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The last phase of the NHL’s expansion — which included the Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken and, if you want to get technical, Utah Mammoth — was nothing short of a success, so why not go from 32 teams to 33 or maybe more?
Well, according to a report from ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the NHL is preparing to start its next expansion process with two Lone Star State options: Austin and Houston.
Kaplan reported that this was discussed at the league’s board of governors meeting Tuesday in New York, and it shows where the league’s lead might be when it comes to where it would like to go next.
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The NHL is reportedly considering Houston or Austin for its next expansion team. (iStock)
Atlanta (yes, for the third time) has emerged as a potential expansion destination, and a return to Arizona has also been discussed in the past. Of course, Quebec City is still part of the conversation, and the idea of a second team in the Toronto market continues to generate interest.
But according to Kaplan’s report, the league’s focus is Texas, a giant state currently home to just one team, the Dallas Stars.
The Texas Stars of the American Hockey League currently play in the Austin suburbs. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images)
Both towns have some hockey history. Austin has been home to minor league teams, including the current Texas Stars, Dallas’ AHL affiliate, who play in one of the city’s suburbs.
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As for Houston, it has been home to a few different iterations of the Houston Eros, the most notable being the World Hockey Association’s version in the 1970s, which featured Gordie Howe at one point.
Gordie, Marty and Mark Howe played for the Houston Eros of the WHA in the 1970s. (Bettmann / Contributor)
Of course, many factors go into expansion — including finding someone who can afford the $2 billion expansion fee — but the markets themselves present two very different opportunities.
Austin is the largest market in the country without a team in one of the four major North American leagues. The NHL would have a chance to be first, and it was a strategy that worked well in Las Vegas.
Of course, it also didn’t hurt that the Golden Knights have been competitive every season since entering the league.
But on the other hand, Houston is one of the biggest markets that the NHL isn’t a part of. Sure, Houston is a huge TV market, but they would also try to compete for fans’ attention and dollars with the established Astros, Rockets and Texans organizations.
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Who knows which one it will be, or if they will ultimately turn to another destination.
Regardless, it appears the NHL is seriously considering expansion.
