http://tinyurl.com/yd2tta

This is a damn good idea. I was thinking Omaha or KC would be great because they have or will have new arenas opening soon and there are quite a few hockey fans around this region. Omaha would be much better for me, and the Qwest Center is an awesome venue, but KC has the population and more Pro sports fans.

I'll still hate 'em.

i desperately want them to move to winnipeg. i really miss the jets.

I think it would probably help the NHL out a bit if they re-established some of the Canadian clubs, since there is hardly any american tv viewership or broadcasts. I just feel that once a team leaves a city, they shouldn't get another franchise.

It boggles my mind that Pittsburgh is allowing this to happen. Especially now that Crosby, Malkin, and to a lesser extent Fleury seem to be the real deal.

Without the alliteration, they've got nothing.

There has also been conversation about the Pens going to Portland - or even to Seattle if the Sonics are able to secure funding for a new stadium on the Eastside.

not having an nhl team in winnipeg (or quebec city, for that matter) is analogous to not having the browns in cleveland. hockey fans in these places are devoted. they never should have left in the first place. plus, they have a new arena.

The building in KC opens this October, so it could be perfect timing. Pittsburgh will really regret this if they let it happen. But I predict in the next 15 years another franchise will move so maybe Pittsburgh gets another crack. You just have to think between Anaheim, ATL, Nashville, Phoenix, NJ, Carolina, Islanders, Caps & both Florida franchises at least one of them will seriously look into relocating. It's weird to think but the Pond in Anaheim is already 13 so add 15 years & suddenly it's old. Without an NBA franchise I don't see the city rebuilding it.

KC is gonna get a freakin gift if this goes thru. Imagine Crosby, Malkin, Fleury & Staal flying into to town. Oh by the way this is the NHL hope you like it. These 3 players are what you call franchise types mixed in with a future all star

Hopefully they DO NOT bring back the Scouts uni's



I just hope it happens so the Pens move to the West & we get to see them in LA yearly not every 3-5 years or whatever. But I really feel bad for Pittsburgh hockey fans I know what it's like having your team play second fiddle in the cities eyes. But for the life of me can't figure out why Pittsburgh can't buy into the Pens when there's no NBA, practically no MLB & the Steelers off season is so long.

Let's look at KC's 2nd Tier Sports Support vs. Pittsburgh and then re-evaluate if this is a good idea.

Aren't Teh Royals and Teh Pirates pretty much farm teams masquerading as major league ball clubs? Hasn't KC had a fucking hockey team before that shit the bed?

This is a bad idea.

yeah, we had the kansas city blades, and they died in 2001. i don't see people here getting too excited about hockey.

Let's look at KC's state of the art building vs the Igloo. Because let's be honest this is what it comes down to. If all things are equal over 20 years I don't think anyone expects KC to bring in more people than Pittsburgh. But the building + the honeymoon a new team brings the scale tips in KC's direction. The problem isn't Pittsburgh. It's the Penguins inability to get out of the Igloo without leaving Pittsburgh. If Pittsburgh could solve the Igloo, the Pens are thiers.

And anyone who says you had a franchise & lost it, well todays potential season seat holders were wee tots or not even born when the Scouts left in '76. 2 years ago a 19 year old KC native I went to film school with kept telling me that there were gonna get an NHL team. People have been excited about this for years.

Atlanta lost teh Flames and got another chance and it seems to be working out.

In fact the Thrashers are the only playoff-caliber pro sports team in this city right now.

Also, why the fuck do you even care? You don't watch hockey, live in Pittsburgh or KC, or care about any of the three.

I wasn't basing my argument on the fact that they lost a team before. I was mainly saying that they are both smaller/8th tier markets that only compete in a league that has a salary cap and revenue sharing (NFL) and STB everywhere else. It seems like moving from Greenville, SC to Akron, OH...who gives a fuck?
It just doesn't seem like a viable solution. The NHL should face facts and fold 8-10 franchises. As should baseball.

The viable solution (as Damen mentioned) is that they have a building and (I guess) can sell some advertising and seats for the damn thing.

But yeah, I agree with you on the big picture: too many franchises, too many games, etc etc.

Yeah, those first nine games'll be a blast, and then that arena will become a rusted hull, and home to such teams as their MISL franchise The Kansas City Stars...ask the KS peeps who remember when KEMPER FUCKING ARENA hosted the Final Four.

If this weren't hockey, I would suggest auctioning the players on some kind of satellite/closed circuit TV and imploding The Igloo on Pittsburgh's local access channel. BLECH.

Sad day for Pittsburgh. I'm not even a Penguins fan, having grown up in Caps country, but you gotta feel for the fans in Pitt, who seem slightly helpless to the gov't bs that is going down. Why they weren't given the right to slots....heaven knows. You have to feel for Lemieux as well. The guy owes his career to Pittsburgh, and he's stuck.

As for the NHL, expansion has been a bitch, and has completely screwed over the core audience. Sure, expanding the NHL into certain areas has worked, but I believe the positive to negative influences are much fewer. As Damen said, there are so many franchises on edge of shutting down, its a wonder the NHL is even still in existence.

Hockey is such a fickle sport. Baltimore has taken a whack at the sport numerous times on the minor league level.

FYI: Did you know that the first artificial ice rink opened in Baltimore?

My understanding is that the state did grant a license for a casino, just not to the company that was going to give them a free stadium. That is what is ludicrous to me. Plus, I think the company that was going to give the Pens a stadium wanted to do a Riverboat casino or something. That probably would have worked out well. The company they actually gave the license to wants to put a casino on the Northside, perhaps thinking that people who like to gamble might enjoy taking a chance at walking around on the Northside at night. Will I win at slots or will I get mugged? Sort of up the ante a little...

I said in the next 15 years I'd bet another team will move. In 15 years Al Davis might move the Raiders again.... twice, MLB might move another team. The new CBA actually put the NHL on solid ice, it'll never be solid ground without that big TV contract though. So much more is dependant on each market to support it's team without that big check coming. But at least that CBA leveled the ice surface so we have a 30 team league & not a 12 team league like MLB. Teams have to find ways to get folks in the building. The Kings added $10 a game season seats, a couple of 3 game plans & 2 different 13 game mini plans. The 2 years before the lockout they broke attendence records with that type of marketing despite not making the playoffs either season & being in Staples for a few years. So it can be done if the fans are there & $$$ is what is keeping them from going often enough to make an impact. The question is does FLA & other 90's expansion markets have the fans to use that approach? FLA most likely not, but Nashville & ATL can come around with playoff sucess. They should at least be given the chance.

Pittsburgh is actually a pretty unique situation. It all comes down to a 40 year old building & the horrible deal they've been tied to that gives them barely anything, even when they pack it. Sellouts would not save them, so why stay?

Does Atlanta have that sweet Finnish goal starting for them yet? I think he is 21 or something.

Edit: oh, I see Kari Lehtonen is 23 and is Starting. That boy is good. I hung out with him after a Chicago Wolves game back during the strick, and he wasn't old enough to buy beer yet.

Yeah, he's a badass.

Moving the pens would suck balls. I love the cross state Pens/Flyers rivalry..If they do move, I'd hate to see them move to KC, why not put another team back in Quebec??? The NHL expansion over the last few years has been pretty much shit and Bettman is an idiot..

1)Let's put 2 teams in Florida
2)Let's move 2 Teams from Canada(Jets and Nords) When it's their game.
3)Let's move the Stars...So we can then have the Wild(What type of shit is that)