The NHL is Never transparent about its expansion plans, which makes the comments made by commissioner Gary Bettman during the league’s annual general managers’ meeting particularly stinging.
“We are not in expansion mode at the moment” Bettman said Wednesday (March 15), after completing the CEO Summit in sunny Florida. “There are always a number of people, entities and cities that are expressing interest in having an NHL franchise – places like Atlanta, Houston and Quebec – but it’s not really something that is in the pipeline. top of mind for us right now. »
That said, there are plenty of reasons why hockey fans probably shouldn’t take the commissioner’s word for it.
History is the main justification for a dose of skepticism.
The NHL is always opaque when it comes to the theme of expansion – with the arrival of notable examples of the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights.
Rumors swirled about the possible launch of new teams in Nevada and Washington, but the NHL remained silent on the subject until expansion. In fact arrived.
So what should we make of the recent comments about expansion in Atlanta, Houston and Quebec?
NHL Expansion: Are the Atlanta Thrashers Poised for a Remarkable Comeback?
The NHL tried unsuccessfully to establish itself in Georgia, the state of fishingtwice before.
The Atlanta Flames came into the league with the Washington Capitals in 1972, but – unlike the Caps – never managed to recover from a slow start to life in the majors. After just eight seasons in the city, the franchise was relocated to Calgary – where it remains today.
The Thrashers were born in 1999 but didn’t exist in Atlanta until 2011 – when the team became the Jets and moved to Winnipeg.
Could this be a case of Third time lucky? Maybe.
Atlanta, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, is a major television market and hungry for major league sports.
NHL Expansion: Atlanta is also home to the Gladiators, the ECHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes (Image: ECHL)
Although Bettman said the league hasn’t studied the sustainability of a third down in Atlanta, he still provided some information on areas of the arena.
“To the extent that we’re getting expressions of interest from the region in general, it’s in locations for arenas that are different than where we’ve been before,” he told reporters. early this week.
In short, no one should rule out the return of the Thrashers. It’s – at the very least – a talking point for NHL decision-makers.
NHL Expansion: Houston should be a scenario for the NHL
There are clear arguments for adding a team in Houston, the most populous state in Texas and the entire southern United States.
Speculation about a new franchise is that Houston is never out of season, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently adding fuel to the fire. 32 Thoughts.
“There’s something happening, but I think the question is how far along we are.” » Friedman said. “The NHL is trying to throw cold water on it, which I understand. They don’t want everything to get out of hand here.
“The one thing I think and I absolutely agree with Jeff is I think one day Houston will be an NHL city, that’s true. I just don’t know if it’s an expansion or a relocation.
Houston would be a great fit for the NHL, especially because of the potential rivalry with the Dallas Stars. Hockey is booming in Texas; it would be wise for the league to expand its presence in the state.
NHL Expansion: Could the Quebec Nordiques make a spectacular comeback?
Unlike Houston and Atlanta, Quebec cannot rely on the size of its population to justify the return of the Nordiques. But there is still hope, with provincial politicians keen to add their voices to the campaign to revive the hockey club.
If the NHL returned to Quebec, it would present a similar scenario to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
The Packers are based in a smaller market but can appeal to a vociferous fan base to fuel their success in a money-rich sport. The Nordiques should channel the same kind of vibe to succeed in the modern NHL.
There is a clear sentimental pull in favor of expanding – or relocating – the NHL to Quebec. It’s a hockey hotbed, with fans desperate to reignite a historic rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens.
While there is a ton of fan support for a return to Quebec, it is an outside candidate for NHL expansion – according to comments from league decision-makers.
A shake-up of the Nordiques should not be ruled out – but new franchises in Houston and Atlanta remain Bettman’s preferred option.
NHL expansion is always a hot topic; Where would you like to see the league move next? Join the discussion in the comments.
