After dismissing the idea for years, especially after adding the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, it appears that the NHL is again headed for expansion. Speaking to ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, the league’s deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, had plenty to say about the possibility of expansion, particularly regarding Atlanta, Austin, Houston, and Phoenix.
Two ownership groups in Atlanta are jockeying for a new expansion franchise. The Alpharetta City Council is working on a redevelopment of the North Point Mall, which would include an NHL stadium.
Meanwhile, Krause Sports & Entertainment is ready to build an NHL stadium at The Gathering in South Forsyth. However, work won’t begin on either stadium until one of the two groups is awarded a team.
According to Wyshynski, a third group is emerging in Atlanta led by former player Anson Carter. Carter, previously with the Alpharetta Group, has reportedly found funding elsewhere.
Unlike the other two groups, Carter has not chosen a location for a new stadium, though he assures that it will be better than the other two proposals.
Regardless, if Atlanta is awarded another franchise, the Krause Sports & Entertainment Group has already drawn Daly’s ire. A few days ago, reports emerged that Krause had submitted a final expansion proposal to the NHL, only to have Daly himself negate the report a few hours later.
Regarding the incident, Daly said, “They claimed that people associated with their efforts and initiative got over their skis a little bit. They received an angry call from me when it was all coming down and I didn’t know anything about it.”
Outside of Atlanta, the Board of Governors will meet at the end of this month to discuss the possibility of expansion in Houston or Austin. Still, although an ownership candidate has already been selected, Daly said it’s not a foregone conclusion that a team will be awarded.
A firmer answer is expected after the Board of Governors meeting, but Daly said, “I think both have strengths. I think both have weaknesses.
Ultimately, that’s a decision for our board: (1), whether they want to expand at all, but (2), if they want to expand, where their primary location would be.”
Lastly, Daly discussed the possibility of returning a team to Phoenix, albeit under different ownership. Despite the many wrongdoings of former owner Alex Meruelo, the NHL doesn’t believe Phoenix itself is a lost market.
Wyshynski quoted Daly, saying, “I don’t think we ever soured on Phoenix as a market. I think our issue in Phoenix was the location of the building.
It’s always the location of the building. I think with the right location, we collectively believe that Phoenix would be a great market.“