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The NHL’s last round of expansion — which included the Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken and, if you want to get technical, the Utah Mammoth — has been 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 ready 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 meeting Tuesday in New York City, and it shows where the league’s head may be when it comes to where they want to go next.
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The NHL is reportedly eyeing 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 floated in the past. Of course, Quebec City is always part of the conversation, and the idea of another team in the Toronto market continues to generate interest.
But according to Kaplan’s report, the league is close to Texas, a giant state that is home to what appears to be only one team, the Dallas Stars.
The Texas Stars of the American Hockey League currently play in a suburb of Austin. (Photo: Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images)
Both cities 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 Aeros, the most notable being the World Hockey Association version in the 1970s, which at one point featured Gordie Howe.
Gordie, Marty and Mark Howe played for the WHA’s Houston Eros in the 1970s. (Bettmann / Contributor)
Of course, there are a ton of factors that play into the expansion — including finding someone to raise the rumored $2 billion expansion fee — but the markets themselves present two very different options.
Austin is the largest market in the country without a team in one of the four major North American leagues. The NHL wanted 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 the NHL is not a part of. Sure, Houston is a massive TV market, but they’d also be trying to compete for fans’ attention and money with established organizations in the Astros, Rockets and Texans.
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Who knows which one it will be or if they will eventually turn to another destination.
Either way, it looks like the NHL is getting serious about expansion.
