What Cities have the best shot of landing an NHL Franchise?

I think they should move some teams out of the south and bring them back to or move them to Canada. What canadian cities would be best. Could Halifax be one of them especially if the move the Pens.

Public Comments

1. Hamilton should have a team....they already have the arena...
2. I dont know about another team in Canada, but I really really like Seattle. And hey, its the closest you can get to Canada(Vancouver, at least) but still be in the U.S
3. None, the NHL has too many teams already, they wont move some to Canada. I dont expect to see any teams move in the next 10 years
4. It would be an awsome thing if a team moved to las vegas i mean lets get serious las vegas is prime time baby people in vegas will go nuts for hockey cause they have no major pro team playing there and it would be a huge mony maker over there.
5. I hope Seattle or Eugene, Oregon gets one.
6. Hamilton will NEVER get an NHL team, because they would have to pay money to both the Leafs and Sens to broadcast games in Ontario....so thats out...Halifax isnt even on the NHL's radar, so I think thats out (I havent heard any talk about that) The best bet is to put a team back in Winnipeg, but they need a new arena, the Winnipeg arena only has a capacity of about 13,000, which is small for an NHL team (Ottawa's arena holds 20,000), so they need to get a new arena, which I'm positive will be backed by the government if the NHL ever plans to relocate there
7. Hamilton and Halifax will never get teams. If Hamilton does end up getting a team, they will be another Toronto team; kind of like the Rangers and Islanders. Halifax just doesn't have enough people in the province to sustain an NHL team. Winnipeg right now has the best chance. The provincial Conservative running for the next election "promises" the Jets will come back (or another name) by the end of their first year or first term, I can't remember which.
8. Not going to happen. Winnipeg could make a case, but there are at least 3 US cities that would get the nod before the Peg.
9. Oh, it's definitely Hamilton, followed by Winnipeg and perhaps Halifax. But the monetary disparity in the dollar values will prevent expansion or relocation into Canada. Yes, I realize the Penguins almost moved to Hamilton but I am cautious about who buys the Oilers now. There is a very real possibility that they will turn out to be the next team in Kansas City or Houston. While I believe that many teams are located too far south, I put myself in the shoes of fans from those locations and would hate to see my team move. (Heck, even though I was born 6 years after the fact, I am still sore that the Athletics left Philly for K.C.)
10. Kansas City has a new arena and more people who can go to the games unlike the past. Winnipeg would be a great choice if the new arena was a bit bigger. The last choice would be Portland. Has a hockey base and would not be so close to Vancouver (unlike Seattle).
11. I personally think the next team move or expansion is gonna end back in the "Peg". I think a new Canadian team/ move to Canada would be really good for the NHL. If they do form a new US team they need to keep it in a area of Hockey roots, like the Mid-west. I'm glad Minnesota finally got a team back. They need to get a Hockey team in Wisconsin or Maine. I do like the Portland, OR idea too. Las Vegas would be good income wise, and Kansas City would also be a good choice too. But, in all actuality, the source of Hockey is Canada and the Mid-West/ New England. that is where you are gonna draw the most fans, and also people actually willing to buy tickets for games.
12. Well for one thing the Penguins are not moving, they just got a new deal on a arena, but if I would say Nashville to Winnipeg would be the next move!
13. Well you have a LONG wait for them to move the Pens. It is a 30 YEAR LEASE. Man please keep up on news. It was a big enough story that anyone who pays attention to hockey would have heard about it. So that shows me you aren't paying much attention in my opinion. Anyway the fact that you think they will put an NHL team in Canada also shows a lack of attention to detail. Bettman wants to EXTEND the fan base so he isn't going to have a team put where there is already a fan base.
14. Kansas City and Winnipeg are probably the two front runners for getting a franchise. Nashville isn't going to move because they are succesful. I can see a team like the Florida Panthers moving, because lets face it they are horrible and have traded almost all of their talent away, no one goes to the games anymore and no one in the Jacksonville area really has any interest in hockey anymore save a very few thousand people. Unlike every citizen of winnipeg.
15. I met Bettman and asked him that if there were any plans for new franchises and he said that there weren't going to be any. He said that the new CBA needed time. Whatever you might think of the guy I assume that he was telling me the truth. Winnipeg got ripped off with losing a team however I don't see them getting a new one, at least for some time. I think getting a team requires alot of corporate support more so than fan support. I've heard that Hamilton won't get a team either for the same reason mentioned already.
16. I think that Quebec city would be another Canadian city that could get a NHL team seeing that they did have a team for a long time and its time that they should get a team. Also I think Winnipeg should get a team, no more US cities as no one cares about hockey in America, only when playoffs come will the fans try to act like they care.Halifax is not too small as the Mossehead draw out a big croud and then they have the rest of Nova Scotia but they won't get a team and neither will Hamilton becausethe Leafs and the Sabres won't let them.
17. Winnipeg has a new arena, but it is too small. Hamilton does not deserve one. Only 1,703 at a second round playoff game yesterday afternoon. Halifax is too far to travel. I do not see any new locations in the near future.
18. Kitchener-Waterloo They have a bilionare who loves hockey and a huge number of hockey fans in this city and the surrounding cities who never have the oppourtunity to see NHL hockey live (every leaf game is sold out until forever). Plus, a huge number of companies who'd love to get tickets and/or advertising with an NHL franchise. Even if they had to pay huge brodcast rights to the leafs this team would be a cash cow. You could charge a premium on the rights to season tickets and use that money for a new rink. Build the new statium in the south end of Kitchener right near the 401 and you can draw from an area of millions filled with great hockey fans! Also by keeping it closer to Toronto rather than between Toronto and Buffalo (Hamilton) you would only have to deal with one team for rights. The Leafs don't have to worry there is zero chance that a new team could come close to being anything but the second team in S. Ontario.
19. honolulu miami seattle (great for cross-"sound" rivalries) bismarck, north dakota (booming midwest/plains economy ... nothing else to do, except hunt buffalo) green bay or milwaukee lexington, KY Mastadons (for cross-hick rivalries w/ Nashville) Albequerque (sp?) Oklahoma City Cheyenne, Wyoming cincinnatti, ohio juneau, alaska yellowknife polar bears, NW territories prince edwards island ... fairies richmond, va augusta, maine thunder bay, thunder (rivalry w/ Tampa Bay) london monarchs sudbury suds labrador ... retrievers