(04-19-2024 06:39 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Would Portland (OR) or Milwaukee support a team?

Maybe but I doubt they’d be under consideration.

In my “dream” 36:
> Relocate ~ Arizona Coyotes to Utah Hornets
> Relocate ~ Columbus Blue Jackets to Cleveland Barons
> Relocate ~ Florida Panthers to Quebec Nordiques
> #33 Houston Aeros
> #34 Milwaukee Admirals
> #35 California Seals (San Diego)
> #36 Arizona Coyotes

(04-19-2024 06:39 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Would Portland (OR) or Milwaukee support a team?

Support? Sure.

But do they have a willing owner and an NHL arena?

Portland doesn't have a willing owner (that we know of) and Milwaukee doesn't have an NHL arena.

Support, owner, arena. Those 3 things are always needed.

Milwaukee would get vetoed by the Blackhawks and Wild, they have the most to lose with a team there.

I haven't seen much about bringing the NHL to Portland. Their effort to bring a MLB franchise to town is pretty far along - not to the extent that the one in Salt Lake City is, but having a stadium site lined up is a big hurdle that Portland has cleared.

(04-18-2024 10:37 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  If we want 36: I can't see San Diego ever getting a team.

There are plans for a stadium district in San Diego. Presumably the arena could host a NBA team, but the focus seems to be on the NHL:

https://frontofficesports.com/kroenkes-s...-nhl-team/

The NBA expanding to Las Vegas and Seattle is pretty much a foregone conclusion, so the NHL will likely be the first available opportunity.

(04-23-2024 06:44 AM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(04-18-2024 10:37 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  If we want 36: I can't see San Diego ever getting a team.

There are plans for a stadium district in San Diego. Presumably the arena could host a NBA team, but the focus seems to be on the NHL:

https://frontofficesports.com/kroenkes-s...-nhl-team/

The NBA expanding to Las Vegas and Seattle is pretty much a foregone conclusion, so the NHL will likely be the first available opportunity.

Agreed. It makes too much sense to pair NBA/NHL teams. The NBA will get into Las Vegas and Seattle for 31/32.

Alignment:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic: Boston, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Washington

Midwest: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Toronto

Western Conference

Pacific: Golden State, Las Vegas, Los Angeles 1, Los Angeles 2, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Seattle

Southwest: Dallas, Denver, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Utah

BP: agree on all counts! Those 2 cities are next, and that’s the likely alignment. I say 76 game season (2x h/h in division h/h vs everyone else)

(04-11-2024 11:22 AM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  

(04-10-2024 07:01 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  Lot's of smoke around this fire.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl/nhl-...er-reports

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3991...t-nhl-plan

Unless it helped create some competitive balance, I don’t see a need to realign the two western conference divisions.

(04-27-2024 04:34 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(04-11-2024 11:22 AM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  

(04-10-2024 07:01 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  Lot's of smoke around this fire.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl/nhl-...er-reports

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3991...t-nhl-plan

Unless it helped create some competitive balance, I don’t see a need to realign the two western conference divisions.

I had the same thought. The move to SLC puts the Coyotes closer to the Avalanche who is already with their rivals. I would leave everything as is.

(04-27-2024 09:23 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  

(04-27-2024 04:34 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(04-11-2024 11:22 AM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  

(04-10-2024 07:01 PM)TardisCaptain Wrote:  Lot's of smoke around this fire.

https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nhl/nhl-...er-reports

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/3991...t-nhl-plan

Unless it helped create some competitive balance, I don’t see a need to realign the two western conference divisions.

I had the same thought. The move to SLC puts the Coyotes closer to the Avalanche who is already with their rivals. I would leave everything as is.

Yes. Divisions are fine, as-is. I think Bettman is expansion-crazed at the moment and I suspect we'll see 4 more additions over the next 10 years. My picks are Houston and Quebec plus Atlanta and Phoenix.

In that 36-team league, I imagine an alignment of:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic: Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs

Metropolitan: Atlanta Barons, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals

Western Conference

Central: Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Houston Aeros, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Utah Hornets, Winnipeg Jets

Pacific: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights

(04-20-2024 08:21 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(04-19-2024 06:39 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Would Portland (OR) or Milwaukee support a team?

Maybe but I doubt they’d be under consideration.

In my “dream” 36:
> Relocate ~ Arizona Coyotes to Utah Hornets
> Relocate ~ Columbus Blue Jackets to Cleveland Barons
> Relocate ~ Florida Panthers to Quebec Nordiques
> #33 Houston Aeros
> #34 Milwaukee Admirals
> #35 California Seals (San Diego)
> #36 Arizona Coyotes

Why move the Blue Jackets to a less affluent city where there is NBA competition? The blue jackets do just fine in Columbus

(04-29-2024 06:05 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(04-20-2024 08:21 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(04-19-2024 06:39 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Would Portland (OR) or Milwaukee support a team?

Maybe but I doubt they’d be under consideration.

In my “dream” 36:
> Relocate ~ Arizona Coyotes to Utah Hornets
> Relocate ~ Columbus Blue Jackets to Cleveland Barons
> Relocate ~ Florida Panthers to Quebec Nordiques
> #33 Houston Aeros
> #34 Milwaukee Admirals
> #35 California Seals (San Diego)
> #36 Arizona Coyotes

Why move the Blue Jackets to a less affluent city where there is NBA competition? The blue jackets do just fine in Columbus

I hated the expansion to Columbus when it happened and I still can't stand the team. It seems like a throwaway franchise added for the sake of being added.

(04-29-2024 06:05 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(04-20-2024 08:21 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(04-19-2024 06:39 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Would Portland (OR) or Milwaukee support a team?

Maybe but I doubt they’d be under consideration.

In my “dream” 36:
> Relocate ~ Arizona Coyotes to Utah Hornets
> Relocate ~ Columbus Blue Jackets to Cleveland Barons
> Relocate ~ Florida Panthers to Quebec Nordiques
> #33 Houston Aeros
> #34 Milwaukee Admirals
> #35 California Seals (San Diego)
> #36 Arizona Coyotes

Why move the Blue Jackets to a less affluent city where there is NBA competition? The blue jackets do just fine in Columbus

Nationwide Insurance owns 30% of the team. They're not moving.

So in other words, Nationwide isn't on BePcr07's side.