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Post by wolfmannick on Nov 15, 2017 23:20:05 GMT -6
According to a report, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta held a meeting in recent weeks to discuss the viability of an NHL team in Houston.
Multiple sources told Katie Strang of The Athletic that the preliminary meeting took place at the NHL offices in New York.
Bettman declined to comment on the meeting to Strang, but did say that the league is not relocating any clubs right now.
But asked if Houston might be considered if an opportunity arose, Bettman said, “if Houston were to express an interest in having an NHL franchise, under the right circumstances, it's something we might want to consider.”
Fertitta's ownership of the Rockets includes operation of the Toyota Center in downtown Houston, which opened in 2003. It holds 17,800 for hockey, and Fertitta has commented in the past about his interest in bringing NHL hockey to his building.
“I would love to bring an NHL team here,” Fertitta told Houston’s Fox affiliate station in October. “It's just got to make sense. It'd be hard to fathom that we can't support an NHL team here. Zero has happened, but we will start looking at it.
“Do I want to see Toyota Center filled up 300 nights a year? Definitely.” Fertitta told the Houston Business Journal. “I would put an NHL team here tomorrow.”
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Post by TheDeuce on Nov 16, 2017 9:20:31 GMT -6
Houston would play in the Western Conference and would thus serve to balance the addition / relocation of a team to QC. That'd be tempting.
m.
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 16, 2017 9:31:43 GMT -6
The problem is Houston will probably come due to Phoenix relocating. Seattle is ABSOLUTELY 100% getting team 32. The Key Arena renovation is going to pass on December 4th and BOTH the NBA and NHL has signed off on it being good enough. One of the Seattle city council members spilled the beans a few weeks ago and said they couldn't do a better review on Key Arena because the NHL has told them they want a team to start in 2020 instead of 2021.
The only way Quebec gets a team is a Islanders/Panthers/Hurricanes/Senators relocation.
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Post by wolfmannick on Nov 16, 2017 10:56:31 GMT -6
Houston would play in the Western Conference and would thus serve to balance the addition / relocation of a team to QC. That'd be tempting. m. The problem too is the NHL has made it pretty clear they don't want to goto Quebec. They told them not to build their arena, moved Columbus and Detroit to the east to unbalance the conferences, denied their expansion bid and there was even a report a while ago saying the majority of NHL execs didn't want to go there. Their only chance is if a team has to relocate and there are no other viable options. |
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Post by bcmike on Nov 17, 2017 15:10:34 GMT -6
My guess is that once Karmanos has exhausted all of his options (which will be very soon) that he'll take Quebecors 500 mil and they'll end up in Quebec. The NHL is opening up exploration of Houston because Arizona is on the brink of being untenable (famous last words)
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Post by Bruinsfan on Dec 5, 2017 20:13:58 GMT -6
Mikecubs and BC mike are right, Houston is essentially a "west" conference relocation spot for phoenix but they need an owner.
Karmanos is a soulless person i do think he eventually sells that team to quebecor...That arena will jsut make up the dates carolina by partnering with the university in town.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 6, 2017 0:39:32 GMT -6
Mikecubs and BC mike are right, Houston is essentially a "west" conference relocation spot for phoenix but they need an owner. Karmanos is a soulless person i do think he eventually sells that team to quebecor...That arena will jsut make up the dates carolina by partnering with the university in town. Houston does have an owner. The Rockets new owner meet with Bettman about a team a couple weeks ago. I think you may be right about Carolina. Greenberg couldn't raise the $500M. No one is going to pay that for Carolina. It's a shame though. With a proper owner I really do believe Carolina could turn it around ala a Nashville. The Coyotes/Panthers/Islanders should be the teams that move. |
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Post by Tim on Dec 6, 2017 9:32:29 GMT -6
The problem is Houston will probably come due to Phoenix relocating. Seattle is ABSOLUTELY 100% getting team 32. The Key Arena renovation is going to pass on December 4th and BOTH the NBA and NHL has signed off on it being good enough. One of the Seattle city council members spilled the beans a few weeks ago and said they couldn't do a better review on Key Arena because the NHL has told them they want a team to start in 2020 instead of 2021. The only way Quebec gets a team is a Islanders/Panthers/Hurricanes/Senators relocation. Relocation is the only way Quebec gets a team, the Canadian dollar has already dictated that. |
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Post by Bruinsfan on Feb 27, 2018 18:36:31 GMT -6
agreed that houston probably is the spot for Phoenix, it saves the nhl a major tv market in the "west"
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