I think it’s safe to say that the next 3 are going to be:

Houston/Austin
Atlanta
Phoenix

Who do you got for 36?

I’ll toss a few ideas out: KC, Indianapolis, Portland, Quebec City

Am I missing any frontrunners?

Who do you see as #36 because we know they’ll go there eventually.

Also, at 36, do you see the league keeping the 4 divisions, or going to 6 smaller ones?

Quebec City is the only option with actual local TV broadcast revenue. Everyone else will be more reliant on gate revenue than teams circa 1987.

I know Cincinnati has been kicking the tires on the NHL as part of discussions to replace their arena.

If the NHL doesn't go to six divisions, it likely means teams won't play everyone every year, or at least not home-and-away every year.

(09-23-2026 04:30 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I know Cincinnati has been kicking the tires on the NHL as part of discussions to replace their arena.

If the NHL doesn't go to six divisions, it likely means teams won't play everyone every year, or at least not home-and-away every year.

With an 84 game schedule and 4 divisions of 9 you can play non-division opponents twice, half your division 3 times and the other half 4 times.

I was initially a 4 x 9 fan but the more I look at it, I think 6 x 6 is better.

If you’re playing all non-division opponents home and away, your conference designation really just defines which side of the Stanley Cup playoff you have to go through. The league is already planning to go to 84 games, add 1 more and everyone’s schedule looks like this:

30 x 2 =60
5 x 5 =25

You’re really only potentially inconveniencing a couple Eastern time clubs’ fans in regards to playoff game start times.

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-board-of-go...executives

Not so fast my friend....

If they expand, I'd really like to see an 8th team in Canada... Quebec City has the history, the fan base, and (relatively) new 18,000+ seat stadium ready to go.

(09-30-2026 09:04 AM)BobcatEngineer Wrote:  If they expand, I'd really like to see an 8th team in Canada... Quebec City has the history, the fan base, and (relatively) new 18,000+ seat stadium ready to go.

I really think this is the route they go. If they give Atlanta a third chance and Phoenix a second chance, surely they give Quebec City a second chance as well.

I'm a bit unsure on alignment. I'd like to see something unique like a 4-conference alignment with autobids to each conference but the playoffs structured as a true seeing despite the conferences so the Stanley Cup Final could be two teams from the same conference. Also, I'd like to see a conference include all of the Canadian teams, just my preference.

Eastern Conference: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New Jersey, New York, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Northern Conference: Buffalo, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Southern Conference: Atlanta, Carolina, Columbus, Dallas, Florida, Houston, Nashville, St. Louis, Tampa Bay
Western Conference: Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, Seattle, Utah, Vegas

(10-01-2026 01:05 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  I really think this is the route they go. If they give Atlanta a third chance and Phoenix a second chance, surely they give Quebec City a second chance as well.

Atlanta and Phoenix are getting another chance because there is at least one qualified ownership group in each city who is interested. Right now I'm not aware of one for Quebec City. It also helps that Atlanta and Phoenix are top 15 media markets, while Quebec City is slightly smaller than Hartford (DMA #34) in terms of media market size. It wouldn't be a bad pick, but right now there are better options available.

I do not see the NHL adopting a Canadian Division outside of an emergency - having a division that spans four time zones goes against everything the NHL has done in recent years, aside from the pandemic.

I think the NHL is more likely to go to six divisions, mainly to maximize the chances of getting every team playing in every building at least once every two years, if not annually.

(10-01-2026 08:49 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(10-01-2026 01:05 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  I really think this is the route they go. If they give Atlanta a third chance and Phoenix a second chance, surely they give Quebec City a second chance as well.

Atlanta and Phoenix are getting another chance because there is at least one qualified ownership group in each city who is interested. Right now I'm not aware of one for Quebec City. It also helps that Atlanta and Phoenix are top 15 media markets, while Quebec City is slightly smaller than Hartford (DMA #34) in terms of media market size. It wouldn't be a bad pick, but right now there are better options available.

I do not see the NHL adopting a Canadian Division outside of an emergency - having a division that spans four time zones goes against everything the NHL has done in recent years, aside from the pandemic.

