NationStates Jolt Archive

Not that anyone outside Canada will care but, Jim Balsillie (guy who invented the Blackberry or something) is trying to buy the Phoenix Coyotes "on the condition that the bankrupt team relocate to southern Ontario." Why am I excited? Because, assuming this all goes through, they'll most likely come to Hamilton and play at Copps Coliseum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copps_Coliseum), which is literally about 10 minutes from where I live.

But all is not well, the NHL for some reason hates everyone west of Toronto and North of Buffalo. They're trying to keep this team in a city that doesn't even care about them, rather than move it to a region desperate since the 1980s for an NHL team. No surprise really, since they did the same thing when Balsillie tried to buy first the Penguins then the Predators.

So anyways thoughts, comments, jokes aboot Canadians and hockey...

Link (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/05/spphoenixbalsillie.html?ref=rss)

I support this move to repatriate Ice Hockey to America Jr. Please also take the Rangers.

I support this move to repatriate Ice Hockey to America Jr. Please also take the Rangers.

umm no. They're an original six team, that actually has a fanbase and makes money.

umm no. They're an original six team, that actually has a fanbase and makes money.

You should take the fanbase too.

You should take the fanbase too.

Why not move the whole of NYC to Canada as well? :)

I suggest a merger between the NHL and UK Elite League.:tongue:

Eh?

You should take the fanbase too.

Are you giving Canada, New York?

Is he allowed to do that?

Are you giving Canada, New York?

No, just the fanbase. But you can have Nassau County and northern New Jersey too if you really want it.

Is he allowed to do that?

I have that power.

I have that power.

This is made funnier by your avatar.

I don't generally think that places without ice should have hockey teams. I mean, if you live in a city that shuts down over an inch of snow (because nobody has ever seen snow) then you probably shouldn't have a hockey team in your city.

Also, I totally wouldn't mind if Hamilton picked up a team because maybe then my friends from Hamilton would start liking that team instead of the Leafs becoming less obnoxious. I could see how this might screw with the divisions though... since Phoenix is in the west and all... but then so is Detroit and that's not very far west either.

I suggest a merger between the NHL and UK Elite League.:tongue:

Eh?

BTW, does anyone outside of the UK know about their hockey league? And are there any good players from the UK?

BTW, does anyone outside of the UK know about their hockey league? And are thee any good players from the UK?
Most players in Britain are American and Canadian, usually from the ECHL and AHL, if I remember rightly. However, there is an import cap, so some talent is allowed to develop. If only it got the media attention and attendance it diserves over here.:(

Most players in Britain are American and Canadian, usually from the ECHL and AHL, if I remember rightly. However, there is an import cap, so some talent is allowed to develop. If only it got the media attention and attendance it diserves over here.:(

When I think of British Hockey, my mind draws a blank. ''British Hockey? Seriously?'' I guess if it isn't very well known in your own country, you can't expect that a lot of peoplle know it.

In Ice Hockey-related news, today's Finland Vs. US in the IIHF World Championship

Not that anyone outside Canada will care but, Jim Balsillie (guy who invented the Blackberry or something) is trying to buy the Phoenix Coyotes "on the condition that the bankrupt team relocate to southern Ontario." Why am I excited? Because, assuming this all goes through, they'll most likely come to Hamilton and play at Copps Coliseum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copps_Coliseum), which is literally about 10 minutes from where I live.

But all is not well, the NHL for some reason hates everyone west of Toronto and North of Buffalo. They're trying to keep this team in a city that doesn't even care about them, rather than move it to a region desperate since the 1980s for an NHL team. No surprise really, since they did the same thing when Balsillie tried to buy first the Penguins then the Predators.

So anyways thoughts, comments, jokes aboot Canadians and hockey...

Link (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/05/spphoenixbalsillie.html?ref=rss)

The NHL does not want to move a team to Hamilton because Hamilton is already part of the media area for two NHL teams, the aforementioned Toronto and Buffalo. The NHL would not make any new money moving a team to an area that it already earns plenty of money from.

If the NHL is going to move the Coyotes, it is going to be to a city that the NHL does not already have a presence. They're certainly not going to move the team to an area that is already carved up between two currently existing NHL teams. They did that already; you might remember the Hartford Whalers.

My opinion on how to restructure the league? Drop all teams from the sun belt (Lightning, Panthers, Thrashers, Hurricanes, Predators, maybe Stars, Coyotes, Ducks, Kings, Capitals, Blues, Blue Jackets, and maybe Sharks). Set up a European league and have play in the style of what they did this year...the occasional game between the conferences (now divided as North American and European), but mostly play within. Keep the same playoff structure, change the all star game to NA v Europe.

