NHL in Mexico City? Preseason games may head South of Border

OK, let’s just get this out of the way up front: Yes, we imagine they would throw sombreros for a hat trick. 

Mexican news agency NOTIMEX is reporting that Mexico City officials have had two meetings with NHL officials about bringing two preseasons games South of the Border, presumably in the 2016-17 season, before President Trump constructs an impenetrable wall forever separating the nations.

The report states that the games would likely be held at Mexico City’s Palacio de los Deportes. According to Wikipedia, the stadium seats 17,800 and hosted an NBA regular season game between the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks in 1997. If not, there are two convention centers that might be available.

The Dallas Stars don’t appear to be one of the teams the Mexico City officials are interested in, although we imagine the NHL might negotiate on that point. Joaquin de la Garma, president of the Sports Federation of Mexico Ice Hockey, said that the NHL teams that most fans have in Mexico are San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The officials want to play one game on a Friday night and another on Sunday afternoon.

Bill Meltzer took a look at hockey in Mexico for NHL.com in 2010, and it remains a robust niche sport for those who participate. But it’s been growing for over a decade, and perhaps the time is right for the NHL to bring an exhibition series there.

If nothing else, we’ll finally have an appropriate venue for the Taco Cannon.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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