Given the state of the US economy, I can see two or three more teams move to Canada.
Quebec City, Hamilton, Toronto 2.
Sir, I have the greatest respect for Canada. (Hey, I'm here, after all, and on the Bring Back the Winnipeg Jets Facebook PAge.)
And I know that this is Canada's game first.
But I can't honestly see 3 teams leaving the States ALL for Canada.
I can see three teams relocating, sure--
Coyotes, Panthers, and then the Predators, Blue Jackets, or Islanders (of those last three I STRONGLY prefer the Preds...Columbus isn't a bad idea for a hockey market--even if "Blue Jackets" is the most uninspired name ever--and the Islanders should stay in NY, they don't deserve to "die," they were a good franchise, they've just hit poor times...the Penguins had the same thing happen, let alone the White-Colored elephant in the room now residing in Arizona...GOD I hate that team, Ducks/Kings/Sharks/Stars are all legit teams, and then the Yotes come and stink things up!)
But all three going to Canada?
That I cannot see.
The economy is bad--I can attest to that first-hand, I and many others my age are really struggling to break into the job place, I do my own English tutoring service, but other than that, haven't been able to nail a job--but 3/3 is a bit much.
1/3?
YES, OF COURSE...Quebec IS coming back...
They've even taken a que from you all, it seems, and have adopted their own version of the Jet, er, Nord-o-meter, er, metre!
2/3?
I could see that as well...I don't know if Bettman will allow Hamilton in after Basillie's showing him up for the fool he is, but you never know...I can't see Toronto getting a team, the Maple Leafs and potentially the Sabres would have a fit and sue...
But Hamilton could happen...or maybe Regina...or somewhere else.
But 3/3?
Bettman would sooner blow up Maple Leaf Gardens than allow that!
And statistically, there are still plenty of US markets that those displaced teams could go towards...
Leaving out Houston and KC--because the former is absurd in that Texas is already barely supporting ONE NHL team and the latter as, again, St. Louis is just getting by and doesn't need the extra competition--there's still:
Seattle...Portland...Milwaukee (THAT would make a great NHL city, right up there in the north, and on top of that, it creates an instant rivalry with Detroit, and that's 2/2 for How To Start A Successful Expansion Team In The NHL, pick a good location and be sure you'll have an inborn, natural excitement to get things started, and one of the easiest ways to do that is have a natural rivalry.)
And so on.
Oh--and there's a lovely city in Connecticut that's ALSO been waiting forever for the return of a beloved NHL team that came with the Jets from the WHA...I think their mascot had something to do with Whales or something of that sort...yes, they deserve their team back, too.
So, again, PLEASE don't take me to be a Yankee bashing Canada.
(Especially as I'm a METS FAN, thank you very much!)
But while Canada will definitely get the Nordiques back in Quebec, and maybe another franchise to boot in Hamilton, Regina, or wherever else, 3 new Canadian franchises doesn't seem plausible.