NHL Commissioner Bettman: no expansion after all

[shenmue]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/m_news.htm?id=729437#&navid=nhl-search

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said reports that claimed the league would soon expand by four teams are inaccurate. A Twitter post by Sports Business News had claimed teams would open in Seattle, Las Vegas, and Quebec City, while Toronto would get a crosstown rival for the Maple Leafs.

[Renew Deal]

1. that's good

I don't think the NHL needs it.

[KamaAina]

2. So are all those cities going to go after the Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers, etc.?

The way L.A. and San Antonio have been after the NFL Raiders?

[JonLP24]

4. The Arizona Coyotes situation is settled

for at-least 5 years. If they incur $50 million in losses than GSE can break the 15-year lease they negotiated w/ Glendale.

They also recently negotiated a naming rights deal w/ Gila River Casinos.

As far as the cities are concerned. I don't think Toronto is going to aim for another team. The person that will fund an arena in Seattle wants a NBA team. I have no idea about Quebec. Las Vegas isn't getting a team.

Kansas City already has an arena and will probably try to recruit any NBA or NHL team they possibly can.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

3. League needs to FOLD about a half dozen teams IMHO...

...& expand the ice surface (never gonna happen I know, less $$$ seats). Regular season games have become virtual snooze-fests & playoffs dominated by hot goaltenders. Ain't no Orr's Esposito's Cournoyer's Lafleur's Potvin's Bossy's Gretzky's Coffey's Lemieux's etc to be found in today's game.

Sid (Cry me a river) Crosby? Don't make me laugh. Ovechkin, Malkin, Toews, Stamkos, Kopitar...etc are all real nice players but Superstars? No one outside of hard-core hockey fans has even heard of these guys. No star power = no new fans = no new $$$ IMHO.

[JonLP24]

5. Why would they do that when the league is strong economically?

Especially when this Canada TV deal comes through.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

6. To improve the quality of the product.

Better product = new fans = new revenue streams is my belief. ,

The talent pool is already stretched a bit thin IMO, granted not nearly as bad as 25-30+ years ago with the influx of European/ Russian etc players. Back then you had goons that could barely skate much less score a goal filling roster spots. That's when they lost me as a serious hockey fan (former Ranger season ticket holder during the Ratelle, Gilbert, Giacomin, Park Emile Francis era, the disastrous Ferguson era, all the way up to Herb Brooks/Craig Patrick regime. Though I still watch occasionally I haven't been to a game or bought any NHL merch in nearly 30 years.