It's about time they relocate

Houston is 100% getting a team soon, whether that’s by relocation or expansion

In an ideal world Quebec would get the Nordiques back.
The best realistic option would be Houston.
Rumors seem to indicate that the easiest logistical option is Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City is a tiny market and there’s no rivals for them as they’re so isolated from every other team in the central, with Houston you get a big market and a rival in the stars

I agree. That's why I said Houston is the best realistic option.

Salt Lake City isn't actually a small market, It has a huge suburban area btw

I don't think they relocate to Houston. Tilman Fertitta wants a team, so Houston seems to be an expansion team in my opinion.

Can’t he just buy the Coyotes, then relocate them?

Well I mean there right next to Colorado who is pretty well isolated. But yeah Salt Lake isn't the place. I think it's gotta be Houston just based on how damn big the city has become, and the rivalry with Dallas or Milwaukee/Madison. QC would do well cause the nordiques, but I think Texas or Wisconsin makes more sense. If it's QC that means someone in eastern time is going to move to the west. First candidates are Detroit and Columbus who already suffered through that having to play in the west for eternity. I think we should stay put at 32. 33,34, or 35 makes thing mathematically weird before you get to 36 and it's just too damn big at that point. 32 is the perfect number in my mind.

I have to agree it makes no sense for CBJ to be in the west but all of Detroit's rivals are in the west, Chicago, Colorado, etc had some huge rivalries with Detroit that are now gone since they barely meat each other, Detroit may not like it due to geographical reasons but rivalry wise, the west makes sense for Detroit

Agreed. I hated that when I was a kid. I'm from Michigan and I rarely watched a big game in full cause they all ran late lol. Only rivalry they have now really is Toronto, Pittsburgh and maybe a small one with Boston jus cuz of the original 6. It's nothing like it was with them in the west tho. Every team hated Detroit

Colorado is like 8 hours from Salt Lake and 6 Hours from Vegas if you want to make a Pacific Division arguement

What about Kansas City? Would make a great rivalry vs Colorado once the Coyotes becomes a decent and respectable team again.

If staying in the central then:

rankings by TV Market:
7) Houston
11) Phoenix
25) Indianapolis
29) Salt Lake City
31) San Antonio
33) Kansas City
35) Austin
38) MIlwaukee
42) Grand Rapids
46) Oklahoma City
48) Louisville
49) Albuquerque
50) New Orleans
52) Memphis

https://ustvdb.com/seasons/2022-23/markets/

Quebec ranks slightly ahead of Winnipeg in Canadian TV market size but I can't find comparable numbers for actual TV "DMA rankings"

The smallest TV market in the NHL currently is Buffalo at #54 so I didn't list any city below that.

Cities that are "close" (would require a slight re-alignment of teams/division or an acceptable overlap):
19) Cleveland
20) Sacramento
22) Portland
30) San Diego
36) Cincinnati

I personally want to see a second Toronto team.

I think that would be the most entertaining of all possible choices.

A sea of endless meme potential.

Ideally it would be best to revive the Nordiques which would give Canada 8/32 teams, 4 in the East and 4 in the West. However, moving Detroit or Columbus to the West would not be a good idea. What about adding 2 expansion teams in the West, relocating the Coyotes to Quebec City once the 2 Western expansion teams are ready, and bringing back the 1v8 playoff format. That would leave the conferences at 17-17 and no one at a disadvantage due to time zones or division alignment.
The schedule could stay at 82 games as well if each team played 2 games vs every team in the opposing conference and 3 games against every other team within their own conference.

Hartford…

Houston
Kansas City
Milwaukee
Austin

I’d bet it’s one of those

Wow. How'd the meeting go?

Well of course, but to my knowledge they aren't for sale. Just homeless.

Technically yes; but the NHL Board of Governors will step in (eventually) and force the situation. If the current ownership can't get a deal in Phoenix area, then they have to be willing and able to relocate them, if they can't get that deal done then they will be forced to sell.

If I remember correctly, the NHL touted the ownership group in Arizona because they had connections to legalized gambling in the state. Not sure how any of that factors into relocation issues.