History of Expansion in NHL

[Michael Burger]

I was bored today so I researched something I was always interested in.
So, here is a brief history of how the NHL got to where they are today.

1953-A group of Cleveland investors ask the NHL if they could be added as
a 7th team. They are turned down.
1958-CBS televises a game of the week.
1960-CBS stops the game of the week after 3 years, citing lack of national
interest (or, football takes major precedence).
1965-NHL, wanting to get on TV, decides on expanding, mainly in the USA, for
the 1967 season.
1966-The NHL decides on St. Louis, Minnesota, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and Oakland. Baltimore is named as an alternate.
Expansion fee is $6 million.
1968-Labatt Breweries buys Oakland and wants to move to Vancouver. Needing
a unanimous vote, Los Angeles blocks the move. CBS televies the NHL.
1969-Seymour Knox buys 20% of Oakland and wants to move the Seals to Buffalo.
Again, Los Angeles blocks the move.
1970-NHL expands to Buffalo and Vancouver, with Atlanta and Cleveland also
in consideration. Charlie Finley buys the Seals. Expansion fee is $6
million.
1972-WHL announces formation. NHL immediatly expands into Atlanta and
Long Island, two places the WHA was highly considering. WHA decides on
New England, Miami (moves to Philadelphia before start), Houston, Cleveland,
Ottawa, Quebec, New York, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Alberta, Minnesota, and
Chicago.
1973-WHA moves: Philadelphia to Vancouver, Ottawa to Toronto, New York
to New Jersey.
1974-NHL expands by adding Washington and Kansas City. Announces plans for
Denver and Seattle to be added in 1976. WHA adds Phoenix and Indianapolis,
Los Angeles moves to Michigan and to Baltimore in mid-season then folds,
Chicago folds at end of season, New Jersey to San Diego. NHL is now
televised on NBC.
1975-NHL cancels Denver/Seattle expansion, claiming recession and thinning
of talent with WHA around. NHL will instead concentrate on moving existing
franchises to those cities (Oakland and Pittsburgh are considered the two
cities). NHL's TV contract is now through syndication. WHA adds Denver
which moved to Ottawa in mid-season and folded before season's end, Vancouver
moves to Calgary, Minnesota folds at end of season, Cincinnati also added.
1976-Kansas City moves to Colorado. Clarence Campbell announces his retire-
ment. In WHA, Cleveland moves to Minnesota and folds during season, Toronto
moves to Birmingham, and Calgary, San Diego, and Phoenix fold at end of season.
1977-John Ziegler replaces Clarence Campbell. NHL has best ratings in
their syndication package. No more syndication after 1978 season. Houston
in WHA folds at end of season.
1978-WHA in serious trouble and wants to merge. Indianapolis tries to jump
gun and offer $5 million to go in for 1978, but fails, and despite Wayne
Gretzky, folds in mid-season. NHL accepts Hartford, Quebec, Winnipeg,
and Edmonton for 1979 season, leaving out Birmingham and Cincinnati.
1982-Colorado moves to New Jersey.
1983-St. Louis wants to move to Saskatoon but is turned down.
1989-Minnesota wants to move to San Jose. NHL announces expansion team
for San Jose for 1991.
1990-NHL announces expansion to Ottawa and Tampa Bay for 1992. Expansion
fee is $50 million.

I will leave the net to comment on the screw-ups, but they are plentiful.

*******************************************************************************
* Mike Burger * I may have had the needle in my arm, *
* m...@lamar.colostate.edu * but I never pushed the plunger. *
* University of Michigan - 1990 * --Dave Barry *
*******************************************************************************

[Eric Rickin]

In a previous article, m...@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Michael Burger) says:

>1953-A group of Cleveland investors ask the NHL if they could be added as
>a 7th team. They are turned down.

That's when the AHL Barons were at their hey-day. There was so much
hockey interest in Cleveland in 1953 that a 7th team would have
succeeded.

>ment. In WHA, Cleveland moves to Minnesota and folds during season, Toronto

The Crusaders moved and became the Minnesota Fighting Saints.

>1982-Colorado moves to New Jersey.

You forgot about the Cleveland Barons. The California Golden Seals
moved to Cleveland and became the NHL Barons. Then, they merged with
the North Stars. I don't know the details, but the Gund family is from
Cleveland. They owned the Cal. Golden Seals (they also own the Sharks).
They also owned the North Stars. They own the Cleveland Cavs.

>1989-Minnesota wants to move to San Jose. NHL announces expansion team
>for San Jose for 1991.

Was that a Gund owned Minnesota?
--
Eric Rickin (ab...@cleveland.freenet.edu)

Support the Freedom of Choice Act
"Court to Women: Drop Dead" Village Voice, July 7, 1992

[Nelson Lu]

In article <1992Jul12.1...@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> ab...@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Eric Rickin) writes:
>
>In a previous article, m...@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Michael Burger) says:
>
>>1989-Minnesota wants to move to San Jose. NHL announces expansion team
>>for San Jose for 1991.
>
>Was that a Gund owned Minnesota?

Yes. The Gunds were then losing money on the North Stars, and want to move
it to San Francisco or San Jose, but there was strong opposition to taking the
team out of Minnesota. So, under a special deal, the Gunds would still have
a team (the Sharks) and be allowed to have it in the S. F. Bay Rea, while they
were obliged to sell the North Stars (to Harold Baldwin?).

===============================================================================
GO LOS ANGELES KINGS! Go for Next Year! :-(
GO SAN JOSE SHARKS! Ray Whitney for Calder! Jeff Hackett for Vezina!
Pat Falloon for Hart! :-) Neil Wilkinson for Norris! ('92-'93)
===============================================================================
Nelson Lu (clau...@leland.stanford.edu)
rec.sport.hockey contact for the San Jose Sharks

[Kevin John Griffith]

In article <Jul12.014...@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU> m...@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Michael Burger) writes:
>I was bored today so I researched something I was always interested in.
>So, here is a brief history of how the NHL got to where they are today.
>

[synopsis deleted]

One little addition that you missed:

In 1981, the Atlanta Flames were sold and relocated to Calgary

[Chris Begley]

Just a little side tale about expansion. It seems that when the Canucks and Sabres joined the league in 1970, thay spun a wheel to determine who got first draft pick. If it came up even then it was the Canucks. When Ex-President Clarence Campbell spun the wheel, he thought that roman numerals were being used. A 11 came up which he called out as a 2. The Canucks fans went crazy because this would have given them the rights to Gil Perrault. However, Buffalo GM checked it out and pointed out that it was

an eleven. Campbell corrected his mistake and the Buffalo side went Bananas.

--- Via UCI v1.02 (C-Net Amiga)

[Mike Godfrey]

And not to forget Perrault wore number 11 all thoughout his career for this
reason!

--
Mike Godfrey "All we like sheep, all we like sheep,
Dept of Comp Sci, UofT "All we like sheep, all we like sheep."
mi...@turing.toronto.edu -- Handel's `Messiah'