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a_canuck · 04-03-2025, 04:32 PM

The SHL Expansion Draft is rapidly approaching and with the new general managers selected I wanted to offer up some ideas on where these new teams could be located. There are a number of things that goes into selecting a location for a new team: market size, hockey culture, geography, potential rivalries. These are all critical things to consider when building out a new hockey club! They should feel unique and new! We want to bring in teams that feel at home but also bring something to the table we have not seen before. I want to consider all of these while also including the most important factor, fun! Players should enjoy playing for a team and be able to celebrate and joke about their teams in their respective locker rooms, while also engaging with fans in new and exciting ways. The best teams are ones that combine their talent on the ice with their ability to contribute to our community off of the ice. With all that in mind, let's look into some potential locations for expansion!

Conference and Division Balance

When adding four new teams we want to make sure that we are keeping the balance of the league. Currently, the SHL operates with twenty teams; adding four teams to the SHL will require careful planning to ensure that each division remains balanced and competitive. To this end we will want to add one team to each division, or move an existing team, so that each division has six teams. This allows the league's structure to remain intact and things like playoff structure are not negatively affected.

SMJHL Team Promotion (aka build where it works!)

The first thing to consider is do we want to "promote" some SMJHL teams to the big leagues? There are some major hockey centres that have SMJHL teams but are lacking representation in the SHL. Especially when we look at the geography and layout of the teams. The SMJHL has done an incredible job at developing young talent, growing the sport, and creating fan bases across the continent! By placing teams near these regions we are able to get a head start on building out our new team by jumping on that pre-existing work.

So, let's look at some promising locations!

Placing a SHL team in Colorado, Carolina, and Maine look like an obvious choice. These locations stand out as clear contenders to make the jump given their vibrant hockey history, passionate fans, and strong hockey markets. Moving these teams to the SHL or perhaps just placing new teams in those regions allows us to grow the league using established infrastructure.

We know that hockey can work there so by placing new teams in this location we can be somewhat assured that they will become formidable and competitive teams that contribute to the SHL.

Geographic Rivalries

Another consideration is building in local rivalries. It can not be understated the importance of geography when it comes to fan engagement. Having teams that are close in geographic distance can help integrate the new teams by giving them a natural rival to help them grow and integrate. It provides natural story lines as teams go head-to-head and fans from each team mix see each other at local bars, events, or in other public spaces.

Given our considerations so far and the teams from the SMJHL we are looking at it would make sense to select a team for Pacific Division. There are a number of great choices in these region: Portland, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Victoria, among many others. If we are looking for an immediate rival though, I think selecting another Albertan team for a proper Battle of Alberta is a good idea. Expanding the Battle of Alberta to have three teams allows for a mini-tournament within the season as the three teams play each other. This could run similar to the Cascadia Cup for Major League Soccer between Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland.

Selecting the Best Cities for the Teams

So, we have selected our four locations: Alberta, Maine, Colorado, and Carolina but we still need to find cities within those States and Province to host the teams and to help differentiate them from their SMJHL counter-parts. After considering the local culture, history, and hockey gods I have determined that the best possible locations would be:

Auroa, Colorado
Auroa is a growing city with a unique name that has the infrastructure to support a SHL team. It's located near Denver, which has a strong history with hockey following the Raptors' success in the State. Placing a team in Aurora seems like a strong play.

Auroa, Maine
Maine has long been a centre of hockey talent but has lacked representation at the highest level. No more! Placing a team in Auroa would allow this unique town to show exactly what this hockey loving state has to offer! Placed in the North-East there are plenty of opportunities for them to find a proper rival in the area.

Monarch, South Carolina
Carolina has been growing as a hockey market with the success of the Kraken. It is time for them to get the proper major league team they deserve. Placing the team in Monarch allows them to attract locals to the sport and help them grow into being part of SHL royalty!

Monarch, Alberta
Monarch has the opportunity to become the King of Alberta! A little south of Calgary it builds into the Battle for Alberta by adding a third team and makes the rivalry all the more dynamic by adding a third team. Any concerns that the hockey market is over-saturated in Alberta are overstated and should be ignored.

Economic Impact and Community Growth

Beyond hockey, the arrival of an SHL team would bring significant economic benefits to each of these regions. New opportunities for employment would boost the livelihood of those who live there along with increasing tourism as people come to the cities for games. These SHL teams would help grow global awareness for these cities and for the sport of hockey itself. I am sure that conversations with local leadership will be smooth and that they will be willing to spend millions and perhaps billions on creating new stadiums using public funds which will be used exclusively by private entities. The taxpayer loves that stuff.

Conclusion

To summarize, expanding the SHL into Auroa, Auroa, Monarch, and Monarch not only is a clear way forward without any possible confusion but would strengthen the league's competitiveness and bring a fresh wave of excitement to fans of the sport all across North America. I am sure that the general managers in charge of these new teams will jump at the opportunities to place their teams in these locations.

Of course, there is much thought that will have to go into the branding of each team, but that is a conversation for another day. What is clear is that by placing teams in Auroa, Auroa, Monarch, and Monarch we allow the SHL to stand out in a new and unique way!

Let us all look forward to a new era in the SHL and the expansion draft to come!

Note: Minnesota and Winnipeg where not consulted in the creation of this article.

(1203 Words)