I’ve always wondered why Atlanta was given another NHL team after the city let its last one move to Calgary 20 years earlier. Minneapolis-St. Paul I can see, they didn’t give into the Northstars’ blackmail but capitulated as so many eventually do after the threat was followed through on.
Personally I do hope the Thrashers pack up and go North. The only real loser will be the AHL’s Moose, one of six IHL teams the AHL took in because it was a successful teams they deemed worth saving. I’ve seen a proposed series of moves from The Hockey News but I don’t think it will happen, the poor Moose will fold since there’s nowhere for them to go in Canada: the East is crowded and the West is sparse. Maybe they’ll merge with the Chicago Wolves.
Something has to be done by July since the NHL will have its scheduled announced. Will the Thrashers get moved to the Western Conference, which begs me to ask, who joins the Eastern? Logically, it has to be a team in the Eastern time zone. I would prefer Detroit since they’re competitive yet I can live with Columbus. The Blue Jackets may actually improve being in a more balanced division; the Central has been dominated for years by Detroit and then ’rounded out’ with non-threatening St. Louis, Chicago and Nashville. Knowing Bettman, he’ll be a jerk and keep Winnipeg in the Southleast which could bankrupt the new owner(s) in travel expenses, as if being in Canada weren’t enough; ask any team in California.
Meanwhile, Houston blew their third game in a row against Hamilton, tying the series. Tuesday night will be tense in the Toyota Center. It’s win or go home. Either way, the Bimington Senators are resting up. They’re probably hoping for Hamilton, it’s a much shorter trip to Ontario than Texas, from New York state.