Shawn Gates: "What if...?" #1: What if the NHL Contracted to 24 Teams?

If bettman is still running the league then Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver will get booted out

Florida
Atlanta
Phoenix (These three are obvious)
New York Islanders (Tons of history, but things just don't seem to be working on the island anymore)
Carolina (Fans only get excited when the team's winning)
Nashville (I know I'll be unpopular for this one, but c'est la vie)

Florida
Atlanta
Phoenix
Nashville
Buffalo
Carolina

first dibs on vinny!

Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, Nashville and Long Island (assuming they don't have a building) are the obvious choices.

My "Wild Card" is the Los Angeles Kings. LA doesn't need 2 teams, and the Ducks have won a Cup.

I wanna give Columbus a chance -- they're on the upswing, and could prove to be a good market still.

first dibs on vinny!
- jakenewton

Too bad the Bolts would likely survive one round of contraction to see if one Florida team can work with the other gone. Not to mention do you want Vinny 6 seasons from now?

Too bad the Bolts would likely survive one round of contraction to see if one Florida team can work with the other gone. Not to mention do you want Vinny 6 seasons from now?
- keslover17

good thinking...........FIRST DIBS ON WEBER!

Interesting pot-stirring...and don't count the Mayan calander out until 2012 comes and goes...as sad as it is, if the league contracted it would have to be the Sunbelt teams, and Gary Bettman would have to have bid adieu to the league. That is, unless the Canadian dollar gets back to the > .65 USD level. If that is the case (which is unlikely), Edmonton and Ottawa may be in trouble. In the last few years, Ottawa's fan base has certainly grown, but with a Stanley cup round team that has been declining. It's hard to take the long trip to Kanata to watch a crap team (and we can't hitch a ride in Emery's Hummer, or Cokemobile, anymore).

However, the universe expands before it contracts, so let's get S.Ontario a franchise to keep bankrolling the Sunbelt teams before this debate comes up.

Wow.....you are just waiting for mud to start being slung in this one.

I'll give my six:

1) My favorite life long team, the Islanders. We can't deny it, we do not draw well and we are almost 3 decades away from our dynasty with not much to cheer about since. I think that the Lighthouse project would save us but without, LI would probably lose a team.

2) Atlanta. They have a nice building in the center of town but Atlanta was spoiled with 13 pennents (sp?) by the Braves and getting people in the building on hockey night has been tough. It is too bad because the in-game entertainment is top notch.

3) Florida. Sorry FLA, it's just not working near you. Sure, you had the one good run but since then there has been nothing to cheer about. Chalk it up to just having too nice weather in December.

4) Phoenix. Even with the Great One it's not going to work. They build an arena not near downtown (that is right I think) and they have no real rival. I loved the "white out" but I think in some parallel universe the Jets are thriving still in Winnipeg.

5) Nashville. They were close to being moved a few years and from what I am hearing they are still not as popular as the Elvis look-a-like contests that happen every Saturday down there.

6) The New York Rangers...........Just kidding.....the Islander in me couldn't help himself...

6) Buffalo.....This is probably a big surprise but from what I can gather (from the Buffalo fans that actually have a Sabres bar here in Baltimore) that they don't spend money as much as they need to compete and their popularity is waning. Plus, with Bastille taking a team to Southern Ontario, they are going to be in huge trouble at the gate (this and the new Passport rules crossing the USA/Canada border).

Special Mention. Carolina. If they hadn't been doing so well these past years they would be a lock but them like the Devils keep playing pretty well and it's tough to contract teams that have a good strategy. I would also say the Devils since they have trouble drawing and their new building isn't exactly in the safest place in NJ.

Well, I'm sure I've made mistakes here but I'm just speculating.

Florida
Atlanta
Nashville
Phoenix
NYI assumng no building
Columbus or Colorado. It seems that the casual fan has jumped ship out their

Ok every one is just going to say "every team in a "southern city." there you go. no sense in reading further.

Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, Nashville and Long Island (assuming they don't have a building) are the obvious choices.

