NHL Insider reveals the names of 3 cities that could be targets for future expansion franchises, including a 2nd team in Toronto
With the early returns on the NHL's two most recent expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, there is a definite possibility that the league could look at additional expansion opportunities and, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the league could potentially look at a 2nd team in Toronto as a possibility.
Friedman, while making an appearance on The Jeff Marek Show, revealed that as Commissioner Gary Bettman pushes to have the Coyotes remain in Arizona amid plans to move the team to Tempe, there are 3 other locations that could make a lot of sense for expansion, due to large populations making for intriguing revenue generating opportunities.
A second team in Toronto may not seem overly likely, as Jeff Marek pointed out, due to the large amount of money that the Leafs currently pay for revenue sharing, but as far as interest, popularity and population goes, the city of Toronto and the GTA could certainly support another franchise. New York has two teams, Alberta has two teams, Ontario already has two teams California has three teams, so adding another team in a Province or State with multiple NHL franchises shouldn't be too much of a reach.
Having said that, the other two cities that Friedman has suggested are Austin, TX and Houston, TX. While the thought of not one, not two, but THREE teams in Texas seems wild, Austin and Houston both have large populations that could support an NHL franchise. The obvious concern there is whether or not the State would have an interest in housing a trio of NHL franchises. Is hockey big enough in Texas to warrant having three teams there? Can it be? Perhaps.
Friedge does not believe the league has any imminent plans of pursuing another expansion opportunity anytime in the near future, but with how well Vegas and Seattle have done from a revenue generation standpoint, the thought has to at least have crossed Bettman's mind once or twice.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 13 | 214 ANSWERS NHL Insider reveals the names of 3 cities that could be targets for future expansion franchises, including a 2nd team in Toronto Should the NHL pursue a 2nd Toronto team? | ||
| Yes | 104 | 48.6 % |
| No | 110 | 51.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
