X-posted to THTM.
As well as talking about the Danny Syvret/Ryan Potulny trade-o-rama that really only affects AHL followers, this article at Canoe.ca is the first I've seen of a Canadian news source backing my newest cocakmamie scheme. Says John Short:
My guess would be that Seattle - having lost the NBA Sonics - is a better potential location for the NHL than many of the southern markets now in place.
If it mattered, you could say the same about Winnipeg and Quebec City. Arena upgrades are necessary, but they're not impossible.
Well thought out on the surface level, Mr. Short, but I believe that the Supersonics are leaving because of issues with Key Arena, meaning you probably wouldn't be able to drop an NHL team in there and have them not whine about it as well. Driving the nail in that coffin is also the fact that the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) are running from Key Arena to somewhere in Kent for the next season as well, implying that hockey isn't flourishing there either.
Know where hockey WOULD flourish in the Pacific Northwest however? I've told you this before.... and since Seattle just got the MLS team, it seems fair that someone would throw Portland another major league team as well, as we've only got the one. I mean think about it, sure they'd share the building with the Blazers, but the Wizards and the Capitals share Verizon and it... mostly works. If Portland's denied the MLS team and the MLB team they've been coveting, wouldn't people grudgingly accept an NHL team? People in Seattle would have the option of going to Portland OR Vancouver to watch hockey, and it'd give someone local to the poor Canucks to play, instead of leaving them stuck up there in Vancouverville all alone. Just think, you could have the I-5 Ice War or something.....
So Dearest Bettman, (although I only call you that when I want something,)please give us the struggling Thrashers. I'm sure we can slot Army and Crush into the insanity that is the general MO of Portland, and it'd give the poor Canadians a chance to see snow once in a while again.
7 comments:
I'd prefer Seattle over Portland. Of course Winnipeg and Quebec City are the best options and that's without considering it logistically of course. Just as long as it's a team moving and not expansion.
Of course, I began and ended a sentence with "of course".
I've watched major junior hockey in both Seattle and Portland (Ore.) and I'm here to tell you that Portland is a far better place to watch hockey than Seattle is. In fact, I've watch hockey in quite a few places, in both Canada and the US, and I must say that Portland was the best. And, Portland wouldn't have as many competing major league sports, either. This is coming from a girl who played hockey 30 miles south of Seattle in Tacoma. Just a thought.
I live in Portland and I would love to see an NHL team in town.
That being said, the chances are very poor. Although the Rose Garden is a perfectly adequate hockey arena in and of itself, the Trailblazers are the belle of the ball, and they have already proven that they are not nice roommates for hockey. That's not to say that the Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) franchise hasn't been without it's internal management problems... but the Trailblazers seemingly have gone out of their way to drive them under.
This is confusing considering the rumors several years ago that Paul Allen might be interested in an NHL franchise tenant for the Rose Garden. Perhaps they were just that, overblown rumors.
However... Perhaps a new leaf has turned, because the Portland Lumberjax (NLL) franchise seems to have done okay sharing an arena with the Blazers. I would speculate their demands are less, however. They play far fewer games and although they use the dasherboards, they do not require sophisticated equipment underneath to keep ice frozen.
As a Portland resident, though, I appreciate the endorsement of our town. Here's a website I visited long ago: http://nhl2pdx.com/
Cassie-I played roller derby in Tacoma when I was there for college, and we always ran into the too far/too close issues with Seattle. It's too far to go up to practice bi-weekly, but it's too close to REALLY have a separate team.
I was also working on the knowledge that Seattle's public has just paid however much for the two Seahawks/Mariners arenas, and probably won't be willing to pony up more for ANOTHER NHL arena that's not Key Arena.... whereas the Rose Garden still has SOME shiny newness attached.... at least....
why are people STILL not waking up to the fact that the key can't have hockey and it it was built that way ON PURPOSE by Mr. Ackerley when he owned the sonics.
if the NHL wants to come to Seattle then they have to find someone who can convince the area we need ANOTHER sports arena. (which we don't)
the t-birds are moving to Kent (which is still in the Seattle area btw) so they can be in a building made for hockey. in the new kent events center, not only will there be seats all the way around the building, but you can SEE THE GAME from all those seats as well.
and to teka--you might be happy to know that YES Tacoma has its own Roller derby team, as does Olympia and bremerton too! more are in the works!
Yes, Tacoma has it's own roller derby team... I helped start it :-)
We always had issues with being a 'training team' or a 'reject team' when girls would play with us until they could try out for Rat City, or girls who didn't make the cut would come play with us.
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