Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad
I agree with this.
Here are my predictions for possible expansion sites in the major leagues within Canada:
NHL - Quebec City (a 2nd GTA team might be possible, but in a 32 team NHL, I don't think the American owners would want any more than eight Canadian teams).
NBA - Montreal, Vancouver
MLB - Montreal
NFL - not a rats ass chance in hell 
CFL - Halifax, possibly Quebec City
MLS - unlikely |
Good list. Mine is identical to yours although I think a Hamilton NHL team is realistic if the refurbishment of Copps Coliseum gets done. They'd be a ton of corporate backing. Canada at 9 NHL teams is satisfactory; anything less isn't good enough imo. I don't think CFL in Quebec City will happen for a while though. Universite Laval will block it and attention is almost completely focused on getting back in the NHL.
I'd eventually like to see MLB in Vancouver then Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa join the big 3 Canadian cities in all having NBA, MLB, and MLS. The thought of it sounds absurd today but it might not be 30 years from now. They are wealthy fast growing cities and a lot can happen in 30 years. All 3 have a good shot at being markets equal to US markets like Charlotte, Denver, or Milwaukee.
So my 'dream' scenario by 2047 is 27 Canadian based teams spread over NHL (9), NBA (6), MLB (6), and MLS (6). Then 12 CFL teams (add Halifax, Quebec City, and Kelowna) for a total of 39 franchises across Canada.