I think the NHL is more likely to go to six divisions, mainly to maximize the chances of getting every team playing in every building at least once every two years, if not annually.

What the league can (and should) do is make sure the 4 Western Canadian teams are all in a division together. The same goes with Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and potentially a Quebec expansion team.

(10-04-2026 10:25 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  What the league can (and should) do is make sure the 4 Western Canadian teams are all in a division together. The same goes with Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and potentially a Quebec expansion team.

The eastern group is pretty easy to keep together, as the Atlantic Division is effectively a "S. lawrence" division as all of the teams except Boston are along the Great Lakes or the St. lawrence River (which connects to the Great Lakes).

Winnipeg probably will have to fly solo as they are a basically just outside Minnesota - too far West for the St. Lawrence teams, not far enough for the teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones (or whatever Canada calls them after November 1).

Atlantic - DET, BUF, TOR, OTT, MTL, QUE*, BOS, FLA, MIA
Metro - NYI, NYR, NJ, PHI, WAS, CAR, ATL*, PIT, CBJ
Central - NSH, STL, CHI, MN, WPG, DAL, HOU*, CO, UT
Pacific - PHX*, LV, ANA, LA, SJ, SEA, VAN, CGY, EDM

(10-01-2026 08:49 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(10-01-2026 01:05 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  I really think this is the route they go. If they give Atlanta a third chance and Phoenix a second chance, surely they give Quebec City a second chance as well.

Atlanta and Phoenix are getting another chance because there is at least one qualified ownership group in each city who is interested. Right now I'm not aware of one for Quebec City. It also helps that Atlanta and Phoenix are top 15 media markets, while Quebec City is slightly smaller than Hartford (DMA #34) in terms of media market size. It wouldn't be a bad pick, but right now there are better options available.

I do not see the NHL adopting a Canadian Division outside of an emergency - having a division that spans four time zones goes against everything the NHL has done in recent years, aside from the pandemic.

I think the NHL is more likely to go to six divisions, mainly to maximize the chances of getting every team playing in every building at least once every two years, if not annually.

Sometimes a market is broken for a sport. I thought that was Atlanta for the NHL. It's clear the NHL is focused on Texas, Atlanta, and Phoenix at the moment. Discussions about a Canadian addition in Quebec may be quiet at the moment. And my alignment with a Canadian division was more just an exercise because every other alignment possibility at 4x9 or 6x6 has been done about as good as it can be.

If not Quebec, then maybe Kansas City. I've seen that city (sans ownership group name) thrown around a few different sites. I'll do a more "normal" 6x6.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic: Boston, New Jersey, New York, New York, Philadelphia, Washington
Northeast: Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Toronto
Southeast: Atlanta, Carolina, Columbus, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay

Western Conference
Northwest: Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota, Seattle, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Pacific: Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles, San Jose, Utah, Vegas
Southwest: Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis

Are there any NHL teams with arena issues that would be in the potential market for a relocation?

It looks like a lot of arenas were built in the 90s and early 00s so I would be shocked if there wasn’t a push to see major renovations or replacements for some of these buildings soon.

(10-07-2026 05:18 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Are there any NHL teams with arena issues that would be in the potential market for a relocation?

It looks like a lot of arenas were built in the 90s and early 00s so I would be shocked if there wasn’t a push to see major renovations or replacements for some of these buildings soon.

Unsure about arena issues but last year's numbers for attendance had Utah, Winnipeg, and Anaheim under 16k. Ignoring Utah, I'm a little surprised by Anaheim but I have heard there are issues with Winnipeg. I wouldn't be surprised if they "jetted" elsewhere. Maybe Arizona...again? And then expand with Houston and Atlanta. 34 is wonky but it could work.

I'd propose divisions/conferences used for scheduling but the playoff be a straight 16/18/20/whatever with each division getting 3 autobids and the rest going to at-large bids and all however-many-teams seeded #1 to #whatever regardless of conference or division.

