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Weretarantula · 08-05-2020, 02:56 PM

I need more money in the bank cause I'm a greedy hoarder. How did you think I got the Head Banker job in the first place? Sure as hell wasn't because I'm qualified. Anyway here's a list of stuff

So there are currently 32 NHL teams. 'What basis does this have on the league?' I hear you ask. Well, to be frank not a lot. HOWEVER, everyone on this site has come into the league because they enjoy hockey or have no friends, and where did they get their love of hockey? That's right, the KHL. But not a lot of people know that the NHL has a very close knit following as well, so the league is definitely inclined to make decisions based on fans of that league, whether or not they are actually relevant to the site or not.

The teams in the NHL are:
Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Calgary Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Montreal Canadiens
Nashville Predators
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
San Jose Sharks
Seattle Kraken
St Louis Blues
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
Washington Capitals
Winnipeg Jets

Of that above list, this is the list of current teams that we have in the SHL and J that line up in location:
Anaheim Ducks > Anaheim Outlaws
Arizona Coyotes
Boston Bruins > New England Wolfpack
Buffalo Sabres > Buffalo Stampede
Calgary Flames > Calgary Dragons
Carolina Hurricanes > Carolina Kraken
Chicago Blackhawks > Chicago Syndicate
Colorado Avalanche > Colorado Raptors
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars > Texas Renegades
Detroit Red Wings > Detroit Falcons
Edmonton Oilers > Edmonton Blizzard
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings > Los Angeles Panthers
Minnesota Wild > Minnesota Chiefs
Montreal Canadiens
Nashville Predators
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers > Manhattan Rage
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
San Jose Sharks > San Francisco Pride
Seattle Kraken
St Louis Blues > St Louis Scarecrows
Tampa Bay Lightning > Tampa Bay Barracuda
Toronto Maple Leafs > Toronto North Stars, Hamilton Steelhawks
Vancouver Canucks > Vancouver Whalers
Vegas Golden Knights > Nevada Battleborn
Washington Capitals > Baltimore Platoon
Winnipeg Jets > Winnipeg Jets

And these are unassigned to any current NHL location:
New Orleans Specters
Anchorage Armada
Kelowna Knights
Maine Timber
Newfoundland Berserkers
Quebec City Citadelles

So out of those teams, our list of open locations is as follows:
Arizona/Phoenix
Ohio/Columbus
Florida/Miami, Ft Lauderdale
Montreal (Quebec City already represents Quebec by default)
Tennessee/Nashville
New Jersey/Newark
Long Island NY (Manhattan already represents NY)
Ottawa (Ontario is already represented twice from Toronto and Hamilton)
Pennsylvania/Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
Washington/Seattle

Before we get into the list, let's look geographically at what is already taken.
In the North West we have 5 teams:
Anchorage, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver

In the North East we have 11 teams:
New England, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Manhattan, Maine, Newfoundland, Quebec City, Toronto, Hamilton, Baltimore

In the South West we have 4 teams:
Anaheim, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nevada

In the South East we have 3 teams:
Carolina, Tampa Bay, New Orleans

And closer to Central we have 5 teams:
St Louis, Minnesota, Colorado, Texas, Winnipeg

Winnipeg and St Louis are close to being located in Eastern areas but they just feel a little too far out so that's my reasoning for putting them there.
Given that we now have the totals in each area, we can now compare the open locations and see where they would actually suit. Keep in mind the expansion is going to add a single team to each conference, so even though the East is already loaded with teams, it still has to get one regardless.

Arizona/Phoenix OPEN only 5 teams in Central area (or 4 in the South West) and gives Texas a direct rival

Ohio/Columbus CLOSED there are already 11 teams in the North East

Florida/Miami, Ft Lauderdale OPEN only 3 teams in the entire South East and gives Tampa a direct rival

Montreal CLOSED it's the most crowded area already and Quebec already has a team even if they are in the J

Tennessee/Nashville OPEN only 3 teams in South and gives New Orleans a direct rival

New Jersey/Newark CLOSED the North east is crowded with 11 teams already

Long Island NY CLOSED same as New Jersey, Manhattan is already there

Ottawa CLOSED for the same reason as Montreal but replace Quebec with Ontario

Pennsylvania/Philadelphia, Pittsburgh CLOSED same reason as New Jersey

Washington/Seattle OPEN only 2 SHL teams in the entire North West

I can hear the Montreal fan boys crying already.
In all honesty even though the North East is ridiculously crowded with teams there is a strong case for Montreal, Pennsylvania and Ottawa. All three places have a strong hockey history and have lots of people on the site that are fans of their NHL equivalents. This is a simulation after all, there's no actual restrictions as to where we can put our teams.

