NHL adding Las Vegas as an expansion team

[Frk It]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/16203078/nhl-settles-las-vegas-quebec-city-expansion

Click to read more...

 

[PelagicJoe]

To Ericsson and Howard: don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

[Retire91]

hmmmmm this part concerned me

"provided organizers can come up with a $500 million fee"

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

To Ericsson and Howard: don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Unfortunately we only lose one or the other, Not both but we will gladly give them both for nothing.

 

[Electric Eric]

Unfortunately we only lose one or the other, Not both but we will gladly give them both for nothing.

Don't think we can rely on Vegas taking Howard. Goalie wise, couple teams will be making some tough decisions on who to keep. Bolts, Ducks, & Pens just off the top of my head. All 3 of those teams have a goalie I would pick before Howard.

As for Ericsson, I don't think he gets picked up either. Gut feeling is we lose one of Sheahan, Marchenko, or Ouellet.

 

[Heaton]

Unfortunately we only lose one or the other, Not both but we will gladly give them both for nothing.

Yep, can't expect this expansion draft to fix our issues .

 

[SoupNazi]

Interesting.

I was pulling for Seattle myself; I'm just not sure how well Vegas hockey will do once the novelty wears off.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Yep, can't expect this expansion draft to fix our issues .

Gonna need to expand to 43 teams if we want to get rid of every terrible player on this roster.

Why does the NHL love to put hockey in awful markets.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I thought this was an interesting piece on an NHL team in Las Vegas and why it's a bad idea. And the reason is more thoughtful than the usual "hockey in the desert is stupid!"

Our 2013 analysis estimated that there are just 91,000 NHL fans in metro Las Vegas. That’s tiny even by comparison to the six smallest NHL markets that I mentioned before, which have between 146,000 (Nashville) and 279,000 (Tampa) hockey fans. And it’s well below Seattle’s 241,000 or Quebec City’s 530,000 fans.

...

But it’s asking a lot for Las Vegas to support a major league team when it’s struggled to support pretty much every minor league team that’s tried to play there.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/las-vegas-is-a-terrible-place-for-an-nhl-team/

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Gonna need to expand to 43 teams if we want to get rid of every terrible player on this roster.

Why does NHL loves to put hockey in awful markets.

Because the existing owners get the $500 million expansion fee and don't have to share it with players because it's not considered Hockey-Related Revenue.

The league will expand in Vegas and another market, and both those markets will likely struggle for a decade. Which means more revenue sharing from the profitable teams. Which means when the CBA expires in 6 years (5 if either side opts out) the owners will likely try to ratchet down player's salaries and HRR further.

Which means enjoy another lockout!

(unless Bettman's contract isn't extended. Then there's a sliver of hope)

 

[MBauer]

Unfortunately we only lose one or the other, Not both but we will gladly give them both for nothing.

But likely neither get taken, I mean why take Ericsson when they could take Smith or Ouellet/Marchy/Sproul/anyone else, and there will be many better/cheaper goalie options than Howard for Vegas.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Don't think we can rely on Vegas taking Howard. Goalie wise, couple teams will be making some tough decisions on who to keep. Bolts, Ducks, & Pens just off the top of my head. All 3 of those teams have a goalie I would pick before Howard.

As for Ericsson, I don't think he gets picked up either. Gut feeling is we lose one of Sheahan, Marchenko, or Ouellet.

Wondering if Sheahan will be one of the ones protected, But agree that one of either Ouellet or Marchenko would be the ones to go.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

But likely neither get taken, I mean why take Ericsson when they could take Smith or Ouellet/Marchy/Sproul/anyone else, and there will be many better/cheaper goalie options than Howard for Vegas.

Exactly i doubt that we have to unfortunately worry about losing either one of Howard or Ericsson it's just not going to happen. Like you said Vegas will have better options out there like you said Smith or one of Ouellet/Marchenko/Sproul take your pick.

 

[Ezekial]

Interesting.

I was pulling for Seattle myself; I'm just not sure how well Vegas hockey will do once the novelty wears off.

I think Seattle would be great for the NHL, was it an option in this expansion? I was under the impression it was not.

