"Just blasphemy": Analyst staggered by NHL expansion recurring to Atlanta, Arizona over "second Toronto team"

By Zachary Roberts

Modified Sep 30, 2024 14:15 GMT

With NHL expansion a possibility, it's beginning to look like the league is looking at either Atlanta or Arizona as a possible destination for a new team or two. These locations have had NHL franchises before, most recently the Arizona Coyotes who are no longer active. The idea of those places getting a team before a second team team in Toronto seemed to shock a couple of NHL analysts, including Bryan Hayes.

TSN broadcaster Pierre LeBrun posed the scenario:

“I will tell you, there’s one market that would get me excited, if Gary Bettman was ever willing to go down that road, and it’s the one that we live in. A second team in Toronto. For years, I’ve been pushing and others as well, of course, but you want to talk about HRR, and you don’t think the NHLPA would be in favor of that."

Hayes agreed with LeBrun, adding that there's "no question" it would be successful. He doesn't believe the current commissioner for the NHL is the person to accomplish this, though:

“The problem is that if they’re going to get to 34 or 36 or whatever, and Toronto’s not included. Are they going to go to 38 to get Toronto a team 40?”

The idea that the NHL would expand to Atlanta or Arizona instead of another Toronto team is alarming to Hayes:

“Atlanta for a third time. Arizona for a second time, over a second team in Toronto is just blasphemy.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team in a major hockey market. Both Hayes and LeBrun believe a second team would be the best use of a possible NHL expansion.

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NHL analyst acknowledges challenges with NHL expansion to Toronto

Pierre LeBrun wants to see an NHL expansion team in Toronto. However, he knows that it's not likely to happen with Gary Bettman as commissioner and that there are other challenges with adding another team.

NHL expansion is on the horizon (Imagn)

Via TSN, he said:

“Whether there’s a promise or not a promise, you know, whatever it is, it’s always hard to get, you know, understand exactly what went down. But there’s always been this sense that Gary Bettman, you know, to some degree, always, you know, told the Leafs that this would never be a road he would go down. But, but again, we can dream.”

If that's the case, Atlanta or Arizona could certainly be picked for expansion before Toronto.