NHL 2013

[M2]

I know the way realignment is set it leaves the West with open spots, but the next franchise relocation/expansion really should be in Quebec City. Like Winnipeg, they never deserved to have their team taken away and while it is a small market, you can guarantee that there will be 15000+ in the seats every home game.

I'd love see a team return to Quebec City, but the new alignment makes it more difficult. The league can't grant an expansion in the east without kicking a team to the west, and I doubt there will be anyone offering to make that westward leap.

Likewise, relocating a team in west to Quebec City would necessitate another eastern franchise switch conferences. That pretty much takes Phoenix off the board.

That means it pretty much has to be another team from the east relocating to Quebec. The Islanders were the logical candidate, but they now have a deal to move to Brooklyn. I doubt Columbus will move shop any time soon. It just switched to a new conference and is owed an All-Star Game. I'm guessing it has a Winter Classic coming its way as well. Bringing the Red Wings to Ohio Stadium seems like a natural.

Florida has a horrible team and has been struggling on the business end in recent years, but its attendance is up this season. That could be due to some free or dirt cheap ticket policy, so maybe Florida is still bleeding cash. Hard to believe more people in Miami were interested in a lousy hockey team on the heels of lockout. So I'd say that's Quebec's one chance - poach the Panthers.

[Revering4Blue]

KC's arena situation was awful and I don't know if going by what a team did in the 70's has any bearing on today's NHL. The Sprint Center is one of the most beautiful new arena's in the league and I would think the NHL would target a place that is NHL ready in terms of stadiums if they're looking to expand.

Anything that occurred before Luxury Boxes and Corporate Seats became the norm in the Late '80's should have no bearing at all on today's NHL or NBA.

That stated, the fact that KC stopped supporting the NBA's Kings, despite exciting, competitive teams year-after-year, sends up a much bigger red flag than anything that happened with the Scouts or the Cleveland Barons, for that matter.

Neither the Scouts or Barons had a chance in markets that simply were not big enough at the time to support four Pro franchises, much less three.

My vote is for expansion franchises for Portland and KC. And should Phoenix be forced to move, Quebec City seems logical. Or, if another ownership group emerges, Atlanta, which is a much bigger TV market than either Winnipeg or Quebec City can ever hope to be.

[Revering4Blue]

I've always thought the NHL should trade its Nashville franchise to the NBA for Milwaukee.

I can't see it happening.

Other than a potential rivalry with Memphis, why would Nashvillians have any more interest in the NBA, if at all, than the NHL?

As for Milwaukee, there is no way that a market that size can support three Major league franchises, especially when the Bradley Center is unsuitable for the NHL. In fact, without a new or refurbished Arena, Milwaukee is in danger of losing the Bucks--one of the league's storied franchises.

Interesting idea, though.

[Revering4Blue]

The Edmonton Oilers are doing their part to help the Blue Jackets out.

They are up 3-0 on Minny after the 1st intermission.

Go Oilers!

[MikeThierry]

I appreciate that they're a proud, established franchise, though you can't put too much stock in playoff runs that went through the 1980s, just because it was extremely difficult to miss the playoffs in that decade.

That said, the Blues are a lot like the Rangers. They've had good runs, but rarely been among the league's elite. What the Rangers have going for them is they play in the most massive media market in the U.S. It exaggerates their quality when they have some quality. It also heightens the rivalry factor with other teams in the east. They punch above their weight.

So I'm completely sympathetic when it comes to following a team that's routinely thisclose to having a run where it makes a few Stanley Cups and gets recognized as one of the top teams in the NHL. Our teams are more often chasing our rivals than the other way around.

One thing that's really interesting about the Blues is the coaches who've gone on to win it all after their time in St. Louis - Scott Bowman, Al Arbour, Jacques Demers, Joel Quenneville. Red Berenson also became one of the great college coaches in the U.S. after the Blues dumped him.

Somebody ought to pounce on Davis Payne.

The Blue also have a lot of money to spend this summer. Got to believe they'll be after a franchise center.

Don't get me started on the Curse of Scotty Bowman, lol. I read a stat a couple of years ago that out of the past 40 Stanley Cups, it was won 20 or 21 times by former Blues head coaches. It's mind boggling how cursed it seems the Blues are on that front.

[MikeThierry]

The Edmonton Oilers are doing their part to help the Blue Jackets out.

They are up 3-0 on Minny after the 1st intermission.

Go Oilers!

The Wild are wetting the bed now. I truly hope Columbus gets in. The Central would once again have a heavy presence in the playoffs for a second straight year.

[M2]

Or, if another ownership group emerges, Atlanta, which is a much bigger TV market than either Winnipeg or Quebec City can ever hope to be.

The NHL should stay out of Atlanta for the rest of eternity.

Salt Lake City and Las Vegas might be interesting spots for a team.

As for Milwaukee, the only way the NHL should go in is if the Bucks leave. Yet I suspect it's more of a hockey town than a basketball town.

[Tom Servo]

I think the NHL has to know where their bread is buttered. You can have a huge market (Phoenix, Atlanta), but if the ownership situation isn't up to snuff, it's a guaranteed money loser. Hell, I don't know that the Predators have even ever turned a profit in Nashville, but at least their current ownership is committed to the area. But putting a team in a new area just for the sake of having it in a new area isn't likely to work.

[Joseph]

The NHL isn't the NFL, you can't just roll out the ball and have people show up in droves. The NHL has to earn everything especially in non-traditional markets. Any perception that an owner is not 100% committed will not be well received. Likewise prolonged ineptitude will end up with another Atlanta situation. People want to see success and fairly soon.

[westofyou]

I used to own s business in Atlanta and my whole family lived there, hockey won't work there on the NHL level, folks won't head downtown to see it it's failed twice

Toronto could support another team much better

[5TimeWSChamps]

Here we goooooo

[5TimeWSChamps]

Avalanche just tied it up with Minnesota

Detroit leads 1-0 on Dallas

CBJ-Nashville is 0-0

[5TimeWSChamps]

Avalanche up 2-1 on Minnesota
Detroit up 1-0
Nashville up 1-0

[5TimeWSChamps]

Avalanche goal was waved off

2-1 Wild
3-0 Red Wings - They are in
2-1 Blue Jackets, 3:00 left in 3rd

[Joseph]

Whats the status of the Jackets in the playoffs?