Confirmed with Link: Expansion

[rudos1]

Bettman has the hots for a Vegas NHL team so bad he can taste it. I hope the only move that gets done is Phx moved to a proper hockey town..

 

[Flannelman]

I hope its Quebec and Seattle, no Vegas. I would root for Quebec hard against the Habs

I assume it will be 9 forwards, 5 D, 1 G again?

Bergeron
Krejci
Lucic
Marchand
Eriksson
Smith
Spooner
Pastrnak
Connolly

Chara
Hamilton
Krug
Seidenberg
McQuaid

Rask

What is the cutoff in order to be protected? Morrow has 15 games would we need to protect him or is he safe?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=92033053&postcount=31

There's no set rules for the expansion draft. If you go by the last expansion draft, teams were allowed to protect 1 goalie, 5 d-men and 9 forwards OR 2 goalies, 3 d-men and 9 forwards.

Goalies had to have a minimum 10 games the prior season and d-men and forwards a minimum of 40 games (or 70 the previous 2 seasons).

As I said, not set in stone, but more than likely, they'll use the same set of rules.

As for when expansion happens, my guess is the 2016-2017 season, which makes it critical to prioritize some of these kids and where you want to fit them in and when, so that you are not forced to expose one in the expansion draft.

 

[Man Rocket]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=92033053&postcount=31

thank you. so the rules might be totally different. So Pasta would need to be protected by the old rule, not Morrow or Spooner

 

[northeastern]

Should be QC and Seattle but will probably be LV and Jackson Mississippi....

Yup... They should move the yours to Vegas and add Seattle and qc in the expansion.

 

[RedBruin]

One thing about Vegas - they've been shunned by every major league because of gambling. They'll embrace a major league sport, and it's also one of the cheapest cities in the U.S. to fly into. I can see the locals embracing the NHL because it's *their* team. I thought Raleigh would be a sheer disaster (and yes, their attendance hasn't been good of late as the team has been terrible), but it's been mildly successful at the gate. Nashville has a pretty solid fanbase for a city that had almost zero hockey history other than some failed minor league teams. Oklahoma City would've been a great market (their CHL team was drawing 9K/game) had the NBA not beaten the NHL there.

Atlanta was a failure because Atlanta has terrible support for all of its teams. The Braves' attendance was laughably awful throughout their 15-year run of success, the Hawks & Falcons haven't really brought in big crowds, either. The Thrashers' death knell was a group that was *only* interested in the NBA buying the arena and both teams and deciding to get rid of the hockey team to focus their time/energy/$$ on the Hawks.

The locals are working during game time.

 

[TheBigBadB]

It will be successful in Vegas since they have no major league team there. The locals are going to jump for joy for some legitimacy. It will work at least for a few years.

 

[Ten Thousand Hours]

I hope its Quebec and Seattle, no Vegas. I would root for Quebec hard against the Habs

I assume it will be 9 forwards, 5 D, 1 G again?

Bergeron
Krejci
Lucic
Marchand
Eriksson
Smith
Spooner
Pastrnak
Connolly

Chara
Hamilton
Krug
Seidenberg
McQuaid

Rask

What is the cutoff in order to be protected? Morrow has 15 games would we need to protect him or is he safe?

There's no way all those players are still with the team in 2 years.

 

[DominicT]

Take this with a grain of salt if you will, and I have talked about this before - going back 4 years.

Don't rule out Toronto West.

That is, a second Toronto team that plays in the Western Conference

Graeme Roustan would have one of, if not the deepest pockets in the NHL should he get that coveted second team in Toronto.

They would almost instantly become one of the top 7 revenue producing teams in the league - a win/win for the NHL and the NHLPA.

Personally, I think a second Toronto pro team will do well where hockey hasn't had much success outside the Leafs in the Greater Toronto Area.

I'm old enough to remember the WHA days and the Toronto Toros did quite well in the Leafs back yard until Leafs owner Harold Ballard stuck the final knife in their chest and ripped out their heart.

 

[Tuukkaraski]

Take this with a grain of salt if you will, and I have talked about this before - going back 4 years.

Don't rule out Toronto West.

That is, a second Toronto team that plays in the Western Conference

Graeme Roustan would have one of, if not the deepest pockets in the NHL should he get that coveted second team in Toronto.

They would almost instantly become one of the top 7 revenue producing teams in the league - a win/win for the NHL and the NHLPA.

Personally, I think a second Toronto pro team will do well where hockey hasn't had much success outside the Leafs in the Greater Toronto Area.

I'm old enough to remember the WHA days and the Toronto Toros did quite well in the Leafs back yard until Leafs owner Harold Ballard stuck the final knife in their chest and ripped out their heart.

I'd say you are right on. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a second team in/around Toronto. Even Bettman himself said it was a possibility.

Other interest will almost certainly come from groups in Southern Ontario, with the possibility of a second team playing in Toronto now ready to be examined. Bettman made it clear that the Maple Leafs don't hold any territorial veto to keep another team out.

"They do not," he told Sportsnet. "Expansion is decided by the league as a whole, as is franchise relocation."

 

[bruinmann77]

I visit vegas a lot would love to see my bruins there.

 

[iReckless]

Milwaukee should be on the top of the list

 

[TCL40]

The NHL should probably contract by a couple of teams, not expand. This would just dilute the talent.

