NHL approves Las Vegas expansion team

[Night Watchman]

Source: CBC (Canada)

Posted: Jun 22, 2016 3:08 PM ET Last Updated: Jun 22, 2016 7:06 PM ET

The NHL is officially rolling the dice on Las Vegas.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league's board of governors has accepted an expansion bid from Las Vegas with the new team to begin play in the 2017-18 season.

He said Wednesday's vote was unanimous.

"We think this is a tremendously exciting opportunity, not just for Las Vegas, but for the league," Bettman said. "This expansion comes at a time when our game is more competitive than ever, ownership is stronger than ever, the player base is more talented than ever and the business, and the future opportunities for the business, are greater than ever."

The board also decided to defer Quebec City's bid, despite the city having a brand new arena as part of its application to become the 31st NHL franchise. Bettman said the fluctuation of the Canadian dollar and the league's geographical imbalance — there are currently 16 teams in the Eastern Conference compared to 14 in the West — were factors that worked against Quebec City's bid.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-expansion-las-vegas-1.3647754

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What a crock of shit! Arizona, The Sequel. And the reason Quebec City (which actually gets snow and ice in winter!) got the shaft has nothing to do with the reasons given in this article. If there are follow longtime hockey fans here, they know exactly what I mean when I say Eric Lindros!

[Recursion]

1. This will mean more NHL teams than MLB teams, which is absurd

The league is overextended as it is. And, what, will this mean an 8-team Pacific Division and a 7-team Central Division? How do you even do standings with that?

[edbermac]

2. Who the hell in Vegas wants to watch a hockey game??

Quebec made more sense.

[Egnever]

3. Well we get on average 4 million a month here from other places.

That is almost 8 times as many people as live in Quebec city mentioned in a post above.

Likely some of those folks will want to see a hockey game. I can easily see hokey fans coming to Vegas to watch their team play here.

May not work out at all but i am looking forward to being able to go to a game. We have a minor league team here that has a pretty loyal local following.

[RexDart]

4. I think that's going to be the draw.

I'm thinking you'll have games where 20% will be rooting for the other team and 5% not having a dog in the hunt. I've seen enough two nights with airfare for $200 packages where I'd think about sneaking off for a game.

[marble falls]

5. Hockey is such a rich part of Las Vegas cultural history.

[Odin2005]

6. All these warm-weather hockey teams are fucking stupid.

And yes, I'm still pissed about Dallas stealing the North Stars.

[AngryAmish]

7. The town will be stuffed with drunk Blackhawks fans for every roadie

And they may even by allowed to wear their sweaters, Nashville.

Right now the Canadian teams are screwed because they have to pay their players in US dollars but earn money in Can dollars. So if expanding do team owners want USD or CD?

Until oil goes up, no Canadian expansion.

[The2ndWheel]

8. If you're going to go the Lindros way

Alright, a Canadian, one of the most hyped up players in NHL history, who was so coveted by any and every franchise that look what he was, and could've been, eventually traded for before he ever played an NHL game, didn't want to play in Quebec. Even McDavid went to Edmonton. Plus Quebec already lost a team once. They should have a team because of snow and ice though?

I would say that geographical imbalance did play a part. All those big market owners in the East don't want another team to compete with for a playoff spot. They won't send Detroit back to the West, because Ilitch has a lot of clout. They won't send Columbus back to the West because they're not going to single out a team like that. Same reason why Quebec wouldn't be put in the West being the new kid on the block. Plus they're way, way east.

Quebec having a team would be great though.