Back again for Part 2 as the NHL's new commissioner. Here's a recap:
Part 1: Contract Phoenix & Florida
We are now down to 28 teams which provides a much better talent base, along with that we need to get a better fan base. How do we do that? Go back to the basics. That means go back to Canada. It's where hockey began and people live for the sport.
Relocation-
Canada currently has 6 teams, more than any other major sport in North America. That may seem like a lot, but it really isn't when you consider just how much passion Canada has for their native sport. The viewership that hockey had for 2010 Winter Olympics was phenomenal in Canada. Hockey Night in Canada is a huge hit. Even though the Toronto Maple Leafs are terrible (see: Waffle Nation), their fans still come to games in big numbers. Canada can and will support additional teams.
I'm not going to go crazy and move a ton of teams to Canada, only 2 in my proposal. The Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg and the Carolina Hurricanes to Quebec.
I am aware that both cities had NHL teams before and it didn't end well, but each is more than capable of hosting a team. They have both expressed interest in having NHL hockey return and have an arena ready or are ready to build. Atlanta and Raleigh were part of the southern expansion that was tried and failed miserably. Neither does well in terms of attendance or fan passion. When you think of either place, hockey is hardly what comes to mind. Between the contraction and relocation, hockey would be getting out of places where it had no business to begin with.
Look for Part 3 next week when the league begins to take shape.
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