Halifax, Hamilton, and Victoria
The Canadian markets after Quebec City.
Halifax
The Soul of the Game Lives Here
After Quebec City, the league could look elsewhere in the east. It's not a conventional expansion target, but if you're looking for soul, continuity with the game's roots, and a place that would wear its NHL franchise like a badge of honor, Halifax is the place. The Maritimes, as a region, are hockey-obsessed. You've got deep junior roots, a thriving grassroots culture, and an emotional connection to the sport that's as strong as anywhere in Canada. Halifax wouldn't just support a team; it would love it.
The city has charm and character that would make it one of the most unique brands in the league. It's scenic, tightly-knit, culturally proud, and distinctly East Coast. The fan culture would be unlike anything else in the NHL: loud, loyal, community-based, and full of tradition. The business infrastructure isn't as deep as Toronto or Montreal, so the sponsorship base would be more regional than corporate-heavy. But what you lose in scale, you gain in purity. This would be a franchise that runs lean but thrives off full buildings, merchandise, and an incredibly loyal fanbase that sticks with you through every up and down.
It also gives the NHL something it rarely gets these days: a chance to expand into a market that feels fresh, yet deeply aligned with the sport's soul. Halifax wouldn't be a flashy media grab, but it would be one of those teams that quietly becomes essential to the league's fabric. Like Winnipeg, it wouldn't need to be the biggest; it would just need to be authentic, and that's something you can't buy. You either have it or you don't, and Halifax has it.
Hamilton
The People's Team in Waiting
Hamilton is one of the most obvious yet strangely avoided options in Canadian expansion, and if you're thinking like an investor who understands power dynamics, it starts to make a lot of sense why it hasn't happened, not because it wouldn't work, but because it would work too well in a way that disrupts existing interests. From a pure market standpoint, Hamilton is an obvious choice. You're in the heart of the Golden Horseshoe, surrounded by millions of people, many of whom are priced out of Leafs games or detached with how corporate that franchise has become. The city itself has gritty, working-class pride that has always defined it as not Toronto. You're not trying to compete with the Leafs; you're positioning against them, giving Southern Ontario a second team that reflects the people, not the suits.
From a business perspective, if you're the league and thinking long-term, you have to ask: what's the better move, protecting legacy markets or unlocking a second Ontario team that would print money from day one? This is a region that shows up for OHL games, minor league events, or anything with a puck on ice. It would also spark immediate rivalries. Leafs, Sabres, even Ottawa, all have built-in tension across the board. You'd instantly have one of the most passionate, intense markets in the league. And with the right ownership group it could become a flagship Canadian franchise in a matter of years.
Hamilton's Tigers folded in 1925 after a player strike. The name still surfaces in southern Ontario.
Victoria
Small Market with a Big Soul
Victoria is one of those markets that doesn't pop on a spreadsheet but keeps showing up in the minds of people who understand what makes a hockey city special. It gives you something rare in pro sports: a truly unique, isolated market that still sits close enough to major cities (Vancouver and Seattle) to develop regional rivalries, while carving out its own distinct identity. It doesn't compete with Vancouver; it's quieter, more relaxed, more intimate. That's an advantage if you position the team the right way, as a franchise that leans into the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.
The arena situation would need work. You wouldn't need a mega-arena, just a well-designed, 12,000–13,000 seat building that feels modern, tight, and loud. This would be one of those places where a smaller venue is a feature, not a flaw. You'd sell it out every night. It would become the toughest ticket in Canada. It's not a market for the faint of heart, but if you want to build a franchise that's tight, beloved, and woven into the city's DNA, the kind of team people pass down to their kids like a legacy jersey, Victoria could be one of the smartest small-market bets in the league. It wouldn't be about scale; it would be about belonging. And that's something the NHL could use more of.