Home HockeyBuzz Register Login
Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male
I am a US hockey fan, and I can not state emphatically enough that there is NO reason to "Make it Seven".

It should be MAKE IT TEN

Southern markets in the United States, despite some very vocal and passionate fans, are largely failures. The two teams in the state of Florida have had their successes, but have been in terrible financial straits and have seen far more downs than ups on the ice.

Nashville rallied to "Save the Predators" but they didn't rally enough for new ownership to do more than tread water in regards to making the team better and more capable of taking the next step to being a serious contender.

Los Angeles was damaged by the addition of Anaheim, and prior to the lockout was a well document case of a franchise bleeding cash. Phoenix's troubles are well documented and I can not understand Phoenix fans who celebrate Judge Redfield Baum's gutless decision, because all that has done is preserved hockey in Glendale for, at most, another few years.

The Atlanta situation would be funny if it weren't so sad. Not only did Atlanta lose the Flames through apathy, they seem to follow the Thrashers as closely and passionately as I follow the Yakult Swallows in the Japan baseball leagues.

Just as troubling is Bettman, after bending over backwards to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh and the Predators in Nashville, has such a ho-hum attitude over the possible relocation of the Islanders, should the Lighthouse project fail.

So, let's not make it seven. Let's make it TEN. Move the abortions known as the Coyotes, Panthers, Thrashers and Predators north of the 49th and if the Lighthouse does indeed die, send the Islanders to Canada as well, rather than to Kansas City or some other US city that ignored the NHL in the past when they had a team .

Bring back the Jets and Nordiques. Add the Hamilton Bulldogs and Saskatchewan Miners. And put NHL teams in cities where fans will embrace the teams and love them like they deserve to be loved.
Filed Under:   Relocation   Phoenix   Canada   ten   seven  
October 5, 2009 12:44 AM ET | Delete
I love you. Except for the Hamilton suggestion...make it in Kitchener.
October 5, 2009 3:01 AM ET | Delete
I think you're missing some big points as to the status of the Predators then and now. Also, its been well documented that Winnipeg doesn't have the corporate support to keep a team there and be stable. Ron McLean even said that this weekend. If they can't, Saskatchewan can't either. Quebec has tons of hockey fans to support alone and Hamilton maybe only because of Balsillie.
October 5, 2009 3:18 AM ET | Delete
The Isles will not be leaving New York, if anything, they would move to Brooklyn. Why walk away from one of the most lucrative TV contracts in all of hockey? If they were to leave --Seattle would be the proper destination. Quebec City, Winnepeg, and Hartford should regain teams.
October 5, 2009 5:01 AM ET | Delete
I'm sure that if Florida fails... er, I mean continues to fail... it will be relocated to a much more hockey savvy city. I'm thinking the Jacksonville Jokes or the Miami Monstrosities have a nice ring to them. Or at least that's the type of move I expect given the business plan that the NHL seems to have.
October 5, 2009 7:49 AM ET | Delete
October 5, 2009 8:03 AM ET | Delete
Las Vegas Gamble? Kansas City Cowardly Lions? those have nice rings to them.. also boo to Kitchener.. I say London before Kitchener.. but as long as Bettman is in charge.. there will be no more teams in Canada..they looked into Hamilton a dew years back.. figures showed it would be top 5 in league revenues and STILL didn't put a team here..
October 5, 2009 8:14 AM ET | Delete
the idea behind Kitchener is that it is the magic distance to qualify as being out of Leaf's territory. I think I read somewhere that London was too close.
October 5, 2009 8:51 AM ET | Delete
too close to what? Toronto? London is further from Toronto then Kitchener...
October 5, 2009 10:40 AM ET | Delete
October 5, 2009 11:34 AM ET | Delete
Bring Back Canada
October 5, 2009 1:46 PM ET | Delete
London is farther than Kitchener from Toronto and London sells out every OHL game in a 9100 person arena. I like Kitchener as it draws from London and Hamilton but you need to build a new rink whereas Copps is already there.
October 5, 2009 1:47 PM ET | Delete
I am thinking Kitchener, Quebec City are for sure successes. As long as the Canadian dollar stays high Winnipeg and one of Saskatoon/Halifax could get a team too. The reality is these teams would not be the richest and would still be in the bottom third of league revenue but they'd break even or pretty close instead of bleed $$$.
October 5, 2009 4:40 PM ET | Delete
I understand that Kitchener is closer to Toronto than London, I just read somewhere that where the team would go in London would conflict with somebody... Toronto, Detroit, Buffalo... somebody. If I remembered the exact article, I'd repost.
October 5, 2009 5:37 PM ET | Delete
London is pretty much 2 hours away from each of them.. kinda dead centre.. but we won't get a team anywas.. nor will any canadian city becuase the NHL doesn't like making money
October 6, 2009 3:44 AM ET | Delete
I have a feeling that the NHL only wants to expand to the Canadian market, not relocate. The fees for expansion are astronomical compared to relocation (especially for a Canadian team) and the money from that goes into the pockets of the other owners. That's a huge reason why the owners voted against Balsillie. So until the league is ready to expand to 32 teams, Canada will not get another franchise.
October 6, 2009 3:50 AM ET | Delete
However, the NHL was not willing to expand a few years ago when it looked into Ontario as a future site. It may be willing to expand in the future, but as long as the KHL continues to drain international talent from the NHL it will make expansion less likely. Just ask Phoenix, Florida, Nashville, etc. how well their teams are supported when the on-ice product is lousy.
October 6, 2009 9:48 AM ET | Delete
that's the big problem... those teams don't draw fans when they suck.. a team here would..
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.

Blog Archive