The NHL does not want to move a team to Hamilton because Hamilton is already part of the media area for two NHL teams, the aforementioned Toronto and Buffalo. The NHL would not make any new money moving a team to an area that it already earns plenty of money from.

If the NHL is going to move the Coyotes, it is going to be to a city that the NHL does not already have a presence. They're certainly not going to move the team to an area that is already carved up between two currently existing NHL teams. They did that already; you might remember the Hartford Whalers.

Whalers were even worse...inside the fan area of Bruins, Islanders, Rangers, and Devils, within easy range of Sabres and even Montreal.

I'd expect Portland before most other cities, but I doubt that falls into Bettman's plans.

Whalers were even worse...inside the fan area of Bruins, Islanders, Rangers, and Devils, within easy range of Sabres and even Montreal.

I'd expect Portland before most other cities, but I doubt that falls into Bettman's plans.

I'd expect a return to Winnipeg more than anything else, tbh. There's strong sentiment to return a team to Canada, but most potential candidates are just as unsuitable as Phoenix has been. There's a reason Winnipeg and Quebec moved to larger American cities, after all.

I'd expect a return to Winnipeg more than anything else, tbh. There's strong sentiment to return a team to Canada, but most potential candidates are just as unsuitable as Phoenix has been. There's a reason Winnipeg and Quebec moved to larger American cities, after all.

I could easily see Winnipeg...my only reason for favoring Portland is because of Bettman and his strong bias to untapped markets. While there is no team in the Winnipeg area, Canada is already safe NHL territory. Bettman favors areas that don't particularly care about hockey (hello two teams in Florida and three teams in California within spitting distance of each other). Portland seems like a bit of a mix...an area with a bit of a hockey following, but no strong NHL presence


And a hell of a much better idea than friggin Las Vegas.

I could easily see Winnipeg...my only reason for favoring Portland is because of Bettman and his strong bias to untapped markets. While there is no team in the Winnipeg area, Canada is already safe NHL territory. Bettman favors areas that don't particularly care about hockey (hello two teams in Florida and three teams in California within spitting distance of each other). Portland seems like a bit of a mix...an area with a bit of a hockey following, but no strong NHL presence


And a hell of a much better idea than friggin Las Vegas.

Winnipeg would be the smallest NHL market by a wide margin, which is the primary detriment to a team relocating to the city. It's about half the size of the Buffalo media market, which is currently the smallest NHL market. There are 72 media markets in the United States larger than Winnipeg, and seven in Canada. Quebec City is a larger market than Winnipeg.

Also, the Coyotes are 13 years into a 30 year lease with the city of Phoenix. Breaking the lease is a $750 million fee. That would effectively drive the price of the team up to $1 billion, based on Balsillie's offer. Bettman has already come out and said that the NHL does not consider a team filing for bankruptcy a valid reason for it to break a lease, so the NHL certainly would come in on the side of the city, it seems, were the new ownership group to try to get out of the lease and the fee together.

Hamilton is already considered part of the Toronto media market, and any fans from further south in Ontario would certainly be cutting into either Toronto, Detroit, and Buffalo's fanbase. While Toronto and Detroit don't have much reason to fear a loss of fanbase, the Sabres are in similar financial troubles as Phoenix. I very much doubt that the NHL would like to see a team move to Hamilton just to cannibalize an already existing fan base.

As far as potential locations if the team does move, Houston is the largest market without a team currently, followed by Seattle and then Portland. So those are potential locations. Further, if the Los Angeles area can support two teams, then I don't see any reason why the Toronto area could not, though it would be extremely difficult for them to make inroads in a city with such a loyal and strong fan base.

I know more goes into the decision making process than sheer market size, but I just don't envision the NHL allowing a team to move to the southern Ontario area. Financially, it would make absolutely no sense.

Hockey doesn't belong in places that don't get at least a foot of snow per year.

Hockey doesn't belong in places that don't get at least a foot of snow per year.

I think you'd be surprised how far south that actually goes.

http://slam.asu.edu/images/snowfall.gif

Thats about what I expected. Perhaps a bit further north. Anything south of Kentucky (in the east) should be declared a Dehockey'd zone. Hockey for Northerners (and some westerners) only!

I think if we're restructuring the NHL, then the divisions need to be realigned. Have you looked at the massive differences between traveling schedules between the West and the East? My Stars are routinely the team in the league that has to travel the most miles every single season. Pacific division? Wtf mate!

I think if we're restructuring the NHL, then the divisions need to be realigned. Have you looked at the massive differences between traveling schedules between the West and the East? My Stars are routinely the team in the league that has to travel the most miles every single season. Pacific division? Wtf mate!

The stars should be in Canada -___-

No they should not. They have a strong and devoted following here in Texas, and Texas is where they shall stay.

Hockey in Texas is Blasphemy.