Move an NHL team?

Florida and Tampa are under solid ownership and are right now the 2 best teams in their division (Tampa is the best team in the East). They're not going anywhere. They have as favourable of a tax situation as you could hope for, and both teams are outstanding on-ice.

It's obvious that you have no clue as to how franchise relocation works. Teams don't move because YOU think they should. It's a myriad of reasons that ends with ownership handing the keys over to the league (see Atlanta to Winnipeg). In Florida's case, they have very favourable lease terms and ownership that is happy to leave the team where it's at. In the case of Tampa...I know a few Lightning fans and that team is as firmly entrenched as any team. A damn solid roster that is built to win RIGHT NOW, a VERY good GM, and a good coach. Ownership has zero desire to move (ratings for the last 2 years reflect this).

Arizona: Has a lease deal (for now). Roster is young, ownership hasn't made any noises about moving.

Let's explore the markets. Logistically, if a team came up for an ownership change a team in the West isn't going East. Houston has never shown an interest in hockey and the city's demographics/income level are unfavourable (that market is far too tied to the petroleum industry). TV ratings for NHL broadcasts are uniformly bad. Plus, Houston has NBA, NFL, MLB and MLS teams (not to mention a huge number of college teams). An NHL team gets lost in the shuffle.

Seattle? NO arena (the old Sonics arena would require a massive renovation and would still be an old building), and taxpayers seem to have grown a brain to the point of telling their elected officials that they won't tolerate having their tax dollars used to build an arena for a possible NHL/NBA team(s). So show me the billionaire who's going to spend $500-$700mm for an arena and another $150-$300mm to buy an existing NHL team and another $400-$500+mm for an NBA team (an arena would likely need two main tenants that would give you a combined 90 home dates a year before you factor in other events (that's roughly $2bn). This is before Vancouver wants a territorial infringement fee.

Portland? Like Seattle there's tepid support for their city's WHL team. The market itself is growing (the only team they have currently are the MLS Timbers) and there is an arena. My question with both markets is what kind of corporate support is there (to buy the suites and club seats, the local advertising, etc.) and is the market willing to fill an arena 41++ nights a year at NHL ticket prices (MLS tickets are vastly cheaper)? They also need an owner. One who is going to be a loyal partner of Gary Bettman and the other owners (notice how none of the NHL owners ever criticize him, unlike a certain NFL commissioner who is being undermined by one of their more popular teams) in the face of Bettman's shockingly uninformed statements about CTE. You'll remember Jim Balsillie who had money and badly wanted to be an NHL owner. Notice that the league wanted nothing to do with him because they didn't want to be a business partner of his. So find me that owner who the other owners will approve to be one of their own, who can withstand a rigorous vetting process (the league isn't letting another John Spano happen).

I think Seattle is having a lot problems getting a new arena built. The Mariners and Seahawks basically do not want the competition. The Washington state WHL teams do not want competition either.

Then there is the fact that a lot of people in Seattle are bitter about the NBA leaving. Therefore they do not want a building the NBA could use because hey, the thinking is good riddance to the NBA.

There needs to be NHL in Saudi Arabia

Move Coyotes or Hurricanes. They get some of the lowest attendance in the league and they would be much more supported in a place like Quebec.

Don 't move any team, just expand. Atlanta lost both its teams for no good reason and they should have another one. It shouldnt happen to any other city either

If they move one, it needs to go to Quebec City.

Move the Coyotes