't an influx there I guess...at least that is the narrative on here.

Our Fortune 500 companies

Northwestern Mutual
Manpower Group
Kohl's
WEC Energy Group
Harley-Davidson
Rockwell Automation
Fiserv

Those are the Fortune 500. Johnson Controls would be the largest company on there in terms of revenue but like I said, their main operations are still in Milwaukee but their merger with Tyco to avoid U.S. taxes means they aren't considered anymore because their HQ is technically in Ireland.

Fortune 1000

Quad/Graphics
Snap-on
A.O. Smith
Komatsu Mining
Roadrunner Transportation Systems
REV Group
Rexnord
Briggs & Stratton

On top of that there are a ton of health care companies (Aurora, Froedert, Ascension, Medical College of Wisconsin, ProHealth) that employ 50,000+ throughout the region. GE Healthcare Technologies based in Chicago employs 6,000 in the area. US Bank headquartered in Minneapolis employs 3,500. BMO Harris headquartered in Chicago employs 3,400.