Eklund: On Expansion...Vegas NOT a Slam Dunk. Rumors... Podcast Live at 1pm ET

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Eklund: On Expansion...Vegas NOT a Slam Dunk. Rumors... Podcast Live at 1pm ET
- Eklund

Markham, Ontario, north if Toronto, has a ton of potential as well. The building is there, the fan base is there and the new team could be the Leafs version of the Chicago White Sox. (with the Leafs being the Cubs in this metaphor...so true in so many ways.)



Awesome....

I would like to see Seattle, Portland or Quebec maybe even kc before Vegas or another Toronto team.

Markham, Ontario, north if Toronto, has a ton of potential as well. The building is there, the fan base is there and the new team could be the Leafs version of the Chicago White Sox. (with the Leafs being the Cubs in this metaphor...so true in so many ways.)



Awesome....
- Iggysbff

The building is NOT there in Markham Ontario, but I would love to see them get a team and truly make the Leafs " the Cubs of Toronto". Markham/ North Toronto would have a MUCH better fan base than any of the American cities listed. Quebec would also bea great addition.

Seattle and Quebec are the only teams that make sense to me. Anything else would be stupid. I'm not with the whole expansion idea. 30 teams is enough.

The building is NOT there in Markham Ontario, but I would love to see them get a team and truly make the Leafs " the Cubs of Toronto". Markham/ North Toronto would have a MUCH better fan base than any of the American cities listed. Quebec would also bea great addition.
- 3flyerkids

I don't think Marham would have as many fans as people think. I think of it as the Ottawa Senators. Most fans in Ottawa are Leafs fans. If Markham got a team most people in Toronto would be Leafs fans.

Seattle and Quebec are the only teams that make sense to me. Anything else would be stupid. I'm not with the whole expansion idea. 30 teams is enough.
- JVR_42_PK81

Seattle yes, Quebec no. The Western Conference has 2 less teams than the East so obvious fact is next two expansions should be located in the Western North America.

Seattle yes, Quebec no. The Western Conference has 2 less teams than the East so obvious fact is next two expansions should be located in the Western North America.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Good point. I really don't think they are trying to expand the league to 34 teams 32 I can see. Just to even out the conferences.

Seattle and Quebec are the only teams that make sense to me. Anything else would be stupid. I'm not with the whole expansion idea. 30 teams is enough.
- JVR_42_PK81

This times a million. The best result for the quality of the league would be to move AZ to Seattle and Florida to QC. But the league gets no expansion fees from that so its never gunna happen under Bettman's watch.

Seattle
Quebec
Richmond/Norfolk

This times a million. The best result for the quality of the league would be to move AZ to Seattle and Florida to QC. But the league gets no expansion fees from that so its never gunna happen under Bettman's watch.
- TheJerseyDevil1

I hate Bettman. AZ and Florida should not have teams. They should be given to city's like Quebec and Seattle. Remind me why Bettman put 2 teams in Florida again?

The building is NOT there in Markham Ontario, but I would love to see them get a team and truly make the Leafs " the Cubs of Toronto". Markham/ North Toronto would have a MUCH better fan base than any of the American cities listed. Quebec would also bea great addition.
- 3flyerkids

I love it if I were 90 on my last legs and the Laffs have still not yet won another cup....push for a century of suck Laffs....

I'm all for a team in Quebec and another in the Toronto area. Certainly can support an NHL franchise. Problem is, what division and conference do they get put in? There are 16 teams in the East already, only 14 in the west. Logic would dictate that Quebec and Toronto (2) franchses would have to be in the East. Which two teams are being moved to the Western Conference so that there are an even 16 teams in each conference? I would think that from a competitive balance standpoint, the Eastern Conference Owners would demand that there be an even number of teams in each conference and that the East doesn't have four more teams than the West.

I hate Bettman. AZ and Florida should not have teams. They should be given to city's like Quebec and Seattle. Remind me why Bettman put 2 teams in Florida again?
- JVR_42_PK81

They had owners, buildings and large populations for TV. And they also have a lot of Canadians retired there...

Not to difficult to see...

They had owners, buildings and large populations for TV. And they also have a lot of Canadians retired there...

Not to difficult to see...
- Iggysbff

Yes our right. Look how successful those teams have been for making money.

Seattle yes, Quebec no. The Western Conference has 2 less teams than the East so obvious fact is next two expansions should be located in the Western North America.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Where teams currently play is not going to override picking the most viable cities - if they happen to be in the West then fine, but it's not like they're going to put a team in Boise instead of Quebec City because of a 1-year-old conference structure.

The NFL's 32 teams is the most of any North American league, and both MLB and NBA have 30. There's no way that the NHL will jump to 34 without securing the viability of its existing franchises first. They might add 2 more teams via expansion, but if they were smart they would quickly relocate 2 of their more troubled franchises to semi-major markets like Quebec City first - and then get their full expansion price out of major markets like Seattle and whatever spiral arm of the Toronto galaxy they decide is the best place to print money.

No more expansion plzZ!

Markham, Ontario, north if Toronto, has a ton of potential as well. The building is there, the fan base is there and the new team could be the Leafs version of the Chicago White Sox. (with the Leafs being the Cubs in this metaphor...so true in so many ways.)



Awesome....
- Iggysbff

Beat me to it!! YES EK!!

No more expansion plzZ!
- Habsonly

I'm all for a team in Quebec and another in the Toronto area. Certainly can support an NHL franchise. Problem is, what division and conference do they get put in? There are 16 teams in the East already, only 14 in the west. Logic would dictate that Quebec and Toronto (2) franchses would have to be in the East. Which two teams are being moved to the Western Conference so that there are an even 16 teams in each conference? I would think that from a competitive balance standpoint, the Eastern Conference Owners would demand that there be an even number of teams in each conference and that the East doesn't have four more teams than the West.
- Jethro09

Makes sense to move teams to cities in the East, but expansion will need to be out west. Otherwise the whole East/West Conference playoff set up would have to be changed, as would likely the way they schedule the regular season.

Yes our right. Look how successful those teams have been for making money.
- JVR_42_PK81

You're not the brightest....I'll try to help you along. Bettman and the NHL is a BUSINESS. They made a choice at the time that made business sense. Things change. Economies change. You like to brag up the Leafs but they were not always successful as they are now financially. Florida was a hot real estate market at one time. Many people lost their life savings when it came down. Many Canadian teams were struggling and nearly relocated. Bettman kept them there. So just keep up your delusional ways and blindness. Suits you.

24 teams. 72 game schedule.... And a rainbow everyday!

24 teams. 72 game schedule.... And a rainbow everyday!
- RealityChecker

Yeah let's get rid of all the Canadian teams except the Jets!

So in the matter of one day, I have seen on Hockeybuzz that the NHL is definitely going to 32 teams with Vegas being a guarantee to this morning there being 4 teams coming in to now Vegas NOT being a guarantee.

Can someone please get the story straight?