Eastern Conference (18 Teams)
Atlantic: Atlanta, Boston, Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, New York, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay
Metropolitan: Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Washington

Western Conference (16 Teams)
Central: Arizona, Colorado, Dallas, Houston, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Utah
Pacific: Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, Vancouver, Vegas

I think the shortlist for 36 is probably something like:

Kansas City
Portland
Indianapolis
Milwaukee
Quebec City
3rd Texas team

Regarding division alignments at 34, I don’t think you have to make any dramatic changes. You just add on #33 and #34 to the division they make the most sense in. When they are ready to go to 36 that’s when you can overhaul things.

Atlanta — Metro
Houston/SA — Central
Phoenix — Pacific

(10-10-2026 08:12 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Regarding division alignments at 34, I don’t think you have to make any dramatic changes. You just add on #33 and #34 to the division they make the most sense in. When they are ready to go to 36 that’s when you can overhaul things.

Going to just conferences would actually be an option - play your 16 conference mates 3 times, and everyone else twice, and that gives you 80 games. The other 4 can come from within your conference, although at that point you effectively could have divisions of 5 or 6 teams, if only for scheduling purposes.

(10-10-2026 11:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(10-10-2026 08:12 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Regarding division alignments at 34, I don’t think you have to make any dramatic changes. You just add on #33 and #34 to the division they make the most sense in. When they are ready to go to 36 that’s when you can overhaul things.

Going to just conferences would actually be an option - play your 16 conference mates 3 times, and everyone else twice, and that gives you 80 games. The other 4 can come from within your conference, although at that point you effectively could have divisions of 5 or 6 teams, if only for scheduling purposes.

No one was proposing that— what I said was that you can keep the 4 divisions with 34 teams. There’s no need to consider 6 divisions until you’re ready to bring 35 & 36 in (and even then, you could keep the 4 divisions and do 4 x 9).

(10-07-2026 05:18 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Are there any NHL teams with arena issues that would be in the potential market for a relocation?

It looks like a lot of arenas were built in the 90s and early 00s so I would be shocked if there wasn’t a push to see major renovations or replacements for some of these buildings soon.

With Arizona now settled with the move to Utah/Salt Lake City, I don't think so.

I don't think there are any up for sale either.

(10-13-2026 08:22 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 05:18 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Are there any NHL teams with arena issues that would be in the potential market for a relocation?

It looks like a lot of arenas were built in the 90s and early 00s so I would be shocked if there wasn’t a push to see major renovations or replacements for some of these buildings soon.

With Arizona now settled with the move to Utah/Salt Lake City, I don't think so.

I don't think there are any up for sale either.

Carolina was noted having problems but I *think* those have been resolved. Winnipeg appears to be a bundle of issues. I’m surprised they’re still there.

(10-04-2026 08:16 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(10-04-2026 10:25 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  What the league can (and should) do is make sure the 4 Western Canadian teams are all in a division together. The same goes with Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and potentially a Quebec expansion team.

The eastern group is pretty easy to keep together, as the Atlantic Division is effectively a "S. lawrence" division as all of the teams except Boston are along the Great Lakes or the St. lawrence River (which connects to the Great Lakes).

Winnipeg probably will have to fly solo as they are a basically just outside Minnesota - too far West for the St. Lawrence teams, not far enough for the teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones (or whatever Canada calls them after November 1).

Atlantic - DET, BUF, TOR, OTT, MTL, QUE*, BOS, FLA, MIA
Metro - NYI, NYR, NJ, PHI, WAS, CAR, ATL*, PIT, CBJ
Central - NSH, STL, CHI, MN, WPG, DAL, HOU*, CO, UT
Pacific - PHX*, LV, ANA, LA, SJ, SEA, VAN, CGY, EDM

The 4 Western Canadian teams + Colorado + Seattle make for a good 6 team division

SJ, LA, ANA, LV, PHX, & UTA are your other true western division team.

For the last division in the conference you can either:

A) build a division of southern teams, starting with Dallas & HOU/SA, then working your way East

B) build a division of Midwestern teams starting with MIN & STL, then working East

C) build a division of Central time zone teams—this division is likely: DAL, HOU/SA, STL, MIN, with the final 2 spots being some combination of CHI, NAS, or an expansion team in a place like KC.