What do you think of Bettmans quote in Yahoo Sports?

You only need to do the comparison. Every single game of the Canadian Teams makes it on TV somewhere in Canada. Add to that about 50 games or so with no Canadian Teams playing. Almost all the games of the Play offs made it to air on Canadian TV. Those were all broadcast nationally unless more than 3 games were on at once. (And games not shown were mainly when 3 or more games were broadcast too.)

The Canadian arena's are sold out for next year, just like they were sold out this year. There are waiting lists that take years for seasons tickets - sold out, with only seats available are the tickets they can sell at the last minute when the reserve is lifted from the visiting team list.

This ain't anything special. This is every year, and an average year. American teams do not sell out like Canadian team, there have been pathetic TV coverage, and pathetic playoff turnouts.

There can easily be 3 more teams in Canada and they would be just as well received.

Hey Devsfan! Go back to playing with your garden slug collection and leave the hockey talk to the adults with vocabularies above single syllable words.

Need to see more teams here. No one can come up with a single decent answer as to why there aren't more teams in markets where the game will sell no matter what now that there is a cap. Luxury boxes statements are BS, so is corporate sponsorship. There's no proof to any of it only weak theories. Quebec and Winnipeg got hosed because the league knew a cap would make those sites survive but Bettman wanted more cubs in major US markets and was willing to take them from Canada to do it.

It would only work if he were to move existing franchises where there is little to no interest and move them to markets like Winnipeg or Quebec City that couldn't survive pre-salary cap. Expansion would be a horrible idea as he has already over expanded the league.

But I guess you never know with Bettman. He's probably thinking that more players means more AHL caliber defensemen and goalies in the NHL which should create more scoring which means the game will be more exciting.

He's been told Canadians really, really want this. So he's pretending to consider the idea. I don't think he has ANY desire to see any more (or even as many) teams in Canada in the future.

Since Canadians are already obsessed with hockey, and our cities are smaller, he doesn't see any revenue growth up here, and in particular no lucrative US TV deals, which seem to be the thing he is trying for by pushing so hard for mainstream interest in hockey in the US. ( Meanwhile hockey has been pushed to networks nobody had ever heard of before and after the infomercials! )

He won't block it, but it will take someone like Balsillie to basically kidnap a financially struggling franchise if we are to get any new teams in Canada.

As a fan, I would love to see that. Canadian teams are so much more fun to watch than most other teams just because of their raucous crowds, you can really tell the emotion of the game just by listening to them.

Really, I can understand the financial aspects of why he's wary of going north, especially given the state of the league. But I think southbound expansion has turned out to be a huge bust. Personally, I'd like to see Winnipeg or even just Seattle getting a team.

When Bettman came from the NBA he was let go because he was not that good at what he did. I see a pattern here. If Bettman says six you go with three, if Bettman say run then you walk, if Bettman says expand then you fold exsisting franchises that are not drawing crowds and fianacially losing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Less teams=Less players=better talent only=better games in packed rinks Go hockey in Canada, Boo hockey in Florida!

Bring back the Toronto St. Pats!

Awesome name for a team in the biggest hockey city in the world.

I know its ridiculous considering Winnipeg and a few other cities that could easily support one, but here is one Irishman who would love to see it and I really don't feel like making any sense today.

We're getting prepared for Nashville's move. The spin begins.

EDIT: I agree with the post above with regards to Seattle, but not Maine or the Dakotas. Not enough population or income there to provide a healthy environment for a pro franchise.

Well, he's going to have to pull off a miracle. There is no owner worth his degree in business who is going to set up operations in Canada when he knows that he can get more for his dollar in the United States.

he's obviously leaving the possibilty open to moving teams north of the border to appeal to rabid hockey fans(say future/ former predator fans) and just testing the waters