Prominent NHL player agent Allan Walsh has confirmed that league commissioner Gary Bettman is choosing a destination for the 33rd franchise.
The NHL is planning to expand from 32 to 33 teams, with league officials expected to approve the new team before the end of the year. Walsh took to X and dropped the confirmation that the league is deciding between Houston and Atlanta as the two potential destinations:
“NHL expansion is coming. Houston and Atlanta,” wrote Walsh.
Back in June, Gary Bettman confirmed that the NHL had struck a formal agreement with the Friedkin family to explore adding a second team in Texas. The process is expected to last about six months, with both Houston and Austin under consideration.
The total price tag is reported to be around $3.5 billion when you factor in the expansion fee and the cost of building a brand-new arena, which the league is insisting on.
Speaking of Houston, it has long been viewed as the bigger prize and a much larger media market than Austin. Austin has its own appeal with its growing population and younger fan base, but the numbers currently favor Houston.
Bettman has been careful not to shut the door on other cities. He’s mentioned that Atlanta and Arizona are still being discussed, just not as far along as the Texas opportunity right now.
Out of 2 places mentioned by Allan Walsh, Atlanta already had an NHL team in the past
Of the two cities Allan Walsh named, Atlanta is the one with NHL history. The city previously hosted the Atlanta Flames from 1972 to 1980 before the franchise moved to Calgary.
It later got a second chance with the Atlanta Thrashers, who played from 1999 until 2011 before relocating to Winnipeg and becoming the Jets. Both Atlanta’s previous stints ended due to ownership and area problems rather than a complete lack of interest in the market.
Despite those past failures, Atlanta remains one of the largest U.S. media markets without an NHL team, which is why it continues to be a topic of discussion whenever interest in the league increases.
Edited by Abhishek Dilta
