This week, Bill Daly announced that the NHL made "solid progress" in bringing another team to Texas. There could be another NHL team that makes its way to the Lone Star State by 2029-30, giving the Dallas Stars some company. Believe it or not, the Stars kinda need it.
They've been the only NHL team in Texas for over three decades, leaving them to travel all over the place. Why not give them some company and add a squad in Houston or Austin? It seems like the former is the favorite to land a team, although nothing's been set in stone yet.
Also, why not go crazy and add seven more teams to the mix? Let's create a super league and melt the minds of sports fans everywhere. We'll add eight teams and make this as silly as possible. Of course, there's some reasoning behind it because you must have balance.
Anyway, let's paint a broader picture and see where the Vegas Golden Knights would fall in a 40-team league. This is assuming that no teams move in the next decade, which isn't a guarantee. Still, let's have some fun and plot out a 40-team league, shall we (new teams highlighted in bold)?
Pacific Division
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Anaheim Ducks
- Los Angeles Kings
- Phoenix Coyotes
- San Jose Sharks
Now, the Coyotes can be swapped out with the Utah Mammoth, depending on whether a Phoenix-based team actually enters the league. But this would centralize West Coast travel to a limited region (think of the current Pacific Division in the NBA).
As for the Golden Knights? Well, they don't have to fly too far north because of this alignment. Although they'll have to worry about Macklin Celebrini and the Ducks, it's far better than dealing with the Oilers regularly.
Northwest Division
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers
- Seattle Kraken
- Utah Mammoth
- Vancouver Canucks
Again, you can swap the Mammoth out of here and put them in the Pacific Division, should Phoenix not get an NHL team again. But this would be Utah's division to lose in the future.
The former Pacific Division deadweights are still struggling to gain any headway and Edmonton is aging quickly. As mentioned on the podcast, Utah has its salary cap situation settled for the long term. That's great news for an emerging team ready to contend.
Southwest Division
- Austin Hipsters
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Houston Aeros
- Nashville Predators
Essentially, this is the new "Central Division" that features two new Texas teams. The early favorite for the 33rd team is Houston, but let's add Austin to the mix.
We can call them the "Austin Hipsters" since millennials in flannel shirts, funky mustaches, and skinny jeans couldn't get enough of the Capital of Texas. Let's honor their crushed blueberries with a hockey team, shall we?
Central Division
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Detroit Red Wings
- Minnesota Wild
- St. Louis Blues
- Winnipeg Jets
Now, you can add a team in Milwaukee and give Wisconsin a team. But until there's an interested buyer, Cheese Land shall remain Green Bay Packers country.
And yes, that means putting the Detroit Red Wings back in the same division as the Chicago Blackhawks. Let's be honest: Detroit hasn't had too much success in the Atlantic Division. Plus, put the Red Wings back with the Blackhawks for an Original Six rivalry, even if some Red Wing fans get emotional about late-start games.
Southeast Division
- Atlanta Thrashers
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Florida Panthers
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Washington Capitals
Ladies and gentlemen, the Southeast Division of you childhood has returned. This time, it's much better, boasting five of the last seven Stanley Cup champions. Conspiracy theorists will say that this division is the hotbed for all hockey players because of the climate and low cost. But it's because of great management and overall depth.
Could that rub off on Atlanta? That would be nice, especially I had a soft spot for the Thrashers growing up. Wouldn't it be nice to see Georgia become a hockey hotbed to go with those lemon pepper wings at Magic City?
Northeast Division
- Boston Bruins
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Quebec City Nordiques
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Primarily a Canadian division, this is a nice throwback for the 70s and 80s hockey fans. The Nordiques-Canadiens rivalry would be an absolute chef's kiss and you keep numerous traditional rivalries back in the mix.
The main obstacles with getting a team back in Quebec City is three-fold. It's a French-speaking region, it's small, and it's not an attractive hockey destination. Still, this would be extremely fun to see this division unfold.
Rust Belt Division
- Buffalo Sabres
- Cleveland LeBrons
- Cincinnati Skyline Chili
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Pittsburgh Penguins
I know that adding three Ohio teams will never happen. So, keep quiet, Emma Buttinski. Go watch a Cavaliers documentary and get back to me *thumbs up emoji*. But it's still fun to think about since the Columbus Blue Jackets are relatively anonymous. Seriously, Bill Simmons even said it!
So, why not get LeBron James to invest in a team in Cleveland and have it named after him? He's made appearances at the Browns' practice and even brought the Cavaliers their first NBA title in franchise history.
New York (-ish) Division
- Hartford Whalers
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers
Like Quebec City, Hartford has the ol' population and market problem. It's unlikely that we'll ever see a professional sports team in Hartford again (big leagues, of course) unless some things drastically change.
Still, New York(-ish) hockey battles are always a blast because you get silly memes and jokes. Also, you have the New York area fighting over who has the best gabagool and pizza. It's art.
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