NHL expansion rumors are back following a late night article and tweet that sent reporters scrambling and fans curiously intrigued by the proposition of four new teams. Tony Gallagher of The Vancouver Province reported that a team in Las Vegas is a “done deal” and talks had intensified in cities including Seattle, Kansas City and Quebec City along with a second team in Toronto.
Howard Bloom of Sports Business News took things a step further with this tweet on Tuesday night:
NHL expansion – four teams added by 2017, Quebec City, Toronto, Seattle, and Las Vegas $1.4b in expansion fees
— Howard Bloom (@SportsBizNews) August 27, 2014
Unfortunately for the overzealous supporters of this supposed 4-team expansion, the NHL denied the report. Per TVA sports, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said, “Not in our plans. Nothing new on expansion.”
Commissioner Gary Bettman has been quietly conservative when approached on the topic, either refusing to comment or giving vague optimism. He said the following when scoping out Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium last year.
There’s a lot of interest. We’re hearing from multiple groups in Seattle and in Vegas and Kansas City and Quebec City. We have not decided to engage in a formal expansion process. It’s not something we have seriously considered yet.
There has been speculation of new teams for years, with 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and only 14 in the Western Conference. The NHL has not welcomed a new franchise since 2000 when the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets were added to give the league 30 teams.
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[Toronto Star, Vancouver Province]
Photo Courtesy: Getty Images
