Not so fast, Houston: 4 other cities worthy of an expansion team
The NHL added its 31st team this season with the Vegas Golden Knights.
It's an odd number, so the expansion door is sure to open again in the coming years with the NHL adding team No. 32. Most recently, Houston has made noise about joining the club. It's an interesting case, given the city's size, its NHL-ready arena, and the would-be owner's financial backing.
But Houston is just one of five possibilities that should be in the cards when the NHL readies for its next expansion:
Kansas City
A once thought landing spot for three formerly financially struggling teams - the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, and Pittsburgh Penguins - the best way to bring a team to the Midwest could be through expansion.
An addition in Kansas City wouldn't be a first for the NHL, after the league tried its hand with the Scouts. The experiment lasted two seasons, as the team left for Colorado in 1976 before ultimately landing in New Jersey as the Devils.
Kansas City's Sprint Center, which opened its doors a decade ago, could ice a potential team. The arena seats more than 17,500 for hockey and has hosted six neutral site games since its opening. Lamar Hunt Jr., owner of the ECHL's Mavericks, has expressed interest in bringing the NHL to Kansas City, if the price is right.
PortlandPortland hockey fans have already shown their ability to support the sport, and an NHL-built arena further helps the cause for this expansion candidate.
Portland's hockey history began in 1914 with the Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. Today, the WHL's Winterhawks, playing out of the Moda Center, are among the biggest draws in the junior circuit. The arena holds more than 18,000 for hockey and is currently home to the NBA's Trail Blazers, Portland's lone pro team.
The NHL has never had a team in Portland, but a move almost happened in 2000 when there were talks of the Coyotes relocating to Oregon, with ownership to be held by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, prior to a local sale that kept the team in Arizona.
Quebec City
Quebec City's bid in the most recent expansion process was deferred, leaving open the possibility for the NHL to reconsider the Quebec capital in the future.
Expansion efforts have been led by Quebecor's Pierre Karl Peladeau, with the goal of bringing back the Nordiques. The team left for Denver in 1995, in part because they were unable to find a new arena. But that's no longer a roadblock following the unveiling of the 18,000-plus seat Videotron Centre in 2015.
While an addition to Quebec City would make it eight Canadian franchises, the market still has its challenges. Home to about 500,000, Quebec City would be the NHL's smallest market. Winnipeg is next, with nearly 200,000 more people, meaning a new team would need significant gate receipts to make up for a smaller corporate base.
"It isn't going to work very well unless this building is sold out every night," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in 2011 when the Atlanta Thrashers uprooted for Winnipeg, and a similar concern could exist about Quebec City.
SeattleThe Emerald City wants hockey, and the interest from the NHL appears to be mutual. The league was disappointed it didn't receive a bid from Seattle during its most recent expansion process, but given the painstaking process to build a new arena in the city, the delay was inevitable.
That won't be the case this time around, as Oak View Group, headed by former Toronto Maple Leafs executive Tim Leiweke, is leading the charge to revamp the 1962-built Key Arena into a modern facility.
The NHL has never had a franchise in Seattle, but the sport's history in the market is extensive. The WHL's Thunderbirds are a popular draw, while the city was also previously home to the PCHA's Metropolitans. In 1917, prior to the launch of the NHL, the Metropolitans defeated the Montreal Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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