Which Other Florida Cities Could Support an NHL team?

Hockey continues to grow in the Sunshine State. Perhaps a third team could work one day.

The sport of hockey has come a long way in Florida. Once an unthinkable idea has become one of the bigger success stories. The Tampa Bay Lightning have been selling out nearly every game for years and winning ways have led to a long-awaited packed arena for the Florida Panthers.

Should both teams continue to sustain strong attendance for a longer period, maybe another city in Florida could make a bid for their own. There are other cities in Florida with their own geographical identities that would embrace the idea of an NHL team to call their own, even if they support one of the existing ones.

Two cities make a strong case as candidates…

Orlando

They want an MLB team, why not an NHL team? While most in Orlando likely levitate to the Lightning right now because they’re the closest team, this doesn't mean by any means Orlando sees themselves as part of the Lightning’s home region - and people in Tampa Bay would not either.

Orlando is a city looking to continue building its own identity and an NHL team would be a big boost.