NHL commissioner addresses rumours of second Toronto-based team.
In the last 20 years, there has been a notion throughout the NHL and its fan base that Toronto could support a second NHL franchise. There have been a few attempts to land a second franchise including when former black Berry CEO Jim Balsillie tried to acquire the Nashville Predators and bring them to Hamilton ON and the idea of an expansion team in the city of Markham which is just to the north of downtown Toronto all have failed.
The question resurfaced yesterday when Gary Bettman was asked about the idea of a second NHL franchise in the city of Toronto with the recent news from Tempe AZ that they have rejected the notion of building a new arena complex for the beleaguered NHL franchise the Arizona Coyotes.
Bettman rejected the idea and stated that the NHL and the people within it don't feel there's an appetite for a second team in Toronto.
The city has a population of around 8 million people. Their current franchise is going through yet again another turbulent and uncertain offseason after being beaten in five games in the second round for the first time in 20 years.
I certainly think there's a market for another team, and I feel that this hypothetical team, whether it's a relocation from Arizona or a brand new expansion team would be highly successful financially and on the ice as we have seen in Seattle and Las Vegas recently.
| POLL | ||
Can Toronto support a second NHL team? | ||
| Yes | 1170 | 55.5 % |
| No | 940 | 44.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
