NHL Authorizes Formal Process for League Expansion: Latest Details and Reaction

The NHL hasn't had an expansion team since the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild entered the league in 2000, but that could soon change, as it has allowed Las Vegas and Quebec City to continue the process toward gaining a franchise.

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Las Vegas, Quebec City Invited to Phase 2 of Expansion Process

Wednesday, Aug. 5

TSN.ca passed along confirmation of the invitations as the expansion process progresses, and VegasWantsHockey.com, which was responsible for a season ticket drive in the city, issued a statement:

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We are pleased to report that the NHL has invited us to participate in Phase II of the application process. In this phase, we will be providing the League with additional information requested by it, including information about the Las Vegas market. We will also be permitted access to information provided by the League that it deems important to us. We are hopeful that at the conclusion of this phase the league will invite us to participate in Phase III.

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On July 21, the league officially announced Quebec City and Las Vegas had filed bids for new teams starting the process, per NHL.com:

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The deadline for filing an application and proceeding in the NHL expansion process was last night. We can confirm that we have received two applications: one from Bill Foley for a franchise in Las Vegas, Nevada, and one from Quebecor for a franchise in Quebec City, Quebec. ...

We now intend to focus exclusively on the two expansion applications that have been submitted in accordance with the previously announced process. The process we have outlined for qualified applicants includes at least two more stages of documentation submission. We will provide no further updates until there is something substantive to announce.

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While this is certainly a potential step toward league expansion, on June 24, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stressed that it doesn't guarantee anything, per NHL.com:

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Over the past several years we have received numerous expressions of interest from potential markets and ownership groups that have indicated an interest in joining the National Hockey League. The Board decided today to examine those expressions more formally and also to welcome any other groups or markets that may be considering pursuit of an NHL team. The fact that we are beginning this process does not necessarily mean that any expansion teams will be granted as a result of this process.

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Those who are interested will have to make a $500 million investment, which is significantly higher than the expansion fee that was last posted in 1998, per Sportsnet Stats:

Should expansion occur, Chris Johnston of Sportsnet pointed out that the team or teams won't come into existence until the 2017-18 season.

Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun is among those who don't believe that diehards of the sport want to see more than 30 teams in the NHL:

It remains to be seen if expansion would be a viable financial move for the NHL, but it would certainly make sense structurally. The Western Conference currently has two fewer teams than the Eastern Conference, so bringing in two expansion teams would allow for greater balance.

Per Kevin Shockey of Sports Radio KJR in Seattle, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was especially bullish on Vegas' chances:

Expansion would give the NHL an opportunity to move into big markets that are seemingly ready to embrace big-time professional hockey, but it wouldn't alleviate the issue of the current markets that are struggling.

Adding two more teams would also dilute the overall talent pool in the league, so Bettman and others in power will have to consider the possibility of expansion damaging the on-ice product.

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