Recently, there was some talk among NHL brass about bringing a second team to Toronto.

“Why shouldn’t we put another team in the best and biggest market in the world?” one governor told [The Globe and Mail] anonymously, adding one scenario involves Research in Motion CEO Jim Balsillie being awarded an expansion franchise after coming to the aid of the financially-strapped Nashville Predators.

Any suggestion of relocation or expansion into Canada’s largest city is news to other league executives. “This has never been discussed in the governors meetings I’ve been involved in,” Caroliona Hurricanes governor and general manager Jim Rutherford told TSN on Tuesday.

“I’ve heard bits and pieces of this scenario, although not in that kind of detail,” Calgary Flames co-owner Harley Hotchkiss told The Globe and Mail. “Our priority is to have the existing franchises solid.”

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President Richard Peddie said his organization would listen to any expansion suggestions and downplayed any negative effect it could have on the Maple Leafs. “Any talk about expansion or relocation of another NHL team to southern Ontario is purely speculative,” he told TSN. “If or when the National Hockey League comes to the Board of Governors with a recommendation on relocation or expansion of an NHL franchise, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment will analyze the recommendation and provide its input at that time.”

(Original Globe and Mail article)

The current issue of ESPN The Magazine even has a commentary about it. In it, the author believes it’s a good idea, as Toronto is completely capable of supporting two professional teams (if New York, Chicago, and the LA area can, why can’t Toronto, right?), not to mention it’s also home to several junior hockey teams and the AHL’s Marlies. (Even though, you know, Detroit has the nickname of “Hockeytown”.) It also suggested that relocating a struggling team (Atlanta, Nashville, NY Islanders, Florida) to TO would be the best option.

On the other hand, Leafs fans have mixed views on the subject.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has ruled out adding any more teams, or relocating existing ones.

I have a few concerns.

1) The Leafs fanbase is much too strong. The likelihood of developing a fan base for a second Toronto NHL team is not that great, in my view. No fanbase, no ticket sales, no revenue. ‘Nuff said.

2) The Leafs are practically synonymous with Toronto hockey, not to mention NHL hockey in Canada overall (along with their long-time rivals, the Montreal Canadiens). Toronto II would be akin to the other Canadian NHL teams; you think about them once in a while, but not really.

3) What would CBC do in regards to Hockey Night in Canada with two Toronto teams? The Leafs get the primary coverage of all the Canadian teams; chances are, Toronto II would get about as much coverage as Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Ottawa do: a featured game once in a blue moon, but mostly the second slot (or the third, on “Hockey Day in Canada”). TSN may feature them playing; but still.

4) Aren’t there other locations (Winnipeg and Hamilton come to mind) that would be better-suited for a new/relocated NHL team?