BREAKING - Atlanta Thrashers Returning to The NHL!?
NHL expansion may be in the future, but former NHL player Anson Carter wants to see if Atlanta is a possibility.
He is reportedly looking for investors to bring back the NHL to Atlanta. Keep in mind, this has been attempted twice without the team staying. Poor ownership at the time was the downfall. So, if Carter can find some investors who can actually be a skilled ownership group, it could happen.
Atlanta had the Flames from 1972-1980. They moved to Calgary. Then, a second attempt to make the NHL work in Atlanta happened from 1999-2011 with the Thrashers. They ended up moving to Winnipeg in 2011, giving the Jets their own reincarnation after they relocated to Phoenix in 1996.
As far as the Atlanta area being awarded another franchise in the NHL, it may be a hot rumor, but just that... a rumor. Things have changed in Atlanta and the former Philips arena has been renovated and renamed to State Farm arena.
It is capable of holding 17,624 for hockey. It is where the NBA Atlanta Hawks play. So, a facility is there, they just need to work on an ownership group.
Still, expansion for the NHL at this point is a pipe dream at best. It's hoped that if Carter is serious that he finds a rich ownership group considering expansion fees could be astronomical.
Other cities such as Quebec City and Houston would seem to have an inside track to expansion rather than Atlanta.
Here's an article covering a proposed expansion to 36 teams.
Atlanta does have an increased population of over six million, and could support an NHL team. We shall see if it ever happens.
The Thrashers had many NHL players still actively playing. Evander Kane, Andrew Ladd, and Blake Wheeler were just few who donned the Atlanta jersey.
| POLL | ||
Would you like to see the Thrashers be the next expansion team? | ||
| Yes | 91 | 40.4 % |
| No | 134 | 59.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
