[Dkitson16]

1967 Expansion Candidates:

Vote: We're going to expand by 2 teams in 67! Majority vote wins. As commissioner I will be tie breaker if necessary. Loosely based on actual history.

I will count Winga Dinga's votes for Vancouver and Minnesota.

Note population figures are for Urban Areas in 1960/61.


Strong Candidates (actually applied for real 67 expansion):

Vancouver - Strong hockey history - will build arena - 700,000 Canadians live here - but Montreal and Toronto don't want to share TV revenue. Helps with western travel.

Minneapolis-St. Paul - Strong hockey history - will build arena - 1,300,000 people -

Baltimore - Strong hockey history - have an existing arena that will need expansion - 1,400,000 people.

Buffalo - Strong hockey history - will build arena - 1,000,000 people (plus Canadians nearby)


Weaker Candidates (actually expressed interest or rumoured to have in real 67 expansion):

Washington - Some Hockey History - no arena plans yet - but at 1,800,000 is the largest city without a team

Houston - Some Hockey History - no arena plans yet - 1,100,000 people

Louisville - No hockey history - But has a large existing arena an apparently an owner ready to take on the challenge - but only 600,000

Seattle - Strong hockey history - has Key Arena - no owners have stepped forward - 800,000 - helps with Western Travel

Portland - Strong hockey history - Memorial Coliseum will need expansion - no owners have come forward - 600,000 - helps with Western Travel


Sorry - Just not ready: (2 other Canadian cities did express interest in 67 - Quebec was confirmed as one - as yet I haven't found info confirming the other)

Quebec (300,000), Edmonton (almost 300,000) and Winnipeg (400,000) have been told they are too small to generate the money required to operate in the NHL. Local owners start dreaming of an alternate league like the AFL or ABA.