March 8, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, United States; Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram (39) looks on from his net during the first period during a game against the Detroit Red Wings at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
TSN: Pierre LeBrun on NHL extension discussions involving Salt Lake City and Atlanta.
**Transcript from NHLRumors.com
Aaron Korolnek: “Anson Carter of Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment revealing interest in bringing a team back to Atlanta.
What can you tell us about this? And what is the timeline for NHL expansion Pierre?
LeBrun: “Yeah, no timetable yet. The league again this week, I contacted them after the Anson Carter press release and the league said they still haven’t, you know, they still haven’t put the wheels in motion for expansion.
I think there’s a lot to unpack here. There’s, you know, the fact that even in Atlanta and I may have been reminded this week, there are three competing groups in Atlanta that have contacted the League. Three different groups who want to bring a team to Atlanta. And where Anson Carter’s group stands is hard to decipher.
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You know, someone told me there’s another group in Atlanta that has the deepest pockets right now, but obviously that can change over time. And also within those three groups, there’s a different acceleration rate as to which of those three groups can actually recruit a team that you know soon, as opposed to other teams that need more years. So there’s a lot to unpack just in the Atlanta situation itself, where there are three different groups competing. So that’s the first thing.
The second thing I would say is, and this is me, and this isn’t from the league, but the more I look at it, and I got a chance to interview Ryan Smith, the owner of the Utah Jazz , a few Time and time again over the past few months, it feels like Salt Lake has put itself ahead of everyone to become the next market with a team. They just did a little more prep work.
You know, not to mention that they can put a team together right away and their NBA arena is not perfect, not ideal, but the Los Angeles Kings play exhibition games there every year, every September or early October . Before, of course, there were plans, as Ryan Smith repeated to me in our last interview, that Salt Lake City was planning to build a new arena and, of course, Salt Lake City was hoping to host another Olympic Games. ‘winter.
So all of these things tie into the point where, of course, Ryan Smith has repeatedly emphasized how much he really wants an NHL team and the league knows it. So it feels like Salt Lake is first on deck. You know, these things can change but that’s my feeling reading the situation right now.
And the other thing that’s important to remember, I don’t know about you guys, but I was always, for some reason, convinced, convinced that when the league finally got 32 after adding Seattle , and finally have a kind of symmetry with 16 teams from each conference, that the next round and possible expansion will be done in twos. To maintain it, go from 32 to 34, for obvious reasons.
And a few months ago, a league source told me no, that there was absolutely no problem moving to 33. They can go to just one other team if necessary. And they’re not caught up by that, by the idea of having to go buy a pair of teams.
So that was another indicator for me, and again, it’s my own reading that I would put Salt Lake ahead of other markets right now. In my mind anyway. I could be wrong, but I think they are and from that perspective I think they have the best chance to be the 33rd team.
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Now they could also become the 32nd team if the Arizona Coyotes don’t master their arenas. We don’t have time to get into this, but I think you know, I asked Ryan Smith point blank, you know, you’re not paying attention. He was very careful how he answered this question. But the last time I spoke to him, if I have to carefully summarize his answer, it was that they’ll take an NHL team and they’ll come anyway.
