Gary Bettman initiates expansion plan with two new NHL markets

It appears to be only a matter of time until the NHL expands again, and now Gary Bettman is meeting with two groups leading the charge.

Despite the approaching Stanley Cup Playoffs, it appears all the talk in the NHL as of late has been about potential expansion or relocation, and although there's been rumours of many interested parties, it's seemingly boiled down to three main candidates; Atlanta, Houston and Salt Lake City.

While Ryan Smith, the owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz has led the charge for a new team, it appears the other two teams have taken the lead, as renowned NHL Insider Kevin Weekes has revealed that the groups leading the charge to bring the NHL to Atlanta and Houston are in New York to meet with the league.





It's not clear now where the Salt Lake City bid stands, and while the NHL won't overshadow the playoffs with an announcement anytime soon, it is seemingly just a matter of time until we have teams No. 33 and 34 in the NHL. With the situation in Arizona, things get even more murky, as a city like Salt Lake City or Quebec City could become potential destinations for relocation rather than expansion, making the future of the NHL very exciting.

Given the money that the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken have brought into the NHL, it makes complete sense why they would want to relocate, and while some fans may not want it to happen, it is inevitable at this point, with the first steps potentially being taken today.

Source: Hockey Feed

Gary Bettman begins expansion plans, meets with reps from two Southern markets