NHL 2023-2024 season - Page 35

ericmacm · #**681** Posted **Apr 13, 2024, 2:24 PM**

I think it will work out very well in SLC. The Jazz regularly sell out at home, and I suspect it will be more of the same with an NHL team.

SLC itself is not a large city, but almost 80% of the state’s population (about 2.7M people) is concentrated into a ~200km linear quasi-metro along the Wasatch Front, of which SLC is the central hub.

elly63 · #**682** Posted **Apr 13, 2024, 3:20 PM**

SLC would be looking at building a new arena as they are the only serious bid contenders so far for the 2034 Winter Olympics

Djeffery · #**683** Posted **Apr 13, 2024, 3:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horus

After going through a pretty successful expansion process to add Vegas/Seattle, the NHL is pulling some pretty shady stuff with this Phoenix/SLC deal. There have been public expressions of interest from Houston and Atlanta recently and now the league is just arbitrarily going to gift a team to SLC without any type of open competition.

Just seems to be contrary to the more transparent (although probably still shady) expansion competitions they just went through

Neither of us were on this forum 13 years ago, but I don't imagine there was much talk of shady business when the Thrashers up and moved to Winnipeg with no competition from elsewhere.

Of course, SLC seriously expressed their desires for a team earlier than Houston did. Atlanta has multiple groups interested in a team, the league is going to take some time to sort that out (look how long the Ottawa sale took), and they still need to build their arena (let's not assume the NBA arena is available to them, same as how the Suns arena in Phoenix also wasn't an option for the Coyotes). I also think the Toyota Centre needs some work before being able to host hockey. Unless they have already done the ice plant construction.

craner · #**684** Posted **Apr 13, 2024, 9:51 PM**

Jets!!
Monahan!

Justanothermember · #**685** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 12:02 AM**

Bloody hell now THAT was a game. Where was this Jets team during that six game losing streak that has likely cost us finishing first in the Central.

Please Jets, play like you played today 95% of the time!

Coldrsx · #**686** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 1:03 AM**

I am so confused by that game.

Leafs are in tough.

Do the Oilers get within 1, yes ONE point of Van?

Coldrsx · #**687** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 4:49 PM**

Not the best effort from Edmonton, but a solid first. How we can't light up that goalie with this crew is disconcerting.

harls · #**688** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 5:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericmacm

I think it will work out very well in SLC. The Jazz regularly sell out at home, and I suspect it will be more of the same with an NHL team.

SLC itself is not a large city, but almost 80% of the state’s population (about 2.7M people) is concentrated into a ~200km linear quasi-metro along the Wasatch Front, of which SLC is the central hub.

Utah Eagles is my bet on a franchise name.

ericmacm · #**689** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 5:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

Utah Eagles is my bet on a franchise name.

I think Utah Eagles is a strong contender. I have also heard that Utah Raptors is another likely option. I didn’t initially mind the idea of them taking the Utah Grizzlies name from the state’s ECHL team, but I think that option is less likely due to the Bruins already being a thing.

Xelebes · #**690** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 5:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

Utah Eagles is my bet on a franchise name.

We will always know them as the Utah Soakers.

Berklon · #**691** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 5:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericmacm

I think Utah Eagles is a strong contender. I have also heard that Utah Raptors is another likely option.

I think Raptors is too specific and unique to a team for another pro sports team to use. Jurassic Park's popularity at the time was a big reason for them choosing the name, but I'm Toronto was awarded the team in the last 15 or so years - Raptors wouldn't have been their pick.

Eagles are used in the NFL and ECHL - I think Utah needs a name that's original (or less popular) that helps sets itself apart. Maybe something based off of the geography of the state. Of the ones I've heard recently, I like Pioneers and Copperwings.

WhipperSnapper · #**692** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 6:00 PM**

They didn't rename the Jazz when their relocated from New Orleans. Utah must have coyotes. Doubt they have much jazz

harls · #**693** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 6:08 PM**

It's got history. Plus Winnipeg went with the Jets in 2011.

Xelebes · #**694** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 6:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

I think Raptors is too specific and unique to a team for another pro sports team to use. Jurassic Park's popularity at the time was a big reason for them choosing the name, but I'm Toronto was awarded the team in the last 15 or so years - Raptors wouldn't have been their pick.

Eagles are used in the NFL and ECHL - I think Utah needs a name that's original (or less popular) that helps sets itself apart. Maybe something based off of the geography of the state. Of the ones I've heard recently, I like Pioneers and Copperwings.

Utah Raptors is geography based. It is a riff off of the Utahraptor, which if it was not obvious enough, was uncovered in Utah. It's also more fearsome than the velociraptor/deinonychus that the Toronto Raptors are based off of.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utahraptor

WhipperSnapper · #**695** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 7:09 PM**

Toronto ditched the verlocriraptor. Aren't all the logos a ball with generic raptor claw marks?

craner · #**696** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 7:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Utah must have coyotes.

This what I was going to say - just keep them as the coyotes.

harls · #**697** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 7:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner

This what I was going to say - just keep them as the coyotes.

Can't see it, but also - can't rule it out.

Djeffery · #**698** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 9:36 PM**

From everything I've read, the league still intends to return to Phoenix, whether under the current owner, or some other group, and plans to keep the Coyotes name and history intact for that second team. Utah would have had to pick a name if they got an expansion team anyway, so this is no different. The NBA has more history of leaving a team name when they move, Grizzlies, Jazz, Lakers etc, than the NHL does, where aside from the Flames and Stars (North Stars), they pretty much all take on a new local identity.

ericmacm · #**699** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 9:54 PM**

More reports are coming out that this isn’t going to be a traditional relocation. It will be more like treating Utah as an expansion and the Coyotes as a temporary suspension with reactivation in 5 years time, similar to what happened with the Cleveland Browns. Word is that Meruelo will even sit as an “observer” on the NHL Board of Governors during this time.

The Coyotes name will most likely continue to stay with Arizona, as it should. It would be better for everyone for Utah to start with a clean slate and identity. One interesting question that this raises for the Coyotes (and other clubs) is if this changes the way we look at continuation of club history - is it attached to the city, or attached to the team? Would the “re-activated” Coyotes keep their current history? Does the history of the original Jets get returned to the current Jets? Do the Atlanta Flames and Atlanta Thrashers respective histories get repatriated to Atlanta upon a new expansion?

WhipperSnapper · #**700** Posted **Apr 14, 2024, 10:37 PM**

The expansion MLB 1961 Washington Senators began after the original Washington Senators (1901 to 1960) left to become the Minnesota Twins. Unfortunately, the expansion team left in 1971 to become the Texas Rangers so this is of no help. Coyotes 2.0 will end up in Videotron?

A twist on Mormon brotherhood ... The Utah Bros
A return to indigenous cultural appropriation ... The Utah Skinwalkers.