I believe a good expansion brand and location are the same as a good franchise brand and location. For me, the location comes first. A cool place before anything else. Being drafted or traded to a city you feel no connection to can be pretty dull. I think placing a team in a market too small for professional hockey isn’t the best idea. With now 36 teams in the SHL/SMJHL, I would be okay expanding the league to markets not traditionally linked to hockey, such as Honolulu, San Antonio, or New Mexico. Even a team in Scandinavia would be interesting.  Or, in my opinion, some teams in the SMJHL making their way to the SHL would be a great idea. Maybe not Great Falls, but Detroit, St.Louis or Colorado for sure.

I think the brand should reflect the city's history or, at the very least, its culture. Frenchie did a great job with the Highlanders and Ottawa, for example. I might be a minority, but I think colors are even more important than the logo and should reflect a concept, an idea.