Having another NHL franchise in Ontario, especially Mid-Western Ontario (K-W-C) would give tens of thousands of hockey fans the opportunity to see real-life pro hockey for probably less than the inflated costs charged to watch the Leafs flounder for another season. The market is keen here in Ontario, from Windsor to Toronto, from Lake Erie to Barrie. Even the NIagara Penninsula will provide some fans, however Buffalo may still offer them a better deal with travel times and possibly in ticket pricing until the passport restrictions finally kick in in mid 2009.

There are many in the league who are still pinning their hopes on seeing more US cities involved in the NHL. Without expansion and relocation of struggling franchises in the US, how are they ever going to solve the poor response to TV ratings and fan support? They believe they have to keep plugging away at the sluggish US market and try to win over their fan base to make the NHL as lucrative as the NBA or NFL. Will Betman et al succeed, Gawd, I hope not! Bring hockey back to those who enjoy it and will support it. Hope Basillie sticks to his guns with regard to moving the team to Ontario and is not just playing some kind of parlour game to enhance his own stake at the big table of NHL governors for future expansion revenues and revenue sharing income. More disappointments, we don’t need ‘em!

I had no idea there were any kids playing hockey in Tennessee. I assumed it was a completely foreign sport to them.

I’m still about “50-50″ on whether this thing happens. Historically, NHL owners have tried to avoid an “Al Davis-type” owner, so they may not let Balsillie into the club, even though he’s throwing big bucks around.

I’m assuming Copps is a temporary home, until the Toyota-Dojo is ready, although the sale of Copps luxury (?) box deposits was pretty impressive.

Attention Torontonians: South-western Ontario is rife with auto-industry money. It’s the black-gold of central Canada. Also, do not underestimate the power of the 401 (average speed between Chatham and Plattsville = 133km/h, but another lane will have to be added from London to Kitchener), and its ability to draw folks from a relatively long distance away.

Attention Winnipeggers: from my standpoint you need at least 3 things to have an NHL franchise in your city: a population large enough to create a solid (interested in hockey) fanbase, who are obviously willing to fork over some of their hard-earned cash for tickets; a new arena (that can create some buzz on its own, even if the team stinks), with a “sweet-heart” lease deal; and an owner with deep pockets (not only willing to pay the up-front cost, but pay the yearly losses, which will be gi-normous). Until somebody with access to about $500 000 000 in cash (to start) steps up, I don’t wanna hear about how you “deserve an NHL team”.

I wouldn’t invest $1 into an NHL team starting up in Las Vegas, or anyplace where iguanas/scorpions/kangaroo mice/rattlesnakes threaten to over-run the city. They don’t/can’t play hockey - they (the people, that is) don’t understand it, and I don’t think will ever fill an NHL arena, long-term.

Unfortunately, I am unable to jump ship (to the Predator-Hybrids) so easily. I am from the last Maple Leaf Gardens generation, and anyone who was there will understand how I can’t just leave Sylvanus Apps, Teeder Kennedy, Dave Keon, Daryl Sittler, Wendel Clark, and Doug Gilmour (don’t even get me started on the 48th Highlanders, or Bob Cole) behind, even as the current Leaf organization probably deserves being punished.

Yes, the ‘experts’ on the Sports Networks seem to be getting too caught up in what’s being said on the record by the various parties… who knows. The fact is, Balsillie has one plan. He will drop out faster than you can say ‘Kimmo Timmonen’ if he has to operate this team in Nashville for any longer than a year. The other rumour is that he apparently has some connection with the Kansas City arena guy, but if he’s coughing up that much coin to get into the NHL boys club, methinks he’s bringing the team home.

I’m about 60-40 - as an Ontarian, it seems too good to be true that another NHL team could be arriving. Apparently a handful of owners aren’t happy with his tactics, but a bunch want him and his high tech money in the league desperately. Again, my take on this is that as much as his tactics may be a tad aggressive for the league and the other owners, money talks and for the reasons stated in my original post - they may publicly make it seem as if they’re giving him a hard time (I’m sure Bettman will ‘put the hammer down’ at some point to make it look like he’s still the boss and isn’t Balsillie’s bee-atch - but he is), but in the end it’ll go through. Selling/moving a couple of teams combined with expansion is probably how the league should/could solve the problem of ridding themselves of failing markets, getting back into stronger hockey markets and experimenting with more new markets to keep pushing for the big U.S. TV deal.

I can’t see the ‘peg getting a team. The new rink is there - but they need to expand it by 3-5,000, and I just don’t know about corporate support. I’m sure they’ll fill the place, but strong corporate support is needed to keep a team in the black. That’s why they left in the first place.

