Comments on: Seattle makes a lot of sense for the Coyotes

By: mogulboy

mogulboy — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:12:44 +0000

Seattle has 7 rinks within 20 minutes of downtown and there are a few in Tacoma. There is one league that has close to 100 teams and another one that has about 20 teams. There are plenty of hockey players (& canadians) in the area. It’s a good spot to broaden NHL’s reach.

The Arena is the key (no pun intended) which several readers have already called out.

By: buffalomafia

buffalomafia — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:08:23 +0000

Hamilton will never get a team because it is to close to Toronto & Buffalo.

By: elvispocomo

elvispocomo — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:17:05 +0000

‘Virtually overnight” eh? Even if the Cdn $ does fall somewhat, it’s the Canadian teams that make the most money in the NHL and provide that money back to the unprofitable teams in non-hockey markets through revenue sharing.

If Buttman wasn’t so interested in trying to sell hockey in places that won’t buy it, the only choice would be a Canadian city. Even with Winnipeg finally getting hockey back, there’s still Hamilton and Quebec City as major options for relocation/expansion if a suitable arena is ready.

By: comeonnowguys

comeonnowguys — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:11:17 +0000

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice….

By: buffalomafia

buffalomafia — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:08:13 +0000

If you could get real owners in Atlanta then they should have a team? Just saying?

By: buffalomafia

buffalomafia — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:05:53 +0000

Portland & quebec will get teams not Seattle?

By: pavelfitzgerald

pavelfitzgerald — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:30:52 +0000

@Raindyday56

You realize that “collecting” a $20 million cheque every time the Coyotes lose money is irrelevant when they’re losing 25 million PLUS a year. Where did you go to learn math from? Bernie Madoff school of business ??

By: greynraney

greynraney — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:25:38 +0000

First of all, calm down if people “thumb down” your comment. Secondly, I live outside of Portland and would LOVE to see the NHL here in the Rose City. However, Paul Allen has made it quite clear that he doesn’t want the NHL in Portland and with the Winterhawks already established I don’t see this happening at all.

By: t16rich

t16rich — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:41:06 +0000

How do thumbs down my comment there? You can’t even argue that. It’s a fact. Thumbs down this comment for being a whiner but the first comment is truth. Phoenix fan support sucks lets face it. The fans are like bears, hibernating in regular season but they will come out for playoffs. Portland would be great for the league especially since it seems Bettman wants teams in the U.S.A. over capable Canadian markets. Portland was selling out the lower bowl of the Rose Garden for the Winterhawks playoff run last year. That’s awesome for a WHL game. Look at that new Soccer team. The Portland fans are nut cases at those games. The teams Portland has they show up and support. Phoenix is a great sports city but ice hockey? I dont think so. Even the Coyote faithful has to bite the bullet and face it soon. If the Phoenix area truly wanted to help with hockeys growth they would do it through continuing to develop their youth hockey players, not by desperatly wanting to own an unstable NHL team. Please give us Seattle or Portland, not Kansas City. Quebec City?? Where are they? Habs vs Nourdiques is worth moving them back for. Cmon BettMan!!!!!

By: hague507

hague507 — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:11:58 +0000

If they go to Quebec City is there enough french speaking coaches in the league for them AND the Canadians to have one???

By: comeonnowguys

comeonnowguys — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:30:36 +0000

Because the Missouri Mavericks can’t even outdraw teams in Fort Wayne or Wichita?

By: rainyday56

rainyday56 — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:05:03 +0000

Why do people assume the Canadian dollar will remain at par? The Canadian dollar could fall back you 60 cents
or lower virtually overnight. If it happens, then Winnipeg and the other two flatland franchises will be in jeopardy again, so forget about more franchises in Canada. Besides, Glendale gives the league $20 M per year every time they declare a loss. Until Glendale council wises up, the league will stay in Arizona and collect cheques.

By: yettyskills

yettyskills — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:42:14 +0000

Portland & KC are more likely than Seattle.

By: nflinla

nflinla — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:47:23 +0000

Why doesn’t the NHL consider Kansas City?

By: blomfeld

blomfeld — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:30:41 +0000

a couple of years ago, while I was down in Tucson on a little winter”get-away” playing golf at a local muni-course there, I asked my Phoenix-born playing partners during the round … “so are you guys big Phoenix Coyote fans ?” … all three of them just looked at me and simply smiled and we then proceeded on to the next hole … the bottom line is that you can’t force a round peg into a square hole … no different than you can’t force “auto-racing” upon a city like Vancouver, as they tried to do here back in the 90′s… Seattle or Portland would serve as far better locations for this franchise, as would Saskatoon, Quebec City, Toronto, Hamilton or Halifax … Gary Bettman knows that and hopefully his “pride” will soon give way to “reason” … hockey is a terrific sport which “we” as North Americans love … however, it has to be played in the “right” places …

ps: I’d like to offer Bettman the following “poignant” piece by Elvis, as he now weighs “that” which needs to be done …

By: gbiscottagecheesefatties

gbiscottagecheesefatties — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:56:30 +0000

HAHA. 2nd or 3rd

By: mrbill4260

mrbill4260 — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:38:08 +0000

Atlanta is hungry and ready to go we just need new owners the arena is in place and the team name and logo. Lets give the Thrashers a second chance.

By: clavette

clavette — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:21:27 +0000

after the last whale game i went to mid week along with about 150 other people, i dont think that hartford can support another hockey team. connecticut is a tough state, had the patriots built there stadium in hartford i could definitly see a hockey team moving back. if hartford gets another team the same crap will happen again

By: t16rich

t16rich — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:19:10 +0000

Portland!!!! They got great fan support with the Winterhawks and the Blazers have been a top team in attendance since the Rose Garden opened.

By: buffalomafia

buffalomafia — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:59:31 +0000

Quebec & Portland?

By: rgledz

rgledz — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:40:52 +0000

…….but what about the $170 bucks all of the owners would get? That’s what the story says. That’s a sweet little chunk of change! ; )

By: thomaspratt

thomaspratt — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:23:36 +0000

There were reports in the Seattle media just before Christmas about a hedge fund manager from San Francisco who is trying to bring the various stakeholders together to build a privately funded arena in either Bellevue or in the area just south of Safeco Field. And the Chicago Wolves owner has long wanted to own a hockey team in the Puget Sound area.

I’m not sure I see the NHL working in Seattle. I live 90 miles north, very close to the Canadian border, and the only hockey in this town is on my TV when I’m watching Center Ice. Seattle will inevitably get an NBA team, and it’s such a basketball town that the NHL team will fall to fourth spot on the local sports pecking order. There are WHL teams in suburbs north and south of Seattle, but neither is incredibly well attended.

It makes sense from a league perspective to move Phoenix somewhere other than Toronto or Quebec City, and Seattle is certainly richer than Kansas City, but unless the owner is willing to finance losses while the team gets established in the market, it could be an unhappy stay.

By: mtm1321

mtm1321 — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:15:50 +0000

Go to Hartford. That city is dying to have another NHL team again.

By: capsrockva

capsrockva — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:21:00 +0000

Seattle has no hockey arena at the moment and last time I checked the taxpayers in Seattle doesn’t want to fund a new arena