The value of the Canadian dollar has long been a talking point when it comes to discussing NHL expansion.
Now, as we watch the dollar dwindle to levels not seen in more than 10 years, many are wondering how that may affect the current expansion bid in Quebec. According to the NHL’s Deputy Commissioner and chief legal officer, Bill Daly, it isn’t so much a question for the league but for the expansion group itself.
“It certainly does impact what a Quebec franchise would do in the short-term … It’s not as much an issue for the National Hockey League as it might be for a potential Quebec ownership group,” Daly told Sportsnet’s Tim & Sid Tuesday. “What is their long-term vision? What is their willingness to deal with that currency differential — particularly if it’s prolonged?”
Here are a few excerpts from the interview:
On the league’s upcoming Executive Committee meetings:
“We’re going to get our executive committee together sometime before All-Star to have kind of an update on the expansion application review process, potentially to start the process of coming up with some recommendations to discuss with the Board of Governors. So I do expect that to happen. But because we won’t really have had a chance to discuss it with the Board yet I don’t expect any definitive decision to come out of the Board meeting in Nashville.”
On whether creating balance between conferences is a priority:
“We’ve lived with imbalance — with 16 teams in the East and 14 teams in the West — for two full seasons. This is the third season now. It hasn’t created a huge hardship. Having said that, when you look at something like expansion, you certainly want to move toward balance and not move more toward imbalance. So there’s no doubt that’s a factor. That’s something that the players and the players’ association have expressed an interest in making sure we’re evaluating properly, and I think it’s logical. But again, I wouldn’t say it’s a critical issue in the sense that it exclusively will drive a decision.”
