Top Ten States With NHL Hockey Teams
Why is Texas two and Florida three? The question is top 10 states with hockey teams, not biggest states with hockey teams. California, yes since you have the Sharks, Ducks and Kings-all of whom are good, and will make the playoffs-and in the case especially of the Kings and Sharks, have real fan bases, the Ducks are ok, but nowhere as rabid as the other two. However, Texas is NOT a hockey state, the Stars moved from Minnesota-a true hockey state-a crime of monumental proportions and Florida could care less about sports in general, let alone hockey, where outside of Tampa, there is literally no one in the state that could tell you the difference between a face off and icing the puck. Get rid of Florida as a hockey state once and for all and move their teams to Quebec and Hamilton, where you would have sellouts from here till eternity...
Seriously, Texas? They have one team-the Stars-which they stole from a true hockey state, Minnesota. California has 3-all native, expansion teams. All 3 have either won the Stanley Cup or played for the Stanley Cup in the last 10 years. All are yearly contenders for several years, and in the case of the Sharks and Kings, both sellout every game and have for years. The Ducks don't do bad at the gate, but not nearly as well as the other two. Plus California has put in a ton of NHL talent into the league in recent years. This is a total no brainer. Also, Florida should only have one team, since no one ever attends a Panthers game.
Easy winner...what other state has 3 top playoff caliber teams? The short answer is none. Not New York, sorry-outside of the Rangers, Buffalo and the Islanders don't cut it...Pennsylvania should be higher-but they only have two team, and Florida is a joke. No one cares about hockey-outside of the handful of people who go see the Lightening play. Panthers have a fan base of about 10 people-friends and family. As for Texas, did I miss something? Are the Houston Aeros still playing in the WHA? Seriously, Texas, with one team is ahead of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan and Minnesota? What?
Kings, Sharks, Ducks...what other state compares -none-number one on this list period. Please remove Florida from consideration, as there are less Panthers fans than there are the actual animal, the reclusive Florida Panther, in existence. Texas is not a hockey state either...
No way Illinois should be behind Texas on this list when the entire state of Texas is a barren, brown, non descript wasteland with illiterates.
Penguins and Flyers...no..?
No, what makes it worse is the fact that they play in Phoenix
St Louis has become a hockey hotbed over the years. Great rink at the St. Louis Outlet Mall!