My "Wild Card" is the Los Angeles Kings. LA doesn't need 2 teams, and the Ducks have won a Cup.

I wanna give Columbus a chance -- they're on the upswing, and could prove to be a good market still.
- BluesFan44

I almost said the Kings as well but went with Buffalo...

Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, Nashville and Long Island (assuming they don't have a building) are the obvious choices.

My "Wild Card" is the Los Angeles Kings. LA doesn't need 2 teams, and the Ducks have won a Cup.

I wanna give Columbus a chance -- they're on the upswing, and could prove to be a good market still.
- BluesFan44

I agree, Columbus is a small media market, but they seem to have a good (right now, cult-like) following that can only improve. The arena looks sold out everytime I turn on a CBJ game, and they are really into it (Moreso than the suit-filled lower bowl of the ACC anyways). Hopefully Columbus will survive.

Is LA in decent financial shape right now? I never hear anything about them.

florida, atlanta, NYI, TB, phoenix, and dallas

I almost said the Kings as well but went with Buffalo...
- clebo99

My first thought was "Every team who hasn't yet won a Cup......... Except the Blues.... "

Ok every one is just going to say "every team in a "southern city." there you go. no sense in reading further.
- bleach

Bah, that wouldn't be creative. I actually like the train of thought someone above had with regards to the Canadian dollar. I said nothing about where the financial viability problems were coming from in the scenario leaving it completely possible that it could be the Canadian teams ready to drop. This wouldn't be far off from what almost happened a few years back...

florida, atlanta, NYI, TB, phoenix, and dallas
- EvgeniNabokov20

Sorry, but the Dallas Stars are a MODEL franchise about how to go about hockey in a non-traditional market.

My first thought was "Every team who hasn't yet won a Cup......... Except the Blues.... "
- BluesFan44

But the Blues are the only expansion team to make a league finals in it's first 2 years of existance.....That's good history....

Bah, that wouldn't be creative. I actually like the train of thought someone above had with regards to the Canadian dollar. I said nothing about where the financial viability problems were coming from in the scenario leaving it completely possible that it could be the Canadian teams ready to drop. This wouldn't be far off from what almost happened a few years back...
- shawn_gates

And, for Globe and Mail readers, Saskatoon may loose their five games by then

all 3 california teams, colorado, dallas, and the coyotes. western canada can hold its own.

North East
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Buffalo
Boston
New York Rangers

North West
St-Louis
Edmonton
Colorado
Detroit
Minnesota
Chicago

Atlantic
Tampa Bay
Philadelphia
New Jersey
Washington
Pittsburgh
Carolina

Pacific
San Jose
Anaheim
Calgary
Los Angelas
Dallas
Vancouver

Based on different facts: Atlanta, Pheonix, NY Isles, Florida, Nashville and Columbus would exit the league.

Atlanta - Next to no fan base... Extremely hard to sell hockey tickets even more than south Florida!
Pheonix - Not an hockey market!
NY Isles - Will never be able to match the passionate fans of the Rangers therefore no place for a 2nd market.
Florida - While Tampa has a good fan base, it's been tough on the Panthers these last few years (probably from lack of success)
Nashville - This one is a gamble... I think it has potential due to location.
Columbus - I had a hard time taking them out because Ohio could be a very strong place for hockey but they havn't made money since they where an expension franchise.

Yes there is a place for hockey in non-traditional markets... Dallas, Anaheim, LA, San Jose are all proof of that!

The game will grow it these market, let it!

But the Blues are the only expansion team to make a league finals in it's first 2 years of existance.....That's good history....
- clebo99

3

Sorry, but the Dallas Stars are a MODEL franchise about how to go about hockey in a non-traditional market.
- BluesFan44

Is that why they're in financial trouble?

all 3 california teams, colorado, dallas, and the coyotes. western canada can hold its own.
- thecaptain1919

I don't get why people knock the Stars. Its not like those who are in Dallas don't go to games, seeing as more often than not the ACC seems filled, despite being in a football 1st basketball 2nd area.