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Malloy: NHL Could Come To Hartford. And Lightning Could Strike, Too

Governor Says he's not losing sleep over NHL Hockey

By Jeff Cohen

January 11, 2012

Back in November, Howard Baldwin made a splash when he proposed revamping Hartford's XL Center and luring an NHL team. But as WNPR's Jeff Cohen reports, Governor Dannel Malloy says the NHL isn't coming anytime soon.

Sorry, Connecticut hockey fans. The governor says you're stuck with the minor leagues for now.

"I have talked to Commissioner Bettman myself about this subject. I don't believe that there's any team moving to Hartford in the next couple of years, let's put it that way."

Appearing on WNPR's Where We Live, Malloy said that he's interested in revamping the XL Center with the cooperation of UConn and others. An NHL hockey team could only be possible if a lot of 'ands' came true.

"And if lighting strikes, and if the NHL decides to change some of its rules about moving teams, it's always a possibility. But again, I'll go back to the cornfield in Iowa. I'm not going to build it simply in the hopes that they will come."

Malloy isn't the only one skeptical of the NHL hype. A consultant's report from 2006 put it plainly -- no amount of renovations to the XL Center would be enough to attract an NHL team.