It’s looking more and more likely that the NHL will add another expansion team over the next few seasons.
The league is already sitting at a healthy 32 teams, and though NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has stated expansion is not a priority, that hasn’t stopped speculation. Further, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman over the summer that future expansion is coming.
If that rings true, there are bound to be a whole host of candidates clamouring to get the newest NHL teams. Out of those candidates, four stand out above the rest:
- Atlanta
- Houston
- Quebec City
- Arizona
The question is, which one of those potential expansion sites makes the most sense for the NHL? Let’s take a look…
Atlanta
Metro population: 6.3 million
Potential arena: TBD
Major pro teams: Atlanta Braves (MLB), Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Atlanta United FC (MLS), Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
Atlanta has moved forward on a project that would include the construction of an 18,500-seat arena in the northern part of the city.
The NHL is no stranger to having a team in Georgia, having done so twice with the Atlanta Flames of the 1970s and the Atlanta Thrashers of the 2000s. Both teams struggled and were eventually relocated to Calgary and Winnipeg, respectively.
Two ownership groups are looking at securing bids for a new Atlanta team. One is spearheaded by former NHLer Anson Carter, while the other is by automotive billionaire Vernon Krause. Even NHL legend Bobby Orr supports bringing a team back to the city.
Atlanta currently has an ECHL team in the Gladiators. They play out of the Gas South Arena, which has a capacity of 13,000, but they only manage to attract an average of around 3,600 attendees at each game.
It’s not clear whether or not the thirst for hockey is strong enough in Atlanta to make a third attempt worthwhile, but with a few hungry ownership groups and a brand-new arena on the horizon, it will make some noise regardless.
Houston
Metro population: 7.1 million
Potential arena: Toyota Center (17,800 capacity)
Major pro teams: Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Dynamo FC (MLS)
Another city consistently brought up when discussing NHL expansion is Houston. The league already has another team in Texas with the Dallas Stars, but they have never ventured into Houston before.
There is a rich hockey culture in the city, with the Houston Aeros being one of the most storied minor league teams in the last 50 years. However, the team relocated to Iowa in 2013, and nobody has been able to fill that void since.
Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, has made comments about his desire to bring the NHL to the city. He certainly has the money to do so and has experience owning a professional sports team. The Toyota Center would also work as the home for an NHL team.
The Space City also seems to be popular among players, as they named Houston the city that is most deserving of the next NHL expansion team in a recent player’s poll held by The Athletic.
Quebec City
Metro population: 839,311
Potential arena: Videotron Centre (18,259 capacity)
Major pro teams: None
Ever since the Quebec Nordiques left for Colorado in 1996, rumours of their return have been constant.
There is an undeniable itch for NHL hockey to return to Quebec City, but the NHL has never seen eye-to-eye with those who want it to happen. The city has an NHL-ready rink in the Videotron Centre, and fans come out in droves to watch the QMJHL’s Quebec City Remparts (they average nearly 10,000 fans per game, the highest in the CHL).
It remains the obvious choice to become the eighth Canadian NHL team, as it has everything it needs to support a team.
The issue is that this market is much smaller than the others on this list and, considering the state of the Canadian dollar, may not be as appealing as bringing a team to a larger-market US team.
In theory, Quebec City is a slam dunk, but those issues have been and continue to be a major roadblock in returning a team to the area.
Phoenix
Metro population: 4.9 million
Potential arena: TBD
Major pro teams: Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Phoenix Suns (NBA), Arizona Cardinals (NFL), Phoenix Rising FC (MLS), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)
The Arizona Coyotes were declared an “inactive” franchise after last season, with all their players and picks being transferred to a new Utah expansion team. However, during that process, the NHL made sure to lay the groundwork for a possible return to the market.
The Coyotes’ identity and history remain intact (and inactive) and are waiting for the right time to be reactivated. The initial plan was to have ex-Coyotes owner Alex Merulo figure out the plan for a new arena to be built, but that seems to have fallen apart after his most recent bid for an arena failed.
That dream hasn’t died yet. Recent news out of the state says that Maricopa County is forming an advisory panel to look at ways the league can return to the area. An arena should be at the top of the to-do list, as should a stable ownership group.
The Coyotes were marred with attendance issues in their last decade of existence, but that wasn’t always the case. When they played in downtown Phoenix between 1996 and 2003, they were able to draw decent crowds. It was when they moved out of town to Glendale that things started to taper off on top of all the ownership issues.
Could the NHL recapture that magic with a new arena in the right spot?