Written Option 2:

Expansion into new markets is always a tricky situation for a hockey league.  There's a delicate dance between the league confidently celebrating the arrival of top-tier sport and the need to woo a wary or indifferent fan-base. Act too much like you're doing the fans a favour simply by appearing, and you'll look arrogant; be too desperate to please the fans, and you'll look like a small-time operation.

One of the keys to a good expansion is doing the hard work of understanding the city that you're entering long before making too many decisions. What is the history of hockey in this city? Is this a city just learning about hockey? Has there been a painful history with past pro teams leaving fanbase behind?

Probably the number one best thing to do is to connect, in a meaningful and earnest way, with the most hardcore hockey fans in the city. Get to know them, actually meet them in person and listen to their concerns and desires. Branding seems like one of the first things a team needs to decide, but it should only follow the work of understanding the city's biggest hockey fans. Lose the ultras and you lose the soul of the hockey community.