Editor In Leaf
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Seattle Expansion Bid Impact On The Toronto Maple Leafs

ByJosh Tessler|
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 17: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addresses the media at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal Luncheon during the NHL Centennial 100 Celebration at Hotel Bonaventure on November 17, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 17: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addresses the media at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal Luncheon during the NHL Centennial 100 Celebration at Hotel Bonaventure on November 17, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/NHLI via Getty Images)
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If Seattle is awarded an expansion team, it would impact the Toronto Maple Leafs as there would likely be a re-alignment and an expansion draft.

Personally, I love the idea of a team coming to Seattle, Washington. If there is one major market in the United States that deserves a hockey team its Seattle.

If you aren’t in the Pacific Northwest, you might think that Seattle residents can watch Vancouver Canucks game on local TV. But unfortunately, you would be dead wrong. The Canucks games aren’t streamed on local Seattle TV.  The only way a hockey fan in Seattle can follow his/her local team is to purchase an NHL.TV or a NHL Center Ice subscription.

Sorry, but that is unfair.

Additionally, the drive time between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia isn’t a cake walk. It’s roughly a three hour drive.

Can’t imagine there are many Canuck season ticket holders or fans who’d travel six hours total for games. Just doesn’t make any sense.

I love the idea of Seattle getting their own expansion team. Unfortunately even if the bid is accepted by the NHL, the Key Arena won’t be ready for a hockey game until the 2020-2021 regular season.

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