Breaking down the available options from above, we can get rid of Ohio, New Jersey and Long Island. Realistically there is enough teams in the league to satisfy the fan base of these locations, and Manhattan is just fine.
Arizona and Florida are already controversial choices of locations for teams in real life, and the main reason they were put there in the first place is down to money and market share. I don't feel the SHL needs to represent either of these teams. Seattle could be a great choice, it's a fresh team, it's exciting, but it struggles with having anyone else around it. The other three teams that aren't Albertan are all in the J. Seattle could be the step up for them, but it would kind of be playing third wheel to it's Albertan rivals.

That leaves us with Tennesee/Nashville available. and I personally feel as though it's a great option for a new team. It has open geographic location with only 3 other teams in the entire league, a rival waiting for an opponent in New Orleans, and a super strong hockey community in real life. It can be the step up from the Carolina team if we really wanna look at it through that perspective too.

I still have to pick a team for the West though and that's a really hard choice. California swamps the region with teams so there's a ton of decent options available. Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City could all be great, hell even Hawaii could be a sweet place (even if it doesn't have even a hint of ice). After all it doesn't have to be super realistic. Arizona is the other main option but personally I'm opposed to more desert teams.

Anyway this has been a very rambling review of potential options and honestly it's mostly garbage. Expansion applications are probably gonna littered with Montreal submissions because those people have nothing better to do with their lives and need to have the stupid Habs represented on the site. Just relocate Hamilton there, it's not like anyone cares about them and they are mostly Habs fans anyway. Suck it @Gwdjohnson

*fishy* · 08-05-2020, 03:02 PM

pls no second florida team good riddance

***frithjofr*** · 08-05-2020, 03:05 PM

Expansion time is always a really cool time, and it's great to see other people's thoughts. Cool write up, WT, and I happen to agree with your assessment of Nashville.

Weretarantula · 08-05-2020, 03:11 PM

08-05-2020, 03:05 PMfrithjofr Wrote: Expansion time is always a really cool time, and it's great to see other people's thoughts. Cool write up, WT, and I happen to agree with your assessment of Nashville.

SlashACM · 08-05-2020, 04:52 PM

Fuck trashville

*Zoone16* · 08-05-2020, 04:56 PM

Mexico City Aztecs. Fulfill @ArGarBarGar 's dream team.

Samsung virtual assistant · 08-05-2020, 05:11 PM

The Return of Portland Admirals pls

**_Blitz_** · 08-05-2020, 05:29 PM

08-05-2020, 03:02 PMjfisherr Wrote: pls no second florida team good riddance

Don't diss my dreams of the Miami Vice, whose colors are sky blue, neon pink, and black, with a either a shark or a speedboat as the logo, Publix and Bealls sponsorships behind the nets on the ice, and Thirds that rotate to some obscenely Florida theme every two or three seasons. If FHM had crowd shots, it would be a combination of the Jersey Shore's southern cousins and swampbillies in jorts that seem very confused, but either way you can take one look and smell the Coppertone.

It's the Florida Man Id Incarnate, Fish, and it has to happen at some point.

Weretarantula · 08-05-2020, 05:49 PM

08-05-2020, 05:29 PMCapt_Blitzkrieg Wrote:
08-05-2020, 03:02 PMjfisherr Wrote: pls no second florida team good riddance
Don't diss my dreams of the Miami Vice, whose colors are sky blue, neon pink, and black, with a either a shark or a speedboat as the logo, Publix and Bealls sponsorships behind the nets on the ice, and Thirds that rotate to some obscenely Florida theme every two or three seasons. If FHM had crowd shots, it would be a combination of the Jersey Shore's southern cousins and swampbillies in jorts that seem very confused, but either way you can take one look and smell the Coppertone.

It's the Florida Man Id Incarnate, Fish, and it has to happen at some point.