Canadian Hockey League?

[Game_Misconduct]

I'm a new poster but I've lurked around here most of this "season". Thought I'd throw this idea out here just to see what people think.

Given that the NHL has been effectively destroyed today by the actions of Bettman and Co. and given that one of the major problems the league faces is the economic imbalance between the six Canadian teams and the 24 U.S. teams, if this drags out thru the summer and it appears a settlement isn't possible, could there come a day where the Canadian teams say **** it, withdraw from the league and create their own Canada-based league?

I don't know if inner workings of the NHL allow for franchises to essentially secede and start a competing league, but it'd be interesting to watch it happen.

I'm an American and not well-versed on things north of the border, but wouldn't a league that starts out with two conferences of Quebec City, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal and Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver be well-received? Would cities like Halifax and Regina be able to afford teams as well? Are there other cities where a major pro hockey team would be viable?

Canada's got the largest pool of professional talent in the world and, right now, only six cities where these players can play at the highest level. If the NHL falls apart, wouldn't those players jump at the chance to play in their home country? And wouldn't it be more attractive to European players as well since the game is more popular in Canada than the U.S.?

I'll be interested to read what you all have to say.

Click to read more...

 

[DeleteThisAccount]

No. Canada's economics aren't anywhere near as strong (by strong I mean on a large scale) as the US. Trying to power a major professional league in Canada alone would be a disaster. The MLB has expanded to Canada, with baseball being "America's pasttime". It's just not feasible.

 

[SENSible1*]

I'm a new poster but I've lurked around here most of this "season". Thought I'd throw this idea out here just to see what people think.

Given that the NHL has been effectively destroyed today by the actions of Bettman and Co. and given that one of the major problems the league faces is the economic imbalance between the six Canadian teams and the 24 U.S. teams, if this drags out thru the summer and it appears a settlement isn't possible, could there come a day where the Canadian teams say **** it, withdraw from the league and create their own Canada-based league?

I don't know if inner workings of the NHL allow for franchises to essentially secede and start a competing league, but it'd be interesting to watch it happen.

I'm an American and not well-versed on things north of the border, but wouldn't a league that starts out with two conferences of Quebec City, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal and Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver be well-received? Would cities like Halifax and Regina be able to afford teams as well? Are there other cities where a major pro hockey team would be viable?

Canada's got the largest pool of professional talent in the world and, right now, only six cities where these players can play at the highest level. If the NHL falls apart, wouldn't those players jump at the chance to play in their home country? And wouldn't it be more attractive to European players as well since the game is more popular in Canada than the U.S.?

I'll be interested to read what you all have to say.

Just as long as they have a cap and linkage.

 

[AlexGodynyuk]

Considering that Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and almost Montreal are barely hanging on their frachises as it is, I can't see adding more teams and still being able to pay the salaries needed to keep the top-flight talent. It would be a glorified AHL.

 

[Game_Misconduct]

I'm talking about a league of Canadian cities only. No more paying out salaries in American dollars and taking in revenues in Canadian dollars.

If Canadian-born players boycotted an American-based league and threw their weight behind a Canadian-based league, don't you think it would quickly become superior to a watered-down NHL in terms of talent and prestige?

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

No. Canada's economics aren't anywhere near as strong (by strong I mean on a large scale) as the US. Trying to power a major professional league in Canada alone would be a disaster. The MLB has expanded to Canada, with baseball being "America's pasttime". It's just not feasible.

Yeah, that american dollar sure has been a winner the last year and a half..

 

[DeleteThisAccount]

Yeah, that american dollar sure has been a winner the last year and a half..

Read the part in the parentheses. I don't really care what the exchange rate is or what the Dow closed at yesterday. The FACT is that there are more potentially strong markets in the US than in Canada, even though hockey isn't as popular a sport. Sometimes popularity isn't what drives cash flow in a business.

 

[Flukeshot]

The Leafs would have no interest in that idea. It be more realistic to have the CDN AHL teams leave that league add a few franchises and form their own IHL like league.