NHL Expansion: Some Owners Oppose It

Vincent Larue
NHL Expansion: Some Owners Oppose It
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

Since this summer, NHL expansion has been the talk of the town.

Houston and Austin are at the center of the discussions, as the league is seriously considering the possibility of adding a 33rd team in Texas.

At one point, it even seemed like it was only a matter of time before an announcement was made.

But now, some owners could throw a wrench into Gary Bettman's plans.

On TSN's “Insider Trading” segment, Darren Dreger revealed that some NHL owners are simply not in favor of a new expansion.

In fact, the matter is reportedly moving much more slowly than expected.

What's particularly interesting are the reasons behind this opposition.

According to Dreger, some owners believe that the NHL's talent pool isn't deep enough to accommodate new teams without upsetting the competitive balance.

In other words, they fear that adding more teams would further dilute the available talent across the league. And personally, I completely agree with this point.

With 32 teams, we're already seeing several franchises struggling to build competitive rosters. Is it really necessary to add more?

In my view, the NHL would be better off focusing on the quality of its current product rather than constantly seeking to expand the league.

But that's not the only concern.

Some owners also view the arrival of another team in a state with no personal income tax—such as Texas—with skepticism. Whether in Houston or Austin, a new team could benefit from a tax advantage that many NHL markets do not have.

This is another factor that, in their view, could undermine competitive balance.

We mustn't forget Quebec City in this story either.

Even though Quebec City isn't directly involved in the current discussions, this opposition could complicate the ambitions of all cities dreaming of securing a franchise.

It's a shame for fans hoping to see the Nordiques return, but we must also consider the league's well-being.

In short, expansion is far from a done deal.

For once, I wouldn't be disappointed if the NHL decided to stay at 32 teams.


In a nutshell

– Bad news for the Senators.

– Andrei Svechnikov is on fire.

– Things are really heating up, though.

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