I agree with this.

I think what's going to hurt Quebec City is that there are already 16 teams in the East. The expansion spots are in the West. If QUebec City gets a team I think it's more likely to be an existing team moving (Carolina, Panthers maybe Columbus).



I think Vegas could be one-not sure of the other but Seattle seems like a city that could support a NHL team and probably better than some teams like Pheonyx or the Florida teams.

 

[Dellstrom]

should expand to Vegas and Seattle and move Arizona or Florida to Quebec

So much yes. Add Seattle, Vegas, Arizona-Quebec. Would be as perfect as expansion could get, in my opinion.

I don't really like the idea of Vegas, and I don't know why the league is so enamored by it. But I think Vegas is pretty much a lock. Seattle is a very passionate sports city, especially once their team gets decent, I could see it having a huge following. Quebec City, there's no question about it... They'd be fine.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Bring back the Nordiques.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

JJ can now afford firing Clode since he's getting $33m in his pockets.

 

[PetePeeters]

Bring back the Nordiques.

Allez les bleus.I always liked them.

 

[Estlin]

Allez les bleus.I always liked them.

The French national soccer team?

 

[PetePeeters]

The French national soccer team?

They are not the only ones.
Back in october 2010 people in Quebec City showed their support of the Nordiques when
70000 people met at the plaines d`Abraham.They were hoping to get the nhl back in town.
They called it La Marche bleue.

 

[ODAAT]

It will be successful in Vegas since they have no major league team there. The locals are going to jump for joy for some legitimacy. It will work at least for a few years.

i`ll wager this barely catches the attention of the locals for half a season

 

[bb74]

It's not for gate but for regional/national TV deals.

Hockey in Vegas is crazy on any other level than pure $$$

 

[Estlin]

i`ll wager this barely catches the attention of the locals for half a season

Agreed. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the Vegas team's home games have more fans cheering for the visiting team.

 

[OnTheFly12]

I think Vegas will do fine with an NHL team, there's so much damn traffic there all times of the year.

Hmm...let's say your correct and LV is successful with attendance. Exactly who will be the steady fan base watching them on TV? Which local firms will see success advertising in the arena and on the coverage? Because these are important revenue streams - and I suspect LV will have trouble in these areas.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Hmm...let's say your correct and LV is successful with attendance. Exactly who will be the steady fan base watching them on TV? Which local firms will see success advertising in the arena and on the coverage? Because these are important revenue streams - and I suspect LV will have trouble in these areas.

People are missing the fact that Vegas is the BEST sports city in the USA if you want to bet on the games and not deal with any illegal element or wait more than 60 seconds after it ends to get paid if you win. Its the only place with legal sports betting and therefore is a very sports oriented city. Waiting a month to get paid offshore or dealing with a bookie sucks Vegas is awesome. A pro team is going to do better than you think and Canadian tourists from Alberta will be shelling out big dough on stubhub to see their Flames or Oilers.

Locals who can't afford to go will watch on TV its a decent metro area and their only team TV ratings will be good. Until there is NBA competition in the city which may or may not happen the team will have a loyal core of locals people are underestimating and then when certain teams visit people with unlimited pockets on vacation.

 

[Gee Wally]

Las Vegas, Quebec City NHL expansion bids advance to Phase 2

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...ec_city_nhl_expansion_bids_advance_to_phase_2

Las Vegas and Quebec City are moving on to the second of three phases in their bids to land NHL expansion franchises, the respective groups announced Wednesday.

Bill Foley, who heads the Las Vegas bid, issued a statement on his group's website, "Vegas Wants Hockey," that the league has invited it to advance. Quebecor, a Montreal-based communications giant, announced on its Twitter account that its Quebec City bid is moving forward.

Foley said Phase 2 will feature bidders providing the NHL additional information regarding their respective markets and arena plans. The bidders will also gain access to certain league-related information.

The Las Vegas group has already secured more than 13,200 season-ticket deposits for a potential team. And there's a multipurpose arena under construction near the Las Vegas Strip and set to open next spring.

In Quebec City, the publicly funded, 18,259-seat Videotron Centre is set to open next month. It replaces the small and outdated Colisee, which previously served home to the NHL's Nordiques, who relocated to Colorado to become the Avalanche in 1995. Quebecor manages and owns the naming rights to the new arena.

 

[wintersej]

People are missing the fact that Vegas is the BEST sports city in the USA if you want to bet on the games and not deal with any illegal element or wait more than 60 seconds after it ends to get paid if you win. Its the only place with legal sports betting and therefore is a very sports oriented city. Waiting a month to get paid offshore or dealing with a bookie sucks Vegas is awesome. A pro team is going to do better than you think and Canadian tourists from Alberta will be shelling out big dough on stubhub to see their Flames or Oilers.

Locals who can't afford to go will watch on TV its a decent metro area and their only team TV ratings will be good. Until there is NBA competition in the city which may or may not happen the team will have a loyal core of locals people are underestimating and then when certain teams visit people with unlimited pockets on vacation.

I agree with the 1st part.

But totally disagree with the 2nd. Las Vegas is a small TV market. Its smaller than Grand Rapids, MI, Birmingham, AL, and Harrisburg, PA.

The only smaller US market that has an NHL team is Buffalo.