Toronto's Growing Buzz for a Second NHL Team

[LikeHamilton]

Toronto's Growing Buzz for a Second NHL Team

OCT 4, 2023 | BY NATHAN SMITH DAILYHOCKEYDOSE.COM

The Toronto Maple Leafs have long been one of the NHL's most supported teams, and with such a huge market, it appears that there's growing buzz for a potential second team.

While it's nothing close to becoming a reality, the buzz is growing for the greater Toronto area to get a second NHL team, as many believe the market is perfect for a rival to the Maple Leafs.

Expansion coming again?

After the success of the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL are interested in expanding once more, and while Quebec City, Salt Lake City, Atlanta and other teams have priority, this would be an interesting dynamic.

While the Maple Leafs would retain many of their fans in Toronto, we've seen it in New York and Los Angeles in multiple sports, and it would create a great rivalry for Canadian fans and the NHL as a whole, so this is one to keep an eye on.

https://www.dailyhockeydose.com/Toro...HL-Team-283447

[Innsertnamehere]

I've thought about how the renovations by Oakview Group may be an indicator of something happening on this front.. but I'm still generally doubtful. The renovations as announced don't generally seem to be quite NHL-level quality.

The list in front of Hamilton for new teams is a little too long, I think. SLC and Quebec City should probably be the next priorities. I think Atlanta and Houston will struggle, though their markets are massive and with Bettman at the helm, who knows..

[Nouvellecosse]

I'd love to see the GTA get a second team! Could call it the Mississauga Mayhem perhaps.

[Djeffery]

In listening to Elliotte Friedman last week, I don't think there is a list of priority. Bettman basically said if you have a solid plan to give him a call. I don't think any city really has any claim over any other city. For example, I don't think Quebec City really should be viewed as more deserving than the GTA, simply because they had a team and have an arena. I also would be really surprised if Hamilton ended up being that GTA team either, I just don't think this renovation to FOC is enough from what little info is out there. And who might a prospective owner be who wants to be in Hamilton in an arena they don't own? I'd love to see it there since I moved to Woodstock but I can't see it myself.

[ScreamingViking]

Reno plans can change quickly. As we've seen.

I doubt it would happen. We've been fooled too many times. Hamilton would just be a pawn in all this -- a means to inflate whatever "new money" an expansion may bring to pockets of the existing ownership (other cities serve the same purpose, like Quebec I think)

And if it did happen, a renewed FOC would probably just be a stopgap until another big arena could be built closer to Toronto, fully owned and controlled by the new team's owner.