An uncertain ownership situation has led to a very uncertain future for the Phoenix Coyotes. Rumors have swirled for a while now that the team will inevitably be forced to relocate from the American southwest to the franchise's original home, Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the Jets played from 1972 until 96. The Atlanta Thrashers, who have ownership problems of their own, have been rumored to be also exploring the possibility of a move to Winnipeg.
A seventh Canadian franchise has been long been the rumored target for NHL relocation of expansion, whether it be Winnipeg, Hamilton or Quebec City. However one city that doesn't really come up in the conversation for viable NHL markets is Milwaukee. The prospect of an NHL franchise in Wisconsin's largest market is certainly an intriguing possibility, but the question that always comes up is whether the market could support another professional sports team?
With the Stanley Cup playoffs now in full swing, I have overheard plenty of my hockey loving friends discussing the merits of an NHL franchise in Wisconsin. As a hockey fan, I would love nothing more than to have a team in Milwaukee, but would it make sense? Would there be enough fan support to justify it?
Part of determining whether the NHL could survive in Wisconsin is looking at how successful the Wisconsin men's hockey team and the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals have been. The Badgers are one of the biggest draws in the state. They fill up the Kohl Center on a regular basis and usually have an average attendance higher than some NHL teams. The Admirals don't do too badly themselves attendance wise for a minor league franchise.
The interest is there for a hockey team in Wisconsin. If teams like the Nashville Predators can survive in the NHL then there is no reason that a state with a rich hockey history like Wisconsin, couldn't drum up interest in an NHL franchise.
The true measure of the hockey health of a state, and something the NHL looks at, is the state of youth hockey, and Wisconsin's programs are certainly on the rise. Can Wisconsin compete with Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Colorado and the other hockey powerhouses in the U.S. at the moment? No. Wisconsin still isn't there with the big boys quite yet. But the state is well on its way.
Wisconsin is producing more elite players than it ever has before, and an NHL franchise in the state would only do more to develop the Wisconsin youth hockey programs. I moved to Dallas right around the time the North Stars relocated there and as a youth hockey player I saw first hand the wonders an NHL team can do for the local youth hockey associations. The Stars helped build hockey in the American South and if hockey can thrive there, I don't see a reason why it couldn't in Wisconsin.
Natural rivalries with the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings would help spur interest in a team as well. A team in Milwaukee would likely require some re-ordering of the current NHL divisional alignment so why not reunite the NFC north in a hockey division filled with regional rivals? It certainly wouldn't hurt fan interest.
The pieces of the puzzle are there for an NHL franchise to be succesful in Milwaukee. There is genuine interest in the sport in the state of Wisconsin that is ripe to be harvested. While a return to Canada seems to be in the cards for NHL relocation in the near future, Milwaukee is deserving of serious consideration for future NHL relocation or expansion.
Could the NHL survive in Milwaukee? Do you want a pro hockey team in Wisconsin? E-mail Ryan at rmevans2@dailycardinal.com.
