Minnesota makes more sense to be in the Central than Winnipeg IMO.

I wouldn't move CBJ.

Tom's way would be the best way IMO.

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Nashville to the SE makes more sense geographically to me than Columbus, that's my thinking anyway.

I think Nashville works best, too, but with their continued rise and rivalry with Detroit and growing Chicago rivalry I don't think they move. The Blue Jackets, unfortunately for them, just don't have anything going for them that would prevent them being moved.

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mechaphil

maybe theyll play a major league baseball, and keep 16 teams in the west, 14 in the east.

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New stories about the move are now breaking all over twitter.

They're saying this deal is all but closed.

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Wheelhouse

I wish I could agree with these statements, but I don't. soccer draws well in both Portland and Seattle, as does football in Seattle (Seahawks). But hockey is a niche market in both towns, and I don't think either city would do any better than Atlanta as an NHL town.

The Winterhawks drew around 10,000 to Game 5 vs. Kootenay on Friday, but that is by FAR the largest crowd I've ever seen at a Hawks game and I've been to probably 15 games. That 10,000 didn't materialize until after a great season that saw them lead the WHL's Western Conference in points, and didn't materialize until the WHL Finals.

Portland could not sustain an NHL team.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stanleycup/story/2011/05/16/sp-nhl-thrashers-winnipeg.html

The group that owns the Atlanta Thrashers is reportedly negotiating with Winnipeg's True North Sports and Entertainment on a potential sale of the NHL team.

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, citing "a person familiar with the NHL's sale process," reported on its website Monday that talks are taking place between True North and the Atlanta Spirit group, but no deal has been reached.

According to the report, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an email that there was "nothing I'm prepared to say at this point."

A True North spokesperson declined comment to CBC Sports' Teddy Katz.

The Atlanta Spirit group, which also owns the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena, has been looking to sell the Thrashers for years, claiming losses of $130 million US since it bought the team in September 2003. A viable local buyer has not yet emerged, sparking speculation the team could be on the move.

If the Thrashers were sold to True North, the franchise could be relocated to Winnipeg as early as next season.

True North, led by Winnipeg businessman Mark Chipman and billionaire David Thomson, was reportedly interested in buying the Phoenix Coyotes and moving them to Winnipeg. But officials in Glendale, Ariz., voted last week to cover up to $25 million US of the NHL-owned team's losses next season, keeping it in Arizona for at least one more year.

Winnipeg has been without an NHL team since the Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996.

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."

Jobs I wouldn't want #249: The guy in charge of the logistics to support the above statement.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."

From what I hear, the Sounders and the Timber draw really well. It's a good time to be a soccer fan in the northwest right now.

Too bad neither city would probably be able to sustain an NHL team, per your observations. Oh well.

Sent from my Droid X using Tapatalk

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mechaphil

i think there are 4 relocation options right now:

kansas city
hamilton
winnipeg
quebec city

with toronto getting a second team as a potential 5th.

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Then they can have 2 failure teams!

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Will never happen. The Leafs will never give up their territorial rights.

Those are mere observations on my part and shouldn't be taken as the final word. But I do think there's a reason that baseball never came here, despite various attempts. Hockey isn't a big part of the culture here, except to the transplants from the Northeast like myself (and there are a lot of transplants here).

MLS Soccer has done well here though, so maybe I'm not giving enough credit to my fellow Portland sport fans. All I can say is that for over 90% of the people I talk to here, when I mention going to a Winterhawks game, the first thing that comes out of their mouths is "Oh, I love it when they get into fights"... To them, that's what hockey is all about.

I'd love to see a 2nd Toronto team go in there and out perform the Leafs.

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Wheelhouse

i highly doubt it as well.. though they did kick the bucket around a few years ago.
they also tried it in detroit, but illitch ultimately decided against it (though, i suspect more that it would have been something to do with william davidson allowing the NHL to play at the palace, and not the wings.. those two HATED each other)

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2 schedules being made, this could drag on a while.

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/darren_dreger/?id=366000

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Yeah, I think it was last season or the one before where the league had 2 drawn up as an, "Incase shit happens" scenario with Phoenix. All I hope is that this doesn't drag on as long as the 'Yotes issues have.

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy