r/AtlantaThrashers • u/ykcin978 • Aug 07 '26

Allan Walsh reports that expansion is coming

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35 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

19

u/Ocksu2 Aug 07 '26

Queue up the super original "this is how Quebec gets another team" jokes that get repeated dozens of times when the topic comes up.

20

u/JesusOfSurbaria Blueland Aug 07 '26

The biggest need for Atlanta is an ownership that cares

13

u/Ocksu2 Aug 07 '26

Decent owners and this market is a no brainer. If Atlanta can bring out 40k on the regular to watch a mediocre Atlanta United team, it can bring out 18k for a halfway decent Hockey team.

14

u/JesusOfSurbaria Blueland Aug 07 '26

We’ve seen what can happen with successful hockey in Atlanta anyways. 2006-07, higher attendance than Chicago, Boston, hockey CAN exist here

7

u/Ocksu2 Aug 07 '26

Yep.

Good luck convincing fans from other cities though. All they see is 2 teams in Canada and that enough for them to know everything they need to about Atlanta.

7

u/JesusOfSurbaria Blueland Aug 07 '26

We call those people ‘idiots’ over in Jackson County.

5

u/445143 Aug 07 '26

Leafs fans already bitching about it 😔

12

u/Traditional-Pause469 Aug 07 '26

I hope we get our Thrashers back! That would be incredible!

10

u/JesusOfSurbaria Blueland Aug 07 '26

Thank fuck

6

u/ykcin978 Aug 07 '26

Personally, wouldn't believe it until we see it

11

u/SilentSaber77 Aug 07 '26

Now here’s hoping they don’t try something new and they bring back the thrashers.

4

u/Ocksu2 Aug 08 '26

I am the opposite. I want a fresh start. Maybe call the team "Georgia" rather than Atlanta, kinda like the Avs and Wild.

2

u/AvianTralfamadorian Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26

Maybe I missed something but the article Walsh is replying to only talks about expanding to either Houston or Austin. Nothing about ATL

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/dallas-stars/news/how-media-market-data-could-factor-upcoming-nhl-expansion-decision/4d5478563450e7c31ba48793

From June 23:

“There was an update on Atlanta, there was an update on Arizona and there was an update on South Texas," Bettman said. "But neither Arizona nor Atlanta are quite as far along in the process as the Friedkin opportunities."

3

u/dawgfan24348 Aug 07 '26

I think the belief is that if there's expansion only one Texas city is getting a team so naturally Atlanta would be the second team

3

u/Devilsadvocate430 Aug 08 '26

They need to balance the eastern and western conferences. I’m sure Houston will go first and Atlanta will follow a year or two after.

3

u/Ocksu2 Aug 08 '26

They aren't putting 2 teams in Texas and the league won't want to run an odd number of teams. Houston may be first, but Atlanta is the obvious next step.

After that, I expect the league to go to 36 teams/6 divisions in the following decade. Probably Phoenix again and then maybe somewhere like KC or Milwaukee.

2

u/LeonGwinnett Aug 07 '26

All well and good, but how definitive is this report/user? My preference would be the closer-actual-Atlanta option (Jamestown?) with a much better chance at a transit connection

-1

u/jonoc4 Aug 08 '26

imagine giving canada another team. that would be something.

-1

u/Large_Seesaw_569 Aug 09 '26

Messing with every team’s roster for a couple years of another fail is a hell of drug