NHL Lockout Finally Over!

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The NHL has felt the need to push south because it needs to be able to justify getting a national television contract in the US if it is going to have the money to compete.  If the NHL gives up on the south, it will only bring closer the day when a pan-European league (be it the KHL or some other) is the major league of hockey.

What are you smoking? The KHL will have a long time before it can compete evenly with the NHL.

Some have cited all of these sun belt franchises as being an indirect cause of the lockout in the first place. 

True, it'll be a couple of decades at least, and if the KHL is to become the pan-European league that someday will coequal or supplant the NHL, it needs to lose some of its Russian teams to make room for more European teams.

However, as hockey mad as Canada is, an NHL based in Canada and the northern US alone will not in the long term be able to compete with a pan-European league.

[Hatman 🍁]

The NHL has felt the need to push south because it needs to be able to justify getting a national television contract in the US if it is going to have the money to compete.  If the NHL gives up on the south, it will only bring closer the day when a pan-European league (be it the KHL or some other) is the major league of hockey.

What are you smoking? The KHL will have a long time before it can compete evenly with the NHL.

Some have cited all of these sun belt franchises as being an indirect cause of the lockout in the first place. 

True, it'll be a couple of decades at least, and if the KHL is to become the pan-European league that someday will coequal or supplant the NHL, it needs to lose some of its Russian teams to make room for more European teams.

However, as hockey mad as Canada is, an NHL based in Canada and the northern US alone will not in the long term be able to compete with a pan-European league.

Maybe they will one day merge into a global hockey league? How awesome would that be?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Maybe they will one day merge into a global hockey league? How awesome would that be?

Not a chance.  Travel would be brutal.  At most there might be a game or series held between the Stanley and Gagarin Cup holders each year.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I wore one of my Red Wings T-shirts today to celebrate.

[Hatman 🍁]

Maybe they will one day merge into a global hockey league? How awesome would that be?

Not a chance.  Travel would be brutal.  At most there might be a game or series held between the Stanley and Gagarin Cup holders each year.

Travel wouldn't be that bad with a good schedule. Remember, we're talking a few decades from now when we will be commuting with hoverbeams.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Travel wouldn't be that bad with a good schedule. Remember, we're talking a few decades from now when we will be commuting with hoverbeams.

Hoverbeam lag would still be a pain.

[traininthedistance]

Yay!

Now I don't have to  hear about the NFL all the time.

The best thing about the lockout is that Sun Belt teams will have a huge chunk of their ban base decimated and it will just quicken the process of moving those teams back to where they belong. (northern US / Canada)

Couldn't agree more.  I don't know why the NHL continues to feel the need to push south, it's not going to work now, it didn't work in the 70s and it didn't work in the 90s.  Atlanta, anywhere in Florida, ....really anywhere south of I-70 should be right out.  Except LA.

The NHL has felt the need to push south because it needs to be able to justify getting a national television contract in the US if it is going to have the money to compete.  If the NHL gives up on the south, it will only bring closer the day when a pan-European league (be it the KHL or some other) is the major league of hockey.

What are you smoking? The KHL will have a long time before it can compete evenly with the NHL.

Some have cited all of these sun belt franchises as being an indirect cause of the ockout in the first place. 

They should pare back on the sunbelt teams, but not all of them are in dire shape.  Dallas, Raleigh, and Tampa Bay should stay; Miami, Nashville, and Phoenix should pack their bags and move north (or maybe one can pack its bags and the other two can fold).

Dallas is just so large (and can cover all of Texas in terms of rooting interest, as well as surrounding areas in the South and West), and there are enough northern transplants in NC and FL to allow for each of those states to support one team.  Also, the Hurricanes are the only pro team in the Triangle, which is a recipe for solvency in much the same way as the NBA's teams in places like San Antonio and SLC.  As for why Tampa and not Miami... well, the Hurricanes have had more success, and Miami is a horrid sports town in general, much like Atlanta and Phoenix.

[7,052,770]

The NHL should institute promotion/relegation and drop the profit sharing, and let the invisible hand decide whether the South should have teams.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

People, go post in my predictions thread!  The hockey presence on this board is devastatingly putrid! 

WINNER GETS BRAGGING RIGHTS : )

[BaldEagle1991]

The NHL should institute promotion/relegation and drop the profit sharing, and let the invisible hand decide whether the South should have teams.

No No No.

[Hatman 🍁]

The NHL should institute promotion/relegation and drop the profit sharing, and let the invisible hand decide whether the South should have teams.

They should institute something based on attendance. Like 4 straight years with sub 14000 per game avg should have their team move.