Nashville Predators moving to Canada? NOPE! Sorry, Canucks (and KC!)...

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

If Mr. Crackberry is buying the land and building the arena himself, there's really nothing that can stop Bettman from stopping him from putting a franchise there. Plus, it's not like Nashville is exactly a market the NHL is going to kill itself over losing. As I recall, the only reason Nashville went after an NHL team was because, at the time, that was the only major league available that was offering franchises.

Plus, talk about corporate influence -- I think Mr. Crackberry is also on the board of most of the major companies around K-W. How is KC going to match all of this?

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

No.7 seed Lightning got beat 4-2 in the first round by the Devils. With the way the playoffs have been drawn out though, I can understand you forgetting.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Bob's right.

Other than the few thousand fans who show up at Preds games, who really gives a shit whether they stay in Nashville?

The NHL desperately wanted to make sure the Penguins stayed in Pittsburgh because of Crosby.

If there's one guy who can market the game, it's the Baby Jesus.

And he's better off in the U.S. than up here in Canada.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

If the Penguins had moved, they would have gone to KC.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

This is all true, but the Karmanos thing came a few years earlier. The Whalers moved to Carolina after examining the Palace of Auburn Hills in time for 1997-1998. Bill Davidson did not buy the Tampa Bay Lightning or try to gain control of the Ice Palace until 1999.

Also for a brief period, the Plymouth Whalers did play some of their games in Auburn Hills between the fallout with Illitch and the decision to build Compuware Sports Centre. The lack of an agreement for them to play there permanently was also part of the problems between the two groups.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Until Balsillie showed up and then he threw a monkey wrench into the works.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

No, they were still playing the KC angle after Balsillie was pushed out of the picture.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Heard Todd Wright on Sporting News radio talking about this situation on my drive home tonight. He said he's got a source from Canada who says the team would move to Quebec City, not southern Ontario. I would be all for that. I love that city, it would be great to see them with something more than the Remparts again.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Quebec City?

He needs new sources I think.

If Balsillie moves the team, it won't be any place other than South Western Ontario.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

I got a kick out of Bettman's comments regarding a possible move. Of course there are no plans to move the Predators, and that'll continue to be the story right up until the time that a forthcoming move is announced.

Balsillie, meanwhile, is a smart guy. He's obviously learned from his experience with the Penguins, and now he'll be saying everything the NHL wants to hear until he has irrevocable control of the Nashville franchise. After that, he can do whatever he wants with it.

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

 

Re: Nashville Predators moving to Canada? Sure seems like it...

Senor Blackberry will play along with Bettman, but in reality the commish will end up being Herr Blackberry's monkey. Monsieur Blackberry is the kind of owner the NHL needs -- high-profile, committed and rich as fuck.