I heard numbers as high as 12,500 when I was there.

This article posted on VegasWantsHockey.com from Sports Illustrated cites over 13,000 "season ticket deposits and other expressions of interest from the community."

I guess that includes the casinos. Still, a pretty solid base to build from.
- Carol Schram

They are now quoting "almost 14000"
http://www.montrealgazett...ocess/11231157/story.html

Again, with all the casinos involved buying the season's tickets, it'll make money, just not directly or the usual way. The whales will end up getting comped suites and the best seats in the arena and the rest of the general public will get cheap prices on the rest.

If Vegas and Quebec City both got expansion teams, I wonder which Eastern Team would change over to the West?
- hillbillydeluxe

Columbus?


Maybe instead of East and West they should do North and South?

Columbus?


Maybe instead of East and West they should do North and South?
- VANTEL

Wouldn't work. The conferences are organized around time zones more than geography.

Columbus?
- VANTEL

It would be great to get teams in the west that weren't eastern time zones locales.

(not meaning to sh!t on the suggestion, just not ideal )

Columbus?


Maybe instead of East and West they should do North and South?
- VANTEL

racist!

Be careful with Baertschi , he is our next Mason Raymond , not the next Pavel.
- VANTEL

Closest thing to a next Pavel in the organization right now is likely the 17 year old Jasek. He needs to build his muscle before we get too excited though.

Zhukenov also has potential. Compared to Jasek, he is a few months older and few ounces heavier. Needs more muscle too.

Both stood out at the prospects development camp for their speed, maneuverability, puck handling and general ability to seperate themselves from the checkers with speed.

Responding to Belcherbd:

I don't think it's smart to expand to a market whose interest in hockey seems to be lukewarm at best, regardless of whether they get an NBA team or not. It's not like the NBA is going to help the hockey team, they will be in direct competition with each other.

I think that the NHL is crazy (or crazy greedy) to even be considering expanding right now.
- CubanBuffet

Crazy greedy for sure but nothing new there.

Why I think it works so well with the NBA is that it allows for the arena and ownership to be much more financially viable when it supports both teams. I personally think that Seattle has enough of a population and hockey community to support both teams.

I remember this being key to the success of both Dallas and LA when they built new arena's. Hockey was lukewarm in those markets but strong NBA franchises were able to help insulate those teams.

I don't know exactly how many teams share arenas but I seem to feel that there is a decent amount and that they don't necessarily compete with each other.

Columbus?


Maybe instead of East and West they should do North and South?
- VANTEL

How about Detroit...their owners and fans will be used to the western conference

Again, with all the casinos involved buying the season's tickets, it'll make money, just not directly or the usual way. The whales will end up getting comped suites and the best seats in the arena and the rest of the general public will get cheap prices on the rest.
- DariusKnight

Maybe for properties owned by the same parent company, but I doubt the others are willing to send their guests to rival hotels.

Crazy greedy for sure but nothing new there.

Why I think it works so well with the NBA is that it allows for the arena and ownership to be much more financially viable when it supports both teams. I personally think that Seattle has enough of a population and hockey community to support both teams.

I remember this being key to the success of both Dallas and LA when they built new arena's. Hockey was lukewarm in those markets but strong NBA franchises were able to help insulate those teams.

I don't know exactly how many teams share arenas but I seem to feel that there is a decent amount and that they don't necessarily compete with each other.
- belcherbd

I agree on both thoughts, Seattle is also very much frequented by Canadians and I bet there would be just as many local fans as canuck fans or even possibly flame fans. It's just as easy for us to travel to Seattle as it is Vancouver (well maybe a tad longer if driving).

I'm sure most here will remember when the Canucks were really good and they did a SoCal trip, their arenas were equally filled with canuck fans...AH the good ole days.

Columbus?


Maybe instead of East and West they should do North and South?
- VANTEL

I think there will be Quebec and Las Vegas through expansion and then an east team will be relocated to a western city to get the 16 and 16

There has to be a bigger plan than what we have right now if your going to move Detroit and Columbus to the east ....and I still think having Florida teams in a division with eastern Canada and Northeastern U.S. Made little sense ...Florida may be moved

Columbus?


Maybe instead of East and West they should do North and South?
- VANTEL

I'm pretty sure Columbus as well as Detroit were promised by the NHL to be in the East and would doubt they would be moved back.

I would go
East
Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Bufalo, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Brooklyn, New Jersey, Philly, Washington, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Carolina

Central
Florida, Tampa, Nashville, St. Louis, Minnesota, Winnipeg, Dallas, Colorado

West
Vegas, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, San Jose, LA, Anahiem, Arizona

3 conferences with 8 playoff teams coming out of the east, 4 from the central and 4 from the west for playoffs.

West and Central conferences would play more games against their own conference but all conferences would play the same % of games within divisions.

If that was ~60% that would be 48 games within conference but would mean West and central play each team within conference 6 times but the East only play each team within conference 3 times.

West and Central would play each eastern team once and play the other (central or west) conference each team twice.

