Ex-union chief sees NHL expansion

Sean Gentille, Sporting News

For anyone who thinks that the National Hockey League can?t handle another round of expansion, former NHL Players' Association director Paul Kelly has got some news for you.

Kelly, at a city council meeting in Markham, Ont., over the Toronto-area city?s arena proposal, said the league discussed expanding from 30 to 32 teams with him, and that he believes Quebec City and Southern Ontario will have franchises in the next two to three years.

Markham is deciding whether to build an NHL-caliber arena, the GTA Center, and Quebec City, Kansas City and Seattle have already built or are in the process of building their own. The Markham deal has drawn opposition because of the taxpayer funds it would require.

Kelly led the union from 2007-09 before he was forced out in part over concerns about the closeness of his relationship with the league. It?s just as important to note that he was speaking as an invited special guest of Graeme Roustan, the project?s ringleader.

The NHL, throughout the lockout, said that expansion wasn?t on the table.

The case actually isn?t all that tough to make. A 32-team league would reap the benefits of expansion fees, balanced conferences and, certainly in the case of Quebec City and Ontario, two more packed arenas.

Arguments against are the ethics behind publicly funded arenas and concerns over a diluted talent pool. Also, the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs hold territorial rights that could be a roadblock for potential Quebec City and Ontario teams, respectively.

Plus, the long-term viability of Sun Belt teams remains unclear. If the league expands, there could be two fewer potential destinations should an existing franchise run into trouble. The most obvious example is the Phoenix Coyotes, though Greg Jamison will reportedly finalize his purchase of the franchise this week.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bizj_buffalo/~3/boBp2Zq6nKg/ex-union-chief-sees-nhl-expansion.html

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