It’s hard for any Canadian to not feel like we should have more NHL teams.

So when a business hero like Jim Balsillie jumps into harm’s way, in his endless pursuit of a team, we all automatically rise to our feet and cheer. How can we not? Balsillie and his partner Mike Lazardis are Canada’s answer to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in the realm of ultimate technology entrepreneurs.

In fact the only reason I don’t switch to an iPhone to complete my absolute love of Apple… is the fact that RIM is a Canadian company. If the Crackberry was a Silicon Valley invention they would have sold dozens less this year. Because my company wouldn’t be a customer anymore.

But patriotism can’t be the only reason to make business decisions. The BlackBerry for example is still superior to the iPhone in many ways for business users. Perhaps patriotism is also blinding our viewpoint regarding Balsillie’s efforts. Perhaps he shouldn’t be able to deke out Gary Bettman to get a franchise. Perhaps he shouldn’t be able to save Hamilton’s despair by bringing the team to Copps Coliseum. Perhaps he shouldn’t be able to potentially draft The Great One to return home.

Like or dislike Gary Bettman, he did help ensure as many Canadian teams as possible could survive. Like or dislike the lost season, he managed to bring significant improvements to cost management to the game. Like or dislike the whistles, the new rules have made the game much more appealing.

It’s easy to say the Americans are ruining our game, and they should lose their franchises, I too have a hard time reconciling teams that reside in iceless Arizona, college town Ohio, and music city Nashville. But these markets provided expansion fees, jobs for players/coaches/administrators, and increased reach for everybody in the hockey business. Gloating over some problem franchises isn’t beneficial today.

We are in the midst of yet another playoff run sans a Canadian team. Adding another mediocre operation wont help.

But what it would do could be momentous. A new Canadian franchise could help break the chains of the current recession. Forty plus games means 600,000 fans over a season shelling out sizable dollars for tickets, hot dogs, and beer. A Southern Ontario based team will provide access to millions who presently can’t get into the vault better known as the ACC. Locating a franchise in Hamilton and/or Waterloo and/or Oshawa will bring excitement and energy to a community that could use it, plus significantly increased media exposure.

The strength of the Canadian franchises presently makes this proposal almost mute. They have climbed back form the abyss. It’s time to capitalize on the moment. Hamilton. Quebec City. Winnipeg. They could all support a team, and I’m not so sure that Halifax couldn’t pull it off.

So let’s do this the Canadian way. We are nice people. Friendly folk. Let’s go make the right friends at NHL-HQ. Bring them some poutine. How about a new BlackBerry…loaded with a Mike Myers movie. Maybe a Pinball Clemons autographed picture. By the time we are done, Canada will have its choice of  three new teams.