I agree on both thoughts, Seattle is also very much frequented by Canadians and I bet there would be just as many local fans as canuck fans or even possibly flame fans. It's just as easy for us to travel to Seattle as it is Vancouver (well maybe a tad longer if driving).

I'm sure most here will remember when the Canucks were really good and they did a SoCal trip, their arenas were equally filled with canuck fans...AH the good ole days.
- Makita

It was damn cheap as well, could fly down rent a hotel and see two hockey games for $ 600, coming from the Island I spend $ 300-400 for one game.

They are now quoting "almost 14000"
http://www.montrealgazett...ocess/11231157/story.html
- Lostinarink

Not what I have been hearing at all. I heard that they really struggled to get to 10,000 (were well short actually) and Bettman had his 'boys' fill in the rest to get the numbers up. Kinda like what Bettman does in PHX where locally it's reported to have over 10-14,000 for home games but my buddies who are down there at the games say there is no more than 4000 there.

Vegas will be a novelty. Sure it will be cool for CDN's down there to attend games and the locals will admire it for a few years but ultimately in a drawing radius of barely 600,000 it's gonna be tough long term. Tough. In another American warm weather climate...one would think the league would have learned by now but here we go again...

How about Detroit...their owners and fans will be used to the western conference



- Makita

Should be Toronto seeing they are located in the centre of the universe

I think Hockey in Vegas will work .Every night we were there we were looking for shows or dining. If they had a game going we would have went. I think the casual sports fan will scoop up ticket without being compped by the Casinos

Be careful with Baertschi , he is our next Mason Raymond , not the next Pavel.
- VANTEL

It will for awhile but ultimately it will dry up... don't have the proper drawing radius/power. Same theory was applied to PHX...'there are thousands of CDNs that own property in PHX that will snap up tickets to all the games'. Sure it works for awhile...until the 4000 seats filled in Vegas are all CDNs while Bettman has NBC never show the upper levels on TV as they are dead empty. They will never learn.

It was damn cheap as well, could fly down rent a hotel and see two hockey games for $ 600, coming from the Island I spend $ 300-400 for one game.
- belcherbd

Unreal...we as Islanders certainly get screwed trying to get off the rock. But I can see Clipper Vacations marketing to hockey games. A ferry ride, hotel and game and return trip the next day or 2.

Just a guess, but i suspect that the delay is entirely on Bennings end. Sven has no leverage. Benning must be waiting for something. A UFA signing? Outcome of an arbitration hearing? It can't be over Svens demands

Just a guess, but i suspect that the delay is entirely on Bennings end. Sven has no leverage. Benning must be waiting for something. A UFA signing? Outcome of an arbitration hearing? It can't be over Svens demands
- CanuckDon

We can only hope the Benning is waiting to hear on a trade to clear up more cap space. Burrows or Higgins??

Just a guess, but i suspect that the delay is entirely on Bennings end. Sven has no leverage. Benning must be waiting for something. A UFA signing? Outcome of an arbitration hearing? It can't be over Svens demands
- CanuckDon

Exactly

Should be Toronto seeing they are located in the centre of the universe
- VANTEL

Should make them oblivious to time changes being so well anointed, but knowing the NHL they would change all western, mountain time zone teams to play in the central time zone even home games.

Is anyone not surprised that there was no expansion interest from Southern Ont...Kingston? I know BlackBerry is struggling but is there no consortium interested?

Just a guess, but i suspect that the delay is entirely on Bennings end. Sven has no leverage. Benning must be waiting for something. A UFA signing? Outcome of an arbitration hearing? It can't be over Svens demands
- CanuckDon

Sven has the leverage .... Is Benning really going to trade a 2nd for a guy who bolts the next year to Europe ....I doubt it

Not what I have been hearing at all. I heard that they really struggled to get to 10,000 (were well short actually) and Bettman had his 'boys' fill in the rest to get the numbers up. Kinda like what Bettman does in PHX where locally it's reported to have over 10-14,000 for home games but my buddies who are down there at the games say there is no more than 4000 there.

Vegas will be a novelty. Sure it will be cool for CDN's down there to attend games and the locals will admire it for a few years but ultimately in a drawing radius of barely 600,000 it's gonna be tough long term. Tough. In another American warm weather climate...one would think the league would have learned by now but here we go again...
- LordHumungous

They started strong, but they the sales slowed dramatically which is probably what you heard. It took them a couple weeks to hit 7-8000, and then another month+ to reach the 10,000 required, and I am sure they are slowly making more sales as the expansion process looks more like its going through

Sven has the leverage .... Is Benning really going to trade a 2nd for a guy who bolts the next year to Europe ....I doubt it
- Redmile247

Do you believe Sven wants to play in the KHL? The kid has been gifted a tremendous opportunity in the top 6 of an NHL team that believes in him. There is zero chance he jumps to Europe unless he can't find employment in a few years. Kids playing in the Whl don't dream of playing in Europe. He came to NA because he wants to be an NHL player.