It’s easy to yearn for NHL expansion while watching the success of organizations like the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights. There are quite a few exceptional players, so it wouldn’t be a problem to dilute skill. Plus, many cities seem to welcome an NHL team with open arms.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in March that the league would not expand anytime soon, but acknowledged that other cities had expressed interest. While expansion isn’t a priority, according to Bill Daley, deputy commissioner, they don’t seem to rule it out in the long run, adding to the excitement, as they stated at their annual Stanley Cup Final press conference.
This raises the question of which lucky city will take Team No. 33 and which others will do the same. Cities that have the infrastructure, financiers and fans to support a team are very different from those that are still weighing their options. However, it seems inevitable that the NHL will expand, which will bring some tough decisions with it.
Here are the scenarios in more detail:
Salt Lake City
It looks like Utah is destined to enter the NHL scene sooner than the other places on this list. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has informed the league that he is interested in offering financial support. Because of the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies, the area is quite familiar with hockey. The league would benefit greatly from the addition of Utah as it would greatly complement the western plains of the United States.
But there are as many problems with the massive void in that region as there are opportunities. Salt Lake City has a population of about 200,000 and the metro area has a population of 1.26 million, but there aren’t many satellite cities to support the fanbase. The Golden Knights and Avalanche are two local teams supported by the surrounding large cities. As a result, it may take some time for this new market to continually attract supporters.
Houston
Even before Seattle was added as a 32 team, Houston had long been mentioned as a potential expansion city. The Houston Aeros of the AHL and their predecessors from the World Hockey League have already cultivated hockey enthusiasm in the fourth largest city in this country. The potential rivalry between Houston and the Dallas Stars, which will undoubtedly spark interest, is beyond words.
Popularity is not necessarily determined by the population. Phoenix boasts the fifth largest American population, including many retired Northerners who enjoy hockey, but the broader Phoenix area has had a hard time maintaining its team. Not to add, before the real expansion discussions can begin, a certain Houston property group has to come up. Although Houston is moving in the right direction, growth there is not guaranteed.
Atlanta
Surely the third time is the magic? The Atlanta Flames (now the Calgary Flames) and Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) were former NHL clubs that called Atlanta home. Atlanta, which has historically suffered from mismanagement, has a lot of promise as a hockey market due to its strong economy and large local population. Preserving hockey in Georgia will require learning from the past.
Chief among these factors is the importance of ring placement. Longtime fans have avoided the Thrashers traffic jams of the past. Not only does Atlanta need a backing ice arena (especially in the Deep South), but it also needs to strategically locate it to attract the biggest crowds. Atlanta may once again join the NHL fold with the right investment. Bill Daley seems to agree.
“Quite honestly, when we first expanded there, it was in 1972,” Daly said at the annual Cup final. “So the world has changed a lot since 1972. Some would argue that the second time we expanded there with the Thrashers, the building wasn’t built in the best part of Atlanta in terms of facilitating hockey support. So are there better options going forward? We’re told there “.
Quebec City
There is a constant demand from NHL club supporters to return to Quebec City. Tens of thousands of die-hard hockey fans have been without a home team to support them since the Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995, especially given how intense the rivalry between Quebec and the Montreal Canadiens has become over time. This is all positive news for returning to Quebec.
But just like Houston, who is actually providing the financing? Officials from the Quebec provincial government met with the NHL last year to discuss expansion, but the discussions were clearly not enough to get the Nordiques back. Quebec is buoyed by interest and tradition, but a strong dollar must also bend to his will.
Oklahoma City
There are other cities in the Southwest besides Houston where an NHL team could play one day. Although it’s a new market, Oklahoma City’s aviation-based economy provides the NHL with two things it can use to soar: money and fans.
The lack of a market for hockey, though, doesn’t get investors coming to the door to fund a team, so this is more of a “city of dreams,” if you will. Not only that, but the Oklahoma City Barons’ attendance problems since 2015 have prevented locals from even seeing minor league hockey there. Similar to Vegas, this band will need to consciously build a fanbase, which takes more time to rank up.
A second Toronto?
When he proposed a Toronto second team as a means of expansion, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBron sparked much discussion. Hockey-related revenue—a brand name for the money that determines wage caps and the league’s success—could be boosted by splitting the Maple Leafs’ fan base between two teams. This could greatly increase the revenues of the NHL, enabling it to compete with leagues such as the NBA and NFL.
Toronto can easily support two teams, but segmenting their fan base in a storied hockey market is a big ask. By any means, Leafs fans are Leafs fans, and you can be sure some would shudder at the suggestion of supporting another team. A two-team option would force the new Toronto establishment to compete with the existing team almost immediately, though markets like New York and Los Angeles suggest that is possible. This is at best greats.