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Counterpoint: NHL Expansion is a Good Idea

August 31, 2014, 1:38 AM ET [21 Comments]
Ed Stein
Anaheim Ducks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
When the news of potential NHL expansion broke, it became a hot topic all over the hockeyverse. Everyone seems to have an opinion.

James Tanner, our Arizona Coyotes blogger, wrote a column to express his disapproval of adding four new teams to the league. For the most part, I disagree with him. I believe it is a good time to expand the league.

Before I start, I'd like to lay out a little personal history. I have lived in many places around the United States including South Florida (when the Panthers were born), Western New York, the Pacific Northwest, and Nashville. Its fair to say that these areas are in and around the relocation and expansion conversation.

A four team expansion is unrealistic, but a combination of relocation and a two team addition is the way to go. I'll start with relocation. Nashville stays put. To this dismay of many northern based writers, it is a hockey town. If you don't believe me, show up to a game. The NHL has decided Pheonix is a market they want to be in. For the foreseeable future team isn't moving either.

Next up is Florida. Unfortunately, the Panthers go. I've lived there, I've been to games and I don't really see the growth. Additionally, support for any non-Dolphin team in South Florida is suspect. In my opinion, this team should move. However its not that simple.

The beginning of my plan starts with an ownership swap. The Winnipeg ownership group has their eyes on eastern Canada. Jets fans have supported the team and they deserve to keep it. Swap ownership of the Panthers and Jets. The Panthers will relocate to Quebec with the current Jets owners. Winnipeg stays put and keeps its current players, the ones their fans have supported, just with new ownership.

If you think the idea of an ownership swap is a far out concept, you would be wrong. Major League Baseball did it a few years ago when the ownerships of the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, and Florida Marlins changed hands in 2002.

Now I'd like to turn to expansion I'm all for the addition of two more teams and I have several reasons why.

I don't buy the idea of long-term mediocrity and dilution of talent. Slowly, yet steadily the quality of play around the world is better. You have no better place to look than right hear in the United States. The boom of talent in both the USHL and USNDTP over the past 10 years is proof. Additionally, NCAA hockey has never been better. Expansion into non-traditional NHL markets is one reason why. More development of non-NHL markets will only increase the accessibility of the game to more American kids.

There are at least half a dozen third line players in the league right now that can play quality minutes on a regular basis. How many articles and reports are written about young players that just can't get top six time because of established vets in their way? Conversely, how often do quality veterans get squeezed out due to financial constraints, even though they have plenty left in the tank?

The advent and refinement of the salary cap means that new teams can get up to speed faster than every before. I believe that the full cap should be phased in over three seasons for the new teams, but you'll see them improve much faster than the previous new kids on the block Columbus and Minnesota.

In contrast to my colleague, a 32 team league makes scheduling and playoff determination easier, not harder. Everyone plays the same number of division, conference, and non-conference games. The playoffs are also more clear cut. The top half of each conference make the playoffs and the bottom does not. The entire, western teams have a better chance to make the playoffs than eastern teams argument gets tossed out.

My biggest reason for expansion is the money. James said in his article that the only people who will benefit are the already rich owners. It isn't a crime to make money, but the money received will help teams with out as much financial resource as others. I would think Arizona would probably benefit more than any other team because $20 or $30M in non-hockey related revenue via expansion fees would add some much needed financial stability.

I gave you why, now I'll tell you where. There are a few points I agreed with James on. First, Las Vegas is a bad place to expand. Player diversions aside, Vegas has a poor record of supporting a minor league team. I don't think suburban Toronto will work either, but for different reasons.

The Maple Leafs control the largest market of a hockey mad country. The argument for adding a second Toronto team is that there are enough fans in the area to support it. That's a wrong assumption, there are never enough fans. Not only do the Leafs monopolize the NHL in Toronto, they own minor league hockey as well. The owners want fans squeezed out of Leaf tickets to go see the Marlies because they get the revenue. For every fan of a second team in Toronto that buys a jersey of the new team, it is one less Leafs jersey sold. If fans watch the second team on TV, they aren't watching the Leafs. No matter what another Toronto area NHL team is a losing proposition and Leaf ownership won't allow it.

The league needs to expand into the Pacific Northwest. A team there will bridge San Jose to the south and Vancouver to the north. Seattle is my top choice for an expansion franchise. The city is ripe for another professional team since the Sonics left Key Arena for Oklahoma City. It is an NBA city and NHL hockey doesn't look like it will make it there before another NBA team does. If Bettman and/or a strong owner can't change some minds in along the Pudget Sound that makes Portland, Oregon the "Belle of the Ball". As a former resident of the city, I've been to Portland Winter Hawk games and I know from first hand experience how passionately the city supports all their sports teams.

The other choice for a new team must be west of the Mississippi River in order to even out the conferences. Kansas City is probably the favorite, but I believe Houston would be a better choice. It is the largest non-Atlanta market in North America that doesn't have a team and there are people with the financial wherewithal to make it happen . Minnesota moved the AHL franchise they owned in Houston to Des Moines, not because of attendance, but because they couldn't come to an equitable arrangement with the Toyota Center. An NHL team is a bigger draw and can negotiate better terms.

There you have it, NHL expansion is a good idea. I look forward to a balanced 32 team NHL.
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