NHL, NHLPA Agree to Expansion Draft Rules: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

While NHL expansion isn't imminent, the league has taken a big step toward potentially adding teams by reportedly agreeing to expansion draft rules. 

According to Gary Lawless of TSN 1290 on Friday, the NHL and the NHLPA came to terms. Lawless explained what that could mean:

Lawless added that "no-moves must be protected by teams. No-trade clauses [are] not exempt and can be left exposed."

The NHL currently boasts 30 teams, but there is an imbalance, with 16 in the Eastern Conference and 14 in the Western, which could make expanding an attractive option.

The three primary cities that have been linked to potential NHL expansion in recent months are Las Vegas, Quebec City and Seattle.

Las Vegas and Quebec City filed expansion applications in July 2015.

Vegas may be the favorite to land a team because of the opening of the 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena, which would make for an ideal NHL venue, per Tim Newcomb of SI.com.

While Quebec also boasts a new arena, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney admitted on Quebec's FM93 (h/t Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun) in March that Canada's weak dollar could hinder the expansion bid:

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Obviously, you know that with the Canadian dollar where it is, it is an extraordinary challenge not only for Quebec, but for all of Canada vis-a-vis the United States. So we must deal with this reality. ...

We work well with the National Hockey League and the case, quietly, (might) not advance quickly, but (will) advance as it should.

Will it be for tomorrow morning? No, I think not. But I think we are high up on the list of important applications to remember in the future.

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Seattle is also in a difficult spot, as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in January that the league wasn't accepting additional applications beyond the ones submitted by Las Vegas and Quebec City, according to NHL.com.

The NHL hasn't expanded since the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild entered the league in 2000, although it did have one relocation when the Atlanta Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets in 2011.

While all three proposed expansion cities could provide the NHL with fantastic markets and fanbases, there are other factors to consider.

The talent pool already seems to be spread thinly across 30 teams, and it will only get worse if additional clubs are added. Also, with markets such as Arizona struggling, it is fair to question the viability of expanding over relocating.

Although the league now has some guidelines in place should expansion occur, there is plenty to consider before moving forward, and it appears unlikely anything will happen in the immediate future.

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