Expansion? The Return of The Jets to Winnipeg?

This quote appeared in Pierre Lebruns article for the Globe and Mail on Tuesday:

“As it relates to hockey, it’s one of the great hockey markets in North America,” said Pat LaForge, president and CEO of the Edmonton Oilers. ” The next proposal-if there ever is one- for expansion, it has to be a great hockey market. And Winnipeg passes the great hockey market test.”

The article mentions that the NHL Board of Governors meeting in Chicago will include discussions about possible expansion and that Winnipeg, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Seattle are among the cities on the radar. Now, I am not going to start another controversial debate on whether Winnipeg deserves a hockey team, where an analysis of the economy and arena is discussed, bla bla bla. I feel it is important to simply point out that Winnipeg’s name continues to pop up whenever expansion is mentioned. Whether the talk is being generated by the increase in league revenues, the exhibition game between the Toronto Maple Leafs/Phoenix Coyotes at the MTS Centre tomorrow or the instability among some existing franchises, the league has Winnipeg on it’s mind. Now let the debate begin.

For Illegal Curve, I’m Ezra Ginsburg.