Canada Could Support Six More NHL Teams

A University of Toronto study finds that Canada has the resources to double the number of hockey franchises in the country.

With the NHL playoffs set to begin tonight, a study from the University of Toronto says Canada could support as many as six more professional hockey teams. In addition to franchises that would be introduced in Winnipeg and Quebec City, at least three of those teams would have to be based in southern Ontario – the authors suggest London and Hamilton as two possibilities – in effect doubling the Canadian contingent in the league. Tony Keller, the author of the report, suggests that the NHL's reluctance to return failing teams based in the southern U.S. to Canada could in fact breach the country's Competition Act – especially given that, despite hosting a fifth of the league's teams, Canada provides a third of the league's revenue. Frankly, we'd happily settle for a Stanley Cup.