Edited May 10 at 10:08 a.m.
Quoting: A_Habs_fan
Unfortunately, there's nowhere in Atlantic Canada than can fit an NHL team imo, Halifax is the biggest one but I think they're too small for an NHL team. Maybe AHL would consider Halifax though
Quoting: AK50
Fair, but I just feel that the East Coast deserves a hockey team and Halifax has the most people(around 500,000), so it seems like an obvious choice. Quebec City wouldn't be bad, its just that a team in Atlantic Canada really makes the game more accessible.
Quoting: Rangsey
Halifax ain't it. Not big enough to support a team. Hamilton gotta be on the list tho
The average city in the new 32-team NHL has a US$GDP of over $380 billion and a DMA population of over 4.15 million; average per capita US$GDP of nearly $92,000 per year.
Salt Lake City for reference has GDP of $135 billion, DMA population of 1.25 million and average GDP of $107,644
Phoenix was $362 billion GDP, 4.85 million DMA, and GDP per capita of $74,721.
There are only 3 other non-NHL cities in North America that would raise the average, and in theory create the opportunity to accretively raise league-wide revenues: San Francisco, Houston, and Atlanta. Phoenix is the next closest city to be on par with the league average.
NHL EXPANSION CITY CANDIDATES
PACIFIC
San Francisco, California - huge economy, large and wealthy population (not San Jose, CA); very old/small arena (13,550) would need to be replaced. NFL, MLB, NBA teams.
Portland, Oregon - NHL sized arena ready (18,280); similiar sized market/population as Vancouver and St. Louis. NBA team. Some hockey culture.
San Diego, California - large economy/population (similiar to Minneapolis and Denver); smallish arena (12,920) would need to be replaced. MLB team. AHL success (Gulls).
Others to consider but not top options: Sacramento, Oakland (Former NHL team the Golden Seals were in Oakland, not San Francisco which was a big factor in their failure), Boise.
CENTRAL
Houston, Texas - huge & wealthy population, large economy/corporate base. Has to be Fertitta until 2033 when arena (17,800) lease is up. NFL, MLB, NBA teams. Former successful WHA team (Aeros) here.
Phoenix, Arizona - huge market/population; arena issues are well documented, 5 year clock is ticking. NFL, MLB, NBA teams. Former NHL team located here (Coyotes)/culture.
Austin, Texas - wealthy citizens and fairly large economy (similiar sized market/population as Vancouver and St. Louis); no large arena. No major sport teams.
Kansas City, Missouri - NHL sized arena is ready (17,544) - economy/population is similiar to Nashville & Pittsburgh. NFL, MLB teams. Short-term NHL team located here (Scouts).
San Antonio, Texas - NHL sized arena (16,151) is ready - average sized economy/population compares to Las Vegas/Pittsburgh. NBA team.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - NHL sized arena (15,178) - population/economy is similiar to Edmonton, Ottawa, Raleigh, and Salt Lake City. NFL, MLB, NBA teams. Strong hockey culture, Blackhawks consider it their territory.
Others to consider but not top options: Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Memphis, Omaha, Tulsa, Albuquerque, Des Moines, and Saskatoon/Regina.
METRO
Baltimore, Maryland - large population/economy (similiar to Vancouver/Charlotte), decent sized arena (14,000) but would need to be replaced. NFL, MLB, NBA teams. Some hockey culture.
Charlotte, North Carolina - large population/economy (similiar to Vancouver), decent sized arena (14,100) but would need to be replaced. NFL, NBA teams.
Cincinatti, Ohio - average population/economy (similiar to Nashville/Pittsburgh), decent sized arena (14,453) but would need to be replaced. NFL, MLB teams. Some hockey culture.
Indianapolis, Indiana - average population/economy (similiar to Nashville/Pittsburgh), small arena (11,651)would need to be replaced. NFL, NBA teams.
Cleveland, Ohio - similiar economy/population to Columbus. NHL sized arena is ready (18,926). Former NHL team located here (Barons). NFL, MLB, NBA teams. Some hockey culture.
Others to consider but not top options: Norfolk, Richmond, Louisville, Birmingham.
Re-alignment option could be to put Nashville Predators in Metro if best expansion candidates dictate realignment.
ATLANTIC
Atlanta, Georgia - huge population and economy, 2 bidding expansion groups/arena proposals. NFL, MLB, NBA teams. 2x former NHL teams located here (Flames/Thrashers).
Orlanda, Florida - similiar economy/population to St. Louis. NHL sized arena is ready (17,353). NBA team.
Hamilton, Ontario - as a stand-alone city is way too small to be an NHL market based on population/economy (smaller than even Quebec). NHL sized arena (17,383) and extremely strong hockey culture in place. As a "2nd Greater Toronto Area" team however, Hamilton ranks on this list. IMO, if the Buffalo Sabres were ever to relocate they would be allowed to move here; otherwise I think both the Maple Leafs and the Sabres block any additional teams in the southern Golden Horseshoe.
Quebec City, Quebec - much too small of an economy/population for the modern NHL (similiar to Winnipeg, Manitoba). NHL sized-arena is ready (18,259) and former NHL teams (Bulldogs/Nordiques) were located here. Extremely strong hockey culture.
Others to consider but not top options: Jacksonville, Hartford, Providence, Grand Rapids.
Atlanta could be a Metro or Atlantic team to place; depending upon other expansion options to optimize geographical/potential rivalry fit.
The four strongest cities to grow the leagues revenues would be: San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta, and Phoenix and it's not particularly close. San Diego and Baltimore come in 5th/6th.
I can see the concern over San Francisco with neighboring San Jose but that is about the same distance as Toronto to Buffalo but in this case it would be like having Toronto and Vancouver an hour apart and everyone in both cities made twice their current income.
Add San Francisco to the Pacific, Arizona/Houston to the Central; move Nashville to the Metro, and add Atlanta to the Atlantic
PACIFIC
Edmonton
Calgary
Vancouver
Seattle
San Francisco
San Jose
Los Angeles
Anaheim
Vegas
CENTRAL
Winnipeg
Minnesota
Chicago
St. Louis
Colorado
Utah
Dallas
Houston
Arizona
METRO
New York R
New York I
New Jersey
Philadelphia
Washington
Pittsburgh
Columbus
Carolina
Nashville
ATLANTIC
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Detroit
Buffalo
Boston
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
Florida
Or an alternative Metro/Atlantic alignment could be:
SOUTHEAST....................
NORTHEAST
Philadelphia...................New York R
Washington....................New York I
Pittsburgh.......................New Jersey
Columbus.......................Boston
Carolina..........................Buffalo
Nashville.........................Detroit
Atlanta............................Toronto
Tampa Bay.....................Ottawa
Florida.............................Montreal
This format could have a positive impact on TV ratings/value by having the Northeast teams competing more regularly such as Toronto/Montreal vs the New York area teams, but the alternative is re-creating the not-so-successful "Southleast" division/demographic.