RoyalAir

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Personally don't think Atlanta deserves a third chance.

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Deserve has nothing to do with it. Winnipeg doesn't deserve a franchise. Neither does Raleigh. Or Nashville. Or Pittsburgh. Or Vegas. Or Minnesota.

What the NHL is looking for is solid financial backing, an arena deal, and a corporate market. If Atlanta, Houston, Omaha or QC can supply that, with a heavy expansion fee, the NHL will listen. The league's expansion process is entirely different than it was during the rapid expansion of the 90s. Then, it was "we're open for business, who wants one?'" Now, learning some harsh lessons, it's, "this is what's required. Call us when you've got your ducks in a row.' That's how Vegas came to be. That's how Utah got the Coyotes. It's also how Winnipeg got the Thrashers.

Rumor is that the current expansion fee is close to $3B. If that's true, the NHL isn't expanding. It's simply too high. Instead, they'll look at one of those interested markets as their on- deck circle for the next franchise that needs to relocate.

If I'm a betting man, the economic reality that is Ottawa or Winnipeg will have either of those teams mobile in a few years. Canada is an economic basket case, and it's going to get worse.

Back to the playoffs at hand, I wish Utah/Vegas was on today. That's been my favorite series. I'm also thinking Anaheim puts the screws to Edmonton.

I'm not advocating for relocation for CBJ. I think they've done a good job settling into the fabric of the community.

But of the US franchises, who is even moderately unstable? That's not rhetorical. I'm genuinely curious.

The Islanders, Pens, Devils, and Sabres are all in good/ great shape. All were relocation threats for years. Who's "the next closest?"

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Atlanta was stuck with shitty owners just like Phoenix. Yet Phoenix is the only market frowned upon.

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Largely because the Atlanta situation was much more cut-n- dried than Phoenix was. Atlanta had two owners, Ted Turner, which merged that portfolio into AOL/TimeWarner in one of the most disastrous mergers of all time, and the Atlanta Spirit Group. One arena, two owners, and the second sabotaged the market to jettison the club and open 41 concert dates at the arena. The Spirit mistakenly believed that the Thrashers' existence limited their ability to sell basketball tickets, not thinking about the reality that they had two entirely different markets for their franchise properties.

Phoenix has a lot more twists and turns. Several owners. Three arenas. Starting in a basketball facility with atrocious sightlines for hockey. An entanglement with the city of Glendale, which fronted money for the second arena. Getting evicted from Glendale because shitty ownership didn't pay their bills. Just red flag after red flag. Eventually, the Yotes moved to ASU's 4500 seat hockey arena, by far the smallest in the league. But even then, they actually drew a profit for those two years. Mullet Arena was unsuitable long-term, and the Yotes couldn't secure land for another building. But the NHL didn't want to lose that market, and still doesn't.


Best case for the league, would be expansion to HOU, ATL, PHX, and QC. What's more likely is that OTT, WPG, or CBJ relocate to one of those 4. All three are in various stages of danger, with WPG being the worst. It's a city with the population of Knoxville, and even when they're good, they can't sell their tickets, and that's in a small, 15k seat arena. If their owner wasn't willing to lose a fortune every year in exchange for an anchor tenant in a real estate development, they'd already have moved. As it is, I'll be stunned if WPG is still an NHL city in 10 years. OTT is right behind them.

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y'all think Houston will ever get an NHL team?

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That's almost entirely on Tillman Fertitta. He has control over the arena in town. If he wants a franchise, he only has to submit an expansion application and pay the fee. The NHL would love to be in Houston. But so far, he's proven to be too cheap to join the club.

If someone else (and there have been rumors that there's another Houstonian interested) wants to do the legwork for a different arena, the NHL would absolutely listen.

The Coyotes, when Meruelo was falling apart, were there for Houston to have. Fertitta walked at the price, and Smith in SLC was next up.

To be fair to Russini, she looks like she's leaning far away from him. Vrabel went all 100% to her.

Yeah, that was gutsy by the Stars. Minnesota absolutely pantsed their arse in Game 1, but Dallas has responded. Credit where due. This series looks destined to 7 games and a long OT.

Credit to the Ducks last night. Gotta think Edmonton is already clenching.

Legs. Specifically calves and shapely ankles.

Utah is comfortable playing the chippy, violent game. They're not afraid of Vegas, at all. They're not going away quietly.

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Messier offers good insight from the mind of a player/champion but you can tell he doesn't watch much hockey now as his takes are way off base when he talks about many of the players.

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Couldn't agree more. Mess obviously knows what it takes. But he doesn't have a great grasp on the current players and game. He's definitely trading on name at this point.

Would love to have someone more recent in that role. What's Justin Williams doing? That guy was the glue for many a cup team. I think Getzlaf would be great in that role, as well.

He really missed an opportunity when he didn't name his band Flock of Seagals.

Part of me thinks it'll be funny if the Canes and Avs meet in the SCF, and the Canes win.

Part of me will be heartbroken for Brent Burns. One of sports' true beauts.