The question should not be whether or not Saskatchewan could support a team ~ of course they could! Saskatoon has a population of 250,000, 99.9% of whom are hockey mad. Include the same numbers from Regina, just down the highway, and you've got more than enough support. I would wager a bet that Saskatoon has twice as many hockey fans as NYC. Madison Square Garden sells out every night through sheer force of numbers alone ~ the whole of Manhattan probably has only slightly more than 20,000 hockey fans. The same can be said for most NHL markets in the States.
Let's not forget that Saskatoon almost got a team in 1983 and we'll likely see it again as various teams go bankrupt / look to relocate: Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville, Columbus, Florida, the Islanders, Carolina, New Jersey and so on. Quebec is probably a sure thing. KC and Seattle are likely in line for a team as well. Las Vegas...whatever. Hamilton has its territorial issues with Toronto and Buffalo. Regardless, more teams are coming to Canada one way or another.
I think a lot of people are watching Winnipeg with great interest. If the Jets are able to turn a little profit with their 'small' market and small arena, then it'll be proof that a place like Saskatoon could do it, too.
p.s. The AHL would fail in Saskatoon just as it has in essentially every other Canadian market. In hockey 'mad' Southern Ontario, nobody supports the AHL. It's not a good indication of whether or not a city could support an NHL franchise.
Last edited by Dr Awesomesauce; Mar 4, 2012 at 4:18 AM.
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