https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3937...-lake-city

The article mentions the uncertainty surrounding the Coyotes. I think it'd be the best move for the franchise and the league. The alignment would remain the same.

(Didn’t read link) I TOTALLY AGREE! Bettman needs to cut his loses, move them to a city that actually gets winter.

You know I've been waiting for a team 30 (going on 31 years) here in Houston. Move them here.

(01-24-2024 08:21 PM)C2__ Wrote:  You know I've been waiting for a team 30 (going on 31 years) here in Houston. Move them here.

I grew up in Houston and lived in and around there for over 25 years. I used to go to Aeros games at the Compaq Center and Toyota Center all the time. I still have a bunch of pucks and a stick that all ended up in the stands.

(01-24-2024 08:21 PM)C2__ Wrote:  You know I've been waiting for a team 30 (going on 31 years) here in Houston. Move them here.

Without any real insight, Houston feels like the choice. I feel the only reason the Coyotes are in Arizona is market size. The Phoenix metro doesn't want them, they struggle with attendance, and yet Bettman fights to keep them there. Houston would be a market upgrade. So it feels like if Houston (assuming they haven't already) makes a push, Bettman would oblige.

Houston isn’t any more wintry than Phoenix!

I've long advocated for the Coyotes to move to SLC. What is baffling is why Bettman still hopes PHX can work. Other franchises have moved with better arena/finances than the 'Yotes.

SLC or KC both would be decent homes for the NHL.

I agree Muskie! I’d add: Milwaukee, Portland, Indianapolis, Cincinnati

(01-24-2024 03:27 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3937...-lake-city

The article mentions the uncertainty surrounding the Coyotes. I think it'd be the best move for the franchise and the league. The alignment would remain the same.

This "article" is full of crap.

(01-24-2024 08:04 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  (Didn’t read link) I TOTALLY AGREE! Bettman needs to cut his loses, move them to a city that actually gets winter.

Like Tampa?

(01-25-2024 12:00 AM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-24-2024 08:21 PM)C2__ Wrote:  You know I've been waiting for a team 30 (going on 31 years) here in Houston. Move them here.

Without any real insight, Houston feels like the choice. I feel the only reason the Coyotes are in Arizona is market size. The Phoenix metro doesn't want them, they struggle with attendance, and yet Bettman fights to keep them there. Houston would be a market upgrade. So it feels like if Houston (assuming they haven't already) makes a push, Bettman would oblige.

Arizona wants them. Just some areas aren't willing to pay for a billionaire's arena.

Houston failed twice.

Bettman and the owners make a whole lot more from expansion fees than a relocation fee

In case if the NHL somehow winds up at 33 teams by expanding to Salt Lake, there actually would be a logical alignment for 3 conferences of 11 teams:

West - Vancouver, Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Colorado, Salt Lake
Central - Dallas, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Saint Louis, Chicago, Nashville, Detroit, Columbus, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina
Eastern - Washington, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Buffalo, Pittsburgh

For the postseason the top six teams in each conference make the playoffs and play a 15-game group stage; the higher seed hosts 2 out of 3 games against each team, guaranteeing each team between 5 and 10 home games. The winner from each group and the highest ranked wildcard qualify for the semifinals, which would still be best-of-7. The semifinal winners play for the Stanley Cup.

(01-25-2024 12:45 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Houston isn’t any more wintry than Phoenix!

Don't know about that, it's been cold more often than not recently, including two separate hard freezes this month. And, once a decade or so, it's been known to snow.

Besides, what does having a wintry climate have to do with having an NHL team? Plenty of markets not known for cold weather (LA/Anaheim, Las Vegas, Tampa Bay, Greater Miami and defunct areas such as Atlanta) have teams and we have plenty of snowbirds from up north, so we'd have plenty of a market for ice hockey (granted Phoenix has that too).

(01-25-2024 03:09 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  SLC or KC both would be decent homes for the NHL.

How's your child Muskie?

(01-25-2024 05:58 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(01-25-2024 12:00 AM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(01-24-2024 08:21 PM)C2__ Wrote:  You know I've been waiting for a team 30 (going on 31 years) here in Houston. Move them here.

Without any real insight, Houston feels like the choice. I feel the only reason the Coyotes are in Arizona is market size. The Phoenix metro doesn't want them, they struggle with attendance, and yet Bettman fights to keep them there. Houston would be a market upgrade. So it feels like if Houston (assuming they haven't already) makes a push, Bettman would oblige.

Arizona wants them. Just some areas aren't willing to pay for a billionaire's arena.

Houston failed twice.

When did we fail? When the NHL didn't add us in the WHA merger? Otherwise we've never had an NHL team, it was Atlanta that failed twice.

(01-25-2024 05:05 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  I agree Muskie! I’d add: Milwaukee, Portland, Indianapolis, Cincinnati

Milwaukee is too small of a market to support an NHL team. They de jure have two teams and de facto have another one in the Packers. That's 3 teams that they really get behind in a market of very well south of 2 million people that's a hop skip and jump from Chicago. Did I mention Marquette basketball is a de facto pro team? No room in the market.

Indianapolis is much of the same, just slightly larger (and somewhat poorer per capita), and ditto for Cincinnati, which has two high profile college basketball programs, a major college football program in addition to two pro sports for a MSA of around 2 million.

Of the ones you named, I can only see Portland, which is very light on pro and college sports.

Jon: Tampa’s success surprised me TBH: