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SOURCE: THREE NEW NORTH AMERICAN CITIES TO HAVE NHL TEAMS BY 2015

September 16, 2008, 4:41 PM ET [ Comments]
Eklund
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Five teams that are rumored to have interest and may claim Schneider: Boston, NY Islanders, St. Louis, LA, and the Devils...

Talking to a source this afternoon who said the following on expansion:

"It is coming to America. I am hear that within the next three years a current US team will relocate to Las Vegas, and two more teams will be added to the NHL in the next five years."

Where and Who?

"The team that is moving to Vegas is coming from the Eastern Conference and therefore would likely push Columbus into the Eastern Conference. They won't move Detroit. The Wings rivalries with the Blues, Hawks and Preds are too valuable to those team's stability. I am hearing that there would be some re-alignment of as well with the introduction of the Vegas team. Minnesota or Dallas would move into the Central...It is unknown who would move to the Northwest, however, if the Wild were to move."

And where is expansion coming?

"At least one will be to Canada. Likely Balsillie and Kitchener, although there are some HUGE apologies that will need to be made for certain older members of the BOG to accept Jim into the game. The other team is up in the air but I am told is down to Portland, Oregon, Houston, or Winnipeg. "

When I pushed him for an answer he said that he would fill me in as soon as possible, but were he to make a bet: "Winnipeg, although I think it should be Portland."

So to summarize three new team in five years. But only two new franchises.

from earlier....

Ducks place Schneider on waivers, more on this later.

Talking to a source today regarding Pominville, "The deal is close to being done and Jason feels very strongly that this NOT be a distraction to the team."

That is very encouraging if you are a Sabres fan. The deadline talk of yesterday it really appears was just "talk" and not a reason to believe anything negative in this situation...


As for Mats....several reports that the Rangers have given today as a deadline of sorts..I am not hearing that at all...only that there may be a "soft" deadline today that could be tied to the Rangers signing Shanahan...


more to come..

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