We break down some of the big reasons why Las Vegas and the NHL are not a match at all.
1. The CFL didn’t work there! The Canadian Football League dabbled in the American market in the mid-’90s and the Las Vegas Posse was one of the teams in the 1994 season. Things did not work out at all. The Posse only lasted one dreadful season and they were arguably the least successful team in CFL history both on the field and off.
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2. They don’t deserve a team. Sure, there are some hockey fans in Las Vegas, but there are also hockey fans in Hawaii and it doesn’t mean we need an NHL team there. Take an NHL All-Star Game there first and see what the response is. Just because you have a passionate ownership group with a lot of money and ambition, doesn’t mean you deserve a team.
3. No pro teams are there now for a reason. When you think of ice and Las Vegas, you probably picture a glass with a couple cubes and not a rink with a couple nets.
Of the four major North American sports leagues, the NHL should be the last one to have a Vegas-based franchise. The NBA might work there and at least the NFL and MLB are for the most part warm-weather leagues. The NHL shouldn’t think about going to Vegas before those leagues prove the city can support a pro sports team.
4. Tough to generate a local fan base. Las Vegas is a destination city, so attracting the locals would be imperative for success. It would also prove to be extremely difficult. Whether it’s triple-A baseball’s Las Vegas 51s or the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL, attendance for team sporting events in Vegas isn’t great.
5. Seattle and Quebec City. If the NHL wants to expand its league to 32 teams, how can you put Las Vegas ahead of Seattle and Quebec City? Enough said.