It could actually work, but the tourism aspect is going to have to meet/exceed the NHL's expectations; which are way too lofty in my mind. A couple other positives is that there are a lot of transplants in Vegas and the rink is a nice and cool option for entertainment in the heat.
I don't see it working.

 

[Electric Eric]

I think Seattle would be great for the NHL, was it an option in this expansion? I was under the impression it was not.

It could actually work, but the tourism aspect is going to have to meet/exceed the NHL's expectations; which are way too lofty in my mind. A couple other positives is that there are a lot of transplants in Vegas and the rink is a nice and cool option for entertainment in the heat.
I don't see it working.

Tin foil long term predictions in no order:

Vegas flops, eventually moves to Seattle (yay)
Canes owner sells, Quebec finally happens.

We hear dozens of rumors about cities like Salt Lake and Kansas city getting the 32nd team and BOOM Portland, Or gets a team. I cry tears of joy.

 

[Mijatovic]

To Ericsson and Howard: don't let the door hit you on the way out.

What on earth makes you think Vegas wants either of those? Why would they choose that over the hundreds of other options.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Don't think we can rely on Vegas taking Howard. Goalie wise, couple teams will be making some tough decisions on who to keep. Bolts, Ducks, & Pens just off the top of my head. All 3 of those teams have a goalie I would pick before Howard.

As for Ericsson, I don't think he gets picked up either. Gut feeling is we lose one of Sheahan, Marchenko, or Ouellet.

If you think marchenko and ouellet are gonna get picked up your not thinking realistically with how competitive the nhl wants the expansion team

 

[Henkka]

Don't think we can rely on Vegas taking Howard. Goalie wise, couple teams will be making some tough decisions on who to keep. Bolts, Ducks, & Pens just off the top of my head. All 3 of those teams have a goalie I would pick before Howard.

I would pick a PROVEN BAD GOALIE to secure high draft picks for next becoming drafts.

Messing with goalie caphits is best "messing", when you don't mess with other roster caphits.

 

[taylorjonl]

I thought this was an interesting piece on an NHL team in Las Vegas and why it's a bad idea. And the reason is more thoughtful than the usual "hockey in the desert is stupid!"

I am excited for a Las Vegas team, it is a 5 hour drive from me and a 30 min cheap flight. Plus I can make it a weekend and enjoy other things. I don't plan on not following the wings but honestly, it would be interesting to follow a team from its inception.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I am excited for a Las Vegas team, it is a 5 hour drive from me and a 30 min cheap flight. Plus I can make it a weekend and enjoy other things. I don't plan on not following the wings but honestly, it would be interesting to follow a team from its inception.

I won't follow Las Vegas. But I'll follow Seattle

 

[MBauer]

If you think marchenko and ouellet are gonna get picked up your not thinking realistically with how competitive the nhl wants the expansion team

Well it's not like taking Ericsson is gonna help them be competitive, the best player I could see Detroit exposing is someone like Sheahan, but I hope not.

 

[Martinez]

2018 is supposed to be a very strong draft so good for Vegas. They could pick Ericsson or jimmy if they want to meet the minimum cap requirement, but yeah, I wouldn't count on it.

 

[RabidBadger]

Gonna need to expand to 43 teams if we want to get rid of every terrible player on this roster.

Why does the NHL love to put hockey in awful markets.

Because they like to rake in the half-billion expansion fee. Even better when they move so some other schmuck has to pony up the relocation fee.

I think the league could stand to axe about 6 teams to stop diluting the product.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Well it's not like taking Ericsson is gonna help them be competitive, the best player I could see Detroit exposing is someone like Sheahan, but I hope not.

Taking Ericsson over ouellet who isn't even in the nhl right now makes them more competitive. Probably marchenko 2

 

[Larkin2AA]

I won't follow Las Vegas. But I'll follow Seattle

Seattle is just the better market. Hockey is already successful in a city like Seattle. You also have surrounding cities close by that would be willing to go to the games (i.e. Tacoma (1 hour), Portland (3 hours), Tri-Cities (2 hours), Wenatchee (3 hours), and even both Vancouver's (3 hours)). You have many WHL teams in Washington, along with a NAHL team in Wenatchee (who has a beautiful arena). Seattle would have been the smarter choice, IMO. Maybe I am biased towards the NW.