Apparently Nashville has this burgeoning minor hockey system according to guys posting on this topic on sites like ESPN.com - All of the ’save the Preds’ folks keep going on about how much this will hurt the city and region…. I dunno…

You wouldn’t know this because you’re in Halifax, BrotherShayne, but that extra lane is already being constructed on the 401 between Woodstock and K/W (Toyota alley). Great point about the highway - yes, to outsiders, it seems weird thinking of having an NHL team in the region because there is no one large city as a base - all medium sized cities (Guelph, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, London, Hamilton) - but the 401 allows for easy access for all, especially if the RIM Centre ends up near Cambridge.

The first pro sports franchise in Vegas may do ok - but probably only for a limited time. The Vegas economy is different - they have a large population, many of whom make low salaries, and remember the shifts are different - most Las Vegasers work in the evening and have the days off. I can see many tickets being scooped up by Casinos and then being given to patrons, which won’t make for a full-building most nights… My point is that it’s a huge risk at best - there may be some excitement for the first franchise in town, but if the NBA were to go there next, the NHL would take a back seat and that would mean the failure of yet another American sunbelt franchise….

It would be tough to jump ship from Leafs to Preds (or whatever they call them), but I think it’s only natural to eventually become a fan of: a) a team you can actually watch play live; and b) the better-managed organization.

out.

Good day.

Why is the NHL so scared of Canada?

Gary Bettman’s worst trait as a public speaker is that when he attempts to be clever, he comes off as being disingenuous.

The NHL commissioner’s words out of yesterday’s board of governors meeting in New York pertaining to Jim Balsillie’s attempted purchase of the Nashville Predators and relocation to Hamilton were a prime example of Bettman baloney.

Example A: “I’m not exactly sure why people are focused on the Nashville Predators being anywhere other than Nashville at this point in time.”

Well, golly gee, Gary, could it be that the team’s attendance sucked huge last season despite a 110-point performance and the current owner, Craig Leipold, activated a clause last week notifying the city of plans to break the lease if attendance is lousy again?

Could that possibly be it, Mr. Commissioner?

Only Wayne Gretzky himself was openly discussing yesterday the slam-dunk success the Predators would be in Hamilton in a U.S. talk show interview.

“If the franchise is able to move into that area, it’ll be tremendously successful,” said Gretzky. “We all know that.” Well, everybody except Bettman, apparently.

The commish went on to make himself look even sillier by saying, “I’m not in favour of doing anything to destabilize an existing franchise.”

And what does he think is happening with the Preds while they float in uncertainty? Two prime free agents are already gone, with Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya next to head out the door. Most in the hockey world believe Leipold is determined not to sink another dime into the team and will reduce it to the lowest possible payroll.

Gosh, that’ll certainly stabilize things in Music City.

It could well be that by being so obviously insulting to the incredibly successful Balsillie, an entrepreneur and businessman whose jock Bettman couldn’t carry, the NHL czar is hoping Balsillie will ultimately become so annoyed by the process that he’ll walk away.

Worked with the Pens, after all.

Perhaps the most insulting bit of noise Bettman directed Balsillie’s way was to say yesterday that no application had been completed and therefore the quarter-billion dollar ownership transfer couldn’t possibly even be discussed.

Not sure, but when Michael Eisner and Wayne Huizenga were being courted in nauseating fashion, it’s hard to remember anyone raising a stink about filling out correct dates of birth.

And those fellows sure were dedicated to being long-term owners, weren’t they?

Fact is, the guvs already know Balsillie very well. They unanimously approved his purchase of the Pens before Bettman and lieutenant Bill Daly drove him away.

It’s beyond bizarre why the NHL commissioner now appears intent on treating the RIM impresario like a grubby panhandler.

The most reasonable process for Bettman to follow would have been to invite Balsillie to Manhattan yesterday to make a presentation to the board and answer a few questions. Nothing formal. No vote on the ownership of the Predators.

Just one businessman quietly talking turkey with 29 prospective partners. Balsillie’s got his own plane. He certainly could have rejigged his schedule. Maybe he could have offered a thought or two on how the NHL might achieve greater success in the wireless world.

Instead, Bettman avoided dealing with the issue at all. The biggest news of the day then became that Jeremy Jacobs, Bettman’s No. 1 supporter, who has singlehandedly remade the once proud Boston Bruins into a failed franchise, is now chairman of the board.

The battlefield is now well-defined. Three Americans – Bettman, Daly and Jacobs – dedicated to defeating Balsillie’s bid to bring hockey to the world’s richest hockey market.

And never having to really explain why.