While the hockey fans in Winnipeg Manitoba and surrounding areas rejoice over the news that the Atlanta Thrashers have officially been purchased and are on their way north of the border, I ask: Is this even remotely what the NHL needs to grow hockey?

Is this the best possible market that the NHL could allow a team to move to?

Simply, the answer is no, it's not even close to what's best for hockey.

There is no question in anyone's mind that Atlanta struggled to convert a southern city into a hockey-crazy city. And now they have lost a franchise twice. But Winnipeg, though the seventh largest municipality in Canada, is nowhere near the best spot for a new NHL team.

Some including myself would much rather see the NHL break tradition and bring a second franchise to Toronto or Montreal, where hockey tickets are at a premium and fans of the sport seem endless. Toronto boasts a population greater by almost five million, and its economic growth seems far superior to that of the Winnipeg Manitoba area.

Montreal, considered one of the most livable cities, also boasts a far greater population and more desirable economic growth. It is a hotbed for culture between French and English speaking residents.

These are all things a place like Winnipeg Manitoba can lean on to drum up major support when a franchise is struggling. The numbers speak for themselves, but commissioner Gary Bettman again does not have the foresight to see what opportunities were just lost by not bringing more hockey to a market that easily can support it through good times and bad.

Most NHL teams see a dramatic drop in attendance while teams endure losing seasons. Places like Montreal and Toronto are an exception—they're always thriving.

Yes, the people of Winnipeg should be happy that they got a second chance to make a franchise work in their city. But they hopefully can also be aware of how this has helped stunt the growth of hockey and the dollars it can potentially bring in to the sport. Only time will tell if my theory is correct, but the numbers tell the sad tale of how a chance was lost for the NHL to move forward economically.