Report: NHL Governors considering second team in Toronto

[lawyerman]

It appears some National Hockey League officials think the Toronto market is big enough to have two teams.

According to The Globe and Mail, NHL governors have had informal talks about putting a second team in Toronto.

''Why shouldn't we put another team in the best and biggest market in the world?'' one governor told the newspaper anonymously, adding one scenario involves Research in Motion CEO Jim Balsillie being awarded an expansion franchise after coming to the aid of the financially-strapped Nashville Predators.

''I've heard bits and pieces of this scenario, although not in that kind of detail,'' Calgary Flames co-owner Harley Hotchkiss told The Globe and Mail. ''Our priority is to have the existing franchises solid.''

President of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Richard Peddie said his organization would listen to any expansion suggestions and downplayed any negative effect it could have on the Maple Leafs.

''When and if the league brings expansion to the table, we'll listen and decide what is best for hockey,'' Peddie told The Globe and Mail. ''The Maple Leafs would not be hurt one bit. In fact, it would help them. They could make all kinds of money renting the Air Canada Centre to the other team.''

Another governor told the newspaper the league would be better served by moving an exisiting team as opposed to granting an expansion franchise.

“I don't think it can be an expansion team,” the unnamed governor told The Globe and Mail. “We can't expand because we would be the laughingstock of professional sports. We've got too many troubled franchises."

In recent years, Balsillie has made attempts to buy the Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins amid speculation he would move the team to the southern Ontario region.

Files from The Globe and Mail were used in this report.

 

[tboy]

So, we'll have TWO losing teams here? WTF is wrong with these people......

 

[capncrunch]

Bad, bad idea. Further thinning out the talent pool is NOT the way to go.

 

[blueline]

Another governor told the newspaper the league would be better served by moving an exisiting team as opposed to granting an expansion franchise.

“I don't think it can be an expansion team,” the unnamed governor told The Globe and Mail. “We can't expand because we would be the laughingstock of professional sports. We've got too many troubled franchises."

Nice to read that somebody gets it.

 

[maurice93]

About time, but I would imagine the Leafs to at least ask for a hundred million to come into theremarket, as they are strongly protected from infringement under the NHL constitution.

A little competition will be good for Leaf fan.

 

[red]

a second team in toronto would be great.

 

[mac]

they could still put another one in SWO (i.e K-W) even with a second one on Toronto.

 

[tboy]

a second team in toronto would be great.

The only way it would be great is if it was in no way affliliated with MLSE and provided competition for the leafs. Maybe that way the powers that be would get their heads out of their collective asses and build a team that could make it into the SC finals.....until then? They're just blowing smoke up our asses.

 

[Hugh G. Rekshun]

...Peddie told The Globe and Mail. ''The Maple Leafs would not be hurt one bit. In fact, it would help them. They could make all kinds of money renting the Air Canada Centre to the other team.''...

SkyDome/Rogers Centre is not very busy during the winter, and the Raptors played there for their first couple of seasons. Could it be a temporary home for an NHL team until they built their own arena?

Presumably MLSEL would object to another team in the area, or at least want a large amount of compensation, but there appears to be some question as to whether the NHL could legally do anything to stop an owner from moving his team anywhere he wants.