NHL European Expansion Plan is Garbage

October 8, 2008 by Mother Pucker
Filed under: NHL News 

I’m glad that I’m not the only one that thought that the NHL’s talks of expanding to Eurpoe stunk like hot garbage. Michael Farber over at Sports Illustrated states “The NHL seems willing to go an awfully long way to spin its wheels.” I agree, and the day that these European expansion talks come to an end will be a great day for hockey.

As with all expansion talks, you have to wonder how adding another 2 or so teams will affect the talent pool. Its already been watered down quite significantly due to past expansion, and I think that it has to stop. You see some of those early pre-season games? Yes there are some kids that are hoping to make the team, and sometimes do, but there are those pluggers that never make it, and spend their entire career in the AHL. If there is expansion, surprise surprise, those players will be suiting up full time in the show, causing your team to be shittier.

As for why NHL European expansion is bad, there are more than enough reasons.

  1. They would have to change the leagues name from the National Hockey League to the International Hockey League, or Atlantic Hockey League, or World Hockey League. Wait a minute! IHL, AHL, WHL are already taken? Not to worry, I’m sure Bettman would have an awesome idea to rename it something catchy like the Worlds Dominant Multi Nation Hockey League.
  2. Anyone think about travel time, jetlag, and players calling in sick because they have the Amsterdam flu? Didn’t think so.
  3. The global economy isn’t doing so hot. I’m no rocket appliance but I think that means that you should NOT be looking to expand into new areas when you are unsure of how financially viable they are going to be. Then again, this is the NHL (WDMNHL), who has been greedy enough to take the franchise fee millions in the past, and not really give a flying one where the team ends up. Even a non hockey fan should be able to name two or three cities where there shouldn’t be a NHL team.

Anyway, instead of going on and on, I’m turning the floor over to you to let us know what you think of European expansion. If you couldn’t tell already, I think its hot garbage. You?

Comments

5 Comments on NHL European Expansion Plan is Garbage

  1. Jason on Wed, 8th Oct 2008 4:07 pm

    2. And let’s not forget how this would affect us, the fans. Any game played against a European team on a weekday would be virtually unwatchable to a 9-to-5′er in North America, due to the time difference. I could maybe live with this for a few games during the regular season, but if I had to miss playoff games over it, I’d be pissed.

    Oh, and one more thing. How well received do you think it would be over there if the English Premier League started talking about adding a few American teams to the mix? Exactly.

  2. Shawn on Wed, 8th Oct 2008 4:10 pm

    3. I think the travel time and travel costs alone would strike something like this down faster than a prom queen could reject the fat kid.

  3. Chris on Wed, 8th Oct 2008 4:12 pm

    4. This is a TERRIBLE idea…Bettman is crazy and I think is very much delusional! The league needs to contract at least two teams in the U.S (I’ll let you fight on which ones)not expanding overseas. It would add games to the season because of travel, fragment an already fragmented fan base, and essentially create two leagues (Canadian/European vs U.S). Please someone take this man off his post before he hurts the league anymore.

  4. jeph on Wed, 8th Oct 2008 10:12 pm

    5. I could see using Europe for development but as far as expanding the league over there is asinine..travel times, game times, advertising… The NHL has enough problems of its own in NA then to worry about expansion overseas… Besides look at how well the NFL expansion went albeit who in their right mind wants to watch pigskin football in Europe…..

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