The NHL doesn’t appear to have a desire to remain a 32-team league.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly went back on the record about potential expansion this past week during an interview with The Athletic’s Michael Russo. Daly spoke with Russo while the two were in Milan, Italy, for the European NHL Player Media Tour.
“We haven’t said no to anybody,” Daly told Russo. “And there are multiple entities within multiple markets that are talking to us. None has gotten to the level of having a full proposal that we think is worthy of sharing with the Board of Governors or the executive committee. One of those could happen in the future. I semi-expect it to happen in the future, but it hasn’t happened yet.
“And certainly, none of those candidates or applicants have been given any kind of timeline that they had to meet. So, it’s kind of an open-ended process at this point.”
Daly has previously mentioned that the NHL is represented in fewer US markets than other professional leagues in the country. Past statements from Bettman and Daly revealed that cities like Atlanta, Houston, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Quebec City have all maintained interest in an expansion squad.
The Atlanta bid, in particular, appears to have the most momentum behind it, following local government approval earlier this summer for a $3 billion-plus development with a planned arena. The plans are being spearheaded by Krause Sports and Entertainment, with CEO Vernon Krause meeting with league officials last month.
“We’ve been meeting,” Daly said. “I’m sure, maybe, we did have a meeting with Atlanta in July. May have. I mean, expressions of interest continue to give them audiences with us, pitch us on the merits, and why we should be considering.”
Atlanta previously housed the Atlanta Flames for eight seasons, who then relocated to Calgary in 1980. They then had the Atlanta Thrashers for 11 seasons before relocation and becoming the Winnipeg Jets in 2011.
Among the top 10 largest metropolitan areas in the United States based on the 2020 census, only Houston (5th), Atlanta (8th), and Phoenix (10th) are currently without an NHL franchise.
The NHL is approaching 10 years since adding the Vegas Golden Knights (2017) and five years since adding the Seattle Kraken (2021) as expansion franchises. Daly and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman have typically been reluctant to discuss further expansion at recent press conferences, but Daly’s comments to Russo may signal a slight shift in attitude.
For expansion to occur, the NHL’s board of governors will have to agree to a set expansion fee, which has consistently risen over the past seven years. The fees for Vegas, Seattle, and the Utah Hockey Club were $500 million, $650 million, and $1.2 billion, respectively. The next fee is widely expected to cross the $2 billion mark.