Quote:
Originally Posted by Acajack
I don't think the NHL is likely to expand either.
What I was saying is that team relocations in North American pro sports aren't always something that people see coming ahead of time.
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Exactly that. In Winnipeg the buzz for several years was that the Coyotes were the team we were getting. The ownership group admitted that in 2010 they had set up the seats for the press conference announcing the purchase of the Coyotes only to have it fall through when, IIRC, Glendale agreed to pour even more money into the team. No one was really talking much about Atlanta... they got mentioned occasionally but they didn't become the focus until it was official.
It's hard to fathom a scenario where all NHL teams rest on stable ground for the next 10 years. If one of them falters, the Quebec group steps up as an easy plug-and-play situation. Granted it would be easier if the C$ was a little higher, but I'm sure the NHL has Quebec on speed dial should the need arise again.