Gary Bettman addresses the idea of a 2nd NHL franchise in Toronto
With all that is currently going on with the Arizona Coyotes and failing to secure a new arena deal in Tempe, AZ last month, there have been plenty of rumours circulating about where the Coyotes might end up. Still, even with all of the doubt out there from the fanbases of more successful NHL markets, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman remained steadfast that an NHL team can and will thrive in Arizona.
One of the rumours that had been circulating for a number of years is that the Toronto market could support a second NHL franchise, whether it be the Coyotes or an expansion team. Markham and Hamilton were a couple of the ideas being tossed around within the GTA, but there are a number of locations that could make sense.
Last night, Bettman was asked point blank if there was any chance that we could see a second NHL team in Toronto at any point in the future. Unfortunately, the NHL's Commissioner was quick to shoot that idea down.
"The discussion takes place in your world more than it does in ours. It's a matter of speculation, it's a matter of putting things out there, but in terms of the interest, the reality, what's involved. It's not something that seems to be resonating the way other markets and other ownership requests are resonating for whatever reason or reasons" - Bettman on the idea of a second GTA-based team
As it turns out, we likely won't see another Toronto-based team as long as Bettman is at the helm for the NHL. It's actually quite frustrating, given the fact that Toronto could have two of the top hockey markets in the entire league. Meanwhile, Bettman is still focused on keeping teams in struggling markets, losing money while the top markets in the league keep them afloat with revenue sharing.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 4 | 317 ANSWERS Gary Bettman addresses the idea of a 2nd NHL franchise in Toronto Will we ever see a 2nd NHL team in the GTA? | ||
| Yes | 82 | 25.9 % |
| No | 235 | 74.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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