re: Report: Toronto, Seattle, Quebec City to join Las Vegas in 2017 NHL expansion

Love Seattle and Quebec. Think both will be great choices. Las Vegas is a big gamble (hahahahahahaha!!!). It's a pretty big market to not have a pro sports team at all. As the only major sports team in the metro area, you have to think that will help. But its economy fluctuates quite a bit and it will probably have to rely at least a little on tourists wanting to catch a game while in town to really thrive. Don't really get the Hamilton move (can it really cut that deep into the Leafs market?). Would rather see Kansas City.

Honestly, I think if you're going to expand, it should be to either 32 or 36. Thirty-four is kind of awkward with divisions (much like 30 is now). Thirty-six teams, while a substantial increase, would actually be pretty intriguing. You can have four conferences with nine teams each. Play each team not in your conference once home and once away (27 teams, 54 games). Play each team in your conference twice home and twice away (eight other teams, 32 games. This would be 86 total games, so the PA would have to agree to up it from the current 82). Top four teams in each conference make the playoffs:

1) Move to Detroit to the current Metro.

2) Quebec and Hamilton in the current Atlantic.

3) Vegas and Seattle to the current Pacific.

4) Houston and Kansas City to the current Central.