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The Columbus Blue Jackets And NHL Expansion

By Frank Walker |
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Jun 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at a press conference before game one of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final between the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

At the end of June during the NHL’s Board of Governor’s meetings commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the NHL expansion process had begun.  This has been long rumored about and today is the first day that ownership groups can submit applications for the chance to give the thirty other owners a combined $500 million dollars for the privilege of spending a second fortune to actually begin day to day operations.

I have wondered for a long time how the different NHL expansion targets would affect the Columbus Blue Jackets.  With news today that a bid does not seem imminent from Kansas City (see here) I thought it would be a great time to offer some thoughts on how the remaining four contenders (Las Vegas, Seattle, Quebec City, and a second Toronto team) would affect the CBJ.

Oct 8, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The Canadian flag waves on the backdrop of the CN Tower before the start of the Toronto FC match against the Houston Dynamo at BMO Field. The Dynamo beat FC 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Greater Toronto Area

All the way back to the days of Jim Balsille attempting to buy the Arizona Coyotes for the purpose of moving them to the greater Toronto area (GTA) there has been talk of how successful a second franchise in the GTA would be.  The day after it was announced that NHL expansion past thirty teams could be a reality someone threw their hat into the ring for a GTA team (here).

The real question is how this particular NHL expansion location affect the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The first is that it would increase league wide revenue which would taper down to teams that receive revenue sharing like the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The second, and more concerning question for many, is how would it affect the alignment of the NHL.  Bettman has acknowledged that the uneven alignment of the league (16 teams in the Eastern Conference and 14 in the West) is a problem.  Although he has said that you don’t expand in order to fix this problem.  One rumor has been that if the league expands with a second Toronto team that this new team would play in the Western Conference and that it could afford to do so because of the wealth of hockey fans in the GTA.  So if the situation is right with an ownership group this is a real possibility that poses little inconvenience for the Blue Jackets.

Jan 18, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; General view of the downtown Seattle skyline and Space Needle with the Seattle Seahawks 12th man flag in advance of the 2013 NFC Conference championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle

Seattle is the city that has had an on again off again relationship with NHL expansion.  The talk mostly centers around the largest city in the United States that does not have a winter sport.  For the NHL that seems like a major metro area that is ready to fall for hockey since it was spurned by the NBA.  There is even an arena plan.  Strike that TWO competing arena plans.

The team could be housed in an arena that has originally been planned by as a home for the new Seattle Supersonics or it could be built by a group wanting to house it in a new arena in a suburb south of Seattle.

How would a Seattle team affect the Columbus Blue Jackets?  Other then adding another leg to the West Canada road trip (it makes sense to stop there after having been in Vancouver) not a lot as far as the on ice experience goes.  A Seattle team would help even out the league and the addition of another major population center would only help grow league wide revenues.

Sep 26, 2014; Quebec City, Quebec, CAN; A general view of the Quebec amphitheatre in construction next to the Colisee Pepsi as viewed before the game between Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Quebec City

Quebec City is the spot that a lot of hardcore hockey fans want to see return through NHL expansion.  For many it has been too long since the Quebec Nordiques have skated across NHL ice.  We also know that the same company that built the new arena in Quebec is submitting an application for an expansion team (here).

This is the one franchise possibility that will raise concern for Columbus Blue Jackets brass.  The first issue is that there was a reason the Nordiques left Quebec the first time.  The issues that surrounded that are not as prominent this time around and a better capitalized team in a league that has more revenue sharing then ever before may fix some of those issues but the possibility remains that a Quebec City NHL expansion franchise could present problems for the league.  The second is that a Quebec City team would not want to play in the Western Conference.  Bettman may not be high on using expansion to fix alignment but you can be sure he doesn’t want NHL expansion to make the alignment worse.  In the scenario of the return of the Quebec Nordiques you could expect for either Columbus or Detroit to be moved back west or a radical realignment scenario that would drop the traditional East/West paradigm. That being said, I would personally like to see them get a team.

Dec 21, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; General view of the Las Vegas strip and skyline on Las Vegas Blvd. before the Las Vegas Bowl between the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Southern California Trojans. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the surest bet (ha ha get it….bet) of a city to get an NHL expansion team.  They have an owner who has completed a successful season ticket drive and a brand new arena being built.

This is as close to a sure thing as anything in the NHL these days.  This city also presents very few issues as far as the Columbus Blue Jackets are concerned.  A Las Vegas NHL expansion franchise would help even out the conferences.  If the ticket drive and general interest from around the country about the first team in “Sin City” is any indication the team will be profitable.  Even if the team doesn’t turn a profit they seem to have a potential owner who is willing to shoulder some losses.

Next: Columbus Blue Jackets: Us Against The World

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