The History of the NHL Expansion to Canada No. 5: Where Should the NHL Expand?

Author's note: This is the last in this current series of articles on NHL expansion to Canada.

At present day, there are six NHL Canadian franchises and ever since Jim Balsille appeared on the scene, people have been more vocal in saying, "Let's have some more."  There is also the perception that the NHL is screwing Canada because of the two lost franchises and the expansion to the American south.  Is that true?

The two lost franchises?  The reality of all professional sports in North America is that a city must have a proper place to play in, and usually the bigger the better.  The Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, even though they have a proper place to play now are moving to a new huge 100,000 seat stadium. 

All the existing Canadian franchises built arenas that could do the job. (Edmonton's arena  is a bit small now but it was the right size when it was built and there is no reason to doubt that a new arena will be correctly built when it's necessary.)

As for Quebec and Winnipeg, lack of prosperity and small city thinking were more responsible for their demise.  They had over a decade to build new arenas and instead let their franchises slip through their fingers.  There was no anti-Canadian, Americanized NHL conspiracy to get rid of them.

As for expanding to the American south, the move looks more foolish now.  The idea was by making the NHL a continental league, it would attract more television viewers and big American television contracts.  It has failed to do so.

Instead the NHL is now stuck with 10 money-losing markets.  They now face the humiliation of mass franchise shifting, "fire sales", and contraction.  And new American cities are uncertain markets.

Houston, where the NHL really wanted to expand to the last time could not get its act together and had to be refused.  Kansas City, despite its new arena is a past failed franchise like Atlanta.  Las Vegas?

The Northern United States has just as much cause as Canada to question the expansion policies of the NHL.  Why have Milwaukee, Seattle, and Portland been ignored?  Ironically, the city currently pursuing an NHL franchise is Hartford which lost its franchise the same way Quebec and Winnipeg did.  But, at least this time, there is talk of building a proper arena.

Back to Canada.  Forget Winnipeg.  Building a new arena that does not have the proper seating is stupid.  They cannot be taken seriously.

Based on the acid test of a proper arena, there is only one Canadian city that can claim that it is being screwed by the NHL and that is Hamilton.  Copps Coliseum just barely qualifies as an NHL size arena, holding just over 17,000.  But $50 million has been pledged to upgrade the arena should an NHL franchise come.  If just one thousand more seats could be added, the future of Hamilton in the NHL for the long term would be assured.

But the NHL has hung one other issue over Hamilton's head: territorial compensation to Toronto and Buffalo.  Come on NHL, if Anaheim and Los Angeles and the two New York and New Jersey franchises can settle this issue, then so can Hamilton.  State your terms and get Hamilton in either by expanding or shifting a money-losing franchise.

Let's do some pretending.  Let's pretend that every Canadian city that could probably be successful in today's NHL has a proper arena and good ownership.  How many cities could make it in the NHL right now? 

Thinking it over, I have concluded that the NHL could probably have 13 or possibly 14 Canadian franchises in today's market.  Sorry Maritimes and Saskatchewan, you don't have the population or wealth yet to support an NHL franchise and your growth rate is extremely low.

So in addition to the existing six cities, from west to east, here are the possibilities:  Winnipeg, London, Kitchener, Hamilton, the return of the Toronto Toros, Oshawa (the added possibility which is still low in population but has a high growth rate and great surrounding markets stretching from eastern Scarborough to Peterborough and Kingston), the return of the Montreal Maroons, and Quebec.

And the best choice among this group is Quebec.  (Winnipeg would have been tied but they have already fired their gun.)  Quebec would jump ahead of Hamilton if they would build the proper arena because there is no territorial question and the city has a proven record of past NHL success.  All that was lacking before was a proper arena.  Shrewd marketing to eastern Quebec and the Maritimes will help too.

So there you have it audience.  The conclusion of this series of articles on NHL expansion to Canada.  I hope you like my picks and participate in this last poll.  As for me, I would like to see the day when all past Canadian cites that have won the Stanley Cup have NHL franchises again.  I just hope Victoria and Kenora have proper arenas built when the NHL comes calling.