People don't even watch hockey there, lol. (and there's no obvious business reasons like Las Vegas)
Of all the states on the Canadian border, Washington is probably the place where hockey is the least popular, and probably by some distance, considering most of those states are crazy about hockey (AK, ND, MN, VT, upstate NY, etc.) Wisconsin would've been a far better place to put a team. (although the Hawks would obviously have something to say about that)
