Finalizing some big tweaks for NHL32X 2.0. Here are the six new WHA franchises that will bring the league total to 24 and give us an even 12/12 split between North America and Europe. The six new clubs will be part of the new Central Europe division. And it keeps the WHA in big, prime capital cities and cosmopolitan cities (Milan's not a capital per se but still a very world city).
You'll notice a couple things up front:
1) The teams are all new. I decided to go this route so that I could implement the WHA without changing the make-up of other leagues in the game which are still reality-based.
2) The names have been "North Americanized". This is on purpose to keep a similar look and feel to all the teams in the league. I know it feels against tradition for some but keep in mind these are all new clubs and an all new league. It's meant to be different. And it's still a North American-based league (technically).
Budapest Bears
- The Budapest Bears take their identity from current Hungarian club MAC Újbuda. MAC will continue to play in the Hungarian league on the "Buda" side of the city but existing modern arena Papp Laszlo Sportarena (capacity 12,500) will serve as home to the WHA's Bears.
Kyiv Falcons
- The Falcons of course are based on traditional Ukrainian power Sokol Kiev, who sent many prospects to the NHL draft in the 80's and 90's. Sokol no longer exists - the WHA's Falcons are their spiritual successor and will play in a brand new arena, 16,000 seat Obolon Arena.
Milan Vipers
- The Vipers are a resurrection of the former Italian champions. HC Milano RossoBlu will continue to play in the AlpsHL but the WHA club will bring back the "Vipers" nickname from the past while marrying it to the classic Milan red and blue colors. The brand new Luxottica Arena, capacity 17,500, will be their home.
Prague Lions
- The Lions are a direct re-birth of the former KHL team Lev Praha, who enjoyed a successful, if very brief, stint in that league a few years ago. The KHL's loss is the WHA's gain as the league moves into former KHL territory. The Lions will of course play their games in Prague's well-known O2 Arena, capacity over 17,000.
Vienna Eagles
- Austria will be represented in their capital city by the Eagles while the Vienna Capitals will continue to play EBEL. Red Bull was considered by logistically, Vienna made more sense than Salzburg for the WHA. The Eagles will take to the ice at a renovated Wiener Stadhalle, capacity 15,000.
Warsaw Legion
- Much like Kyiv, Warsaw's team is a direct descendant from a former team in Poland, Legia Warszawa. Maintaining the old club crest and colors, the WHA's Legion will play in a brand new, state of the art area seating 17,000 - PKO BP Arena.
Also, Paris has gotten a make-over for this update, with the boring PSG copied identity replaced by the Paris Flyers, a riff on the current Division 3 based Paris club, the Français Volants Paris. They get a stylish and classic winged logo.
And finally, the WHA gets a sleek new logo that represents the two sides of the ocean, North America and Europe, coming together to form a dynamic international club league.
