NHL chills on expansion

Surrounded by the Stanley Cup, Vezina Trophy and other coveted NHL awards as he spoke on the outdoor deck of The Palms' Ghostbar on a sun-splashed Monday afternoon, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman barely could contain his excitement about bringing the league's awards show to Las Vegas for the next three years.

"They've promised us parties all over the facility, one up here, one by the pool. They're going to make me feel 30 years younger," Bettman said.

But Bettman wasn't nearly as hopeful about Las Vegas' chances to land an NHL team, and he all but erased the city's name from the list of potential future sites for the league's popular Winter Classic game.

"I've said it repeatedly: I think Las Vegas would make a great home for a professional sports team, but the stadium/arena issues need to be resolved before there can be serious consideration," he said. "The sense I get about the arena issue is, wherever it was a year ago, it's more distant (now) because of the economic downturn.

"You never know, but we have no plans to expand, and I don't think anybody does at this time."

Although league officials visited Las Vegas in January and said the city was on a list of potential future sites for the Winter Classic, Bettman said he couldn't see the game ever being played here.

"We had outdoor exhibition games here with the (Los Angeles) Kings (at Caesars Palace), but those were exhibition games," he said. "We've had enough trouble making sure the ice, which is created specially for the Winter Classic, is up to game conditions, because the Winter Classic counts. Looking at our standings, with 11 days left in the regular season, there were 11 playoff spots open, so every game really matters.

"In terms of game conditions, I don't think we can stage an NHL regular-season game in this beautiful climate."

The NHL Awards show, which is open to the public (for $500 a ticket), will take place June 18 at The Pearl theater at The Palms and, for the first time, the event will be broadcast live in the United States on Versus.

Bettman said one reason the league decided to move the show to Las Vegas was to create a "destination event" for its fans.

"This is an opportunity for us to open it more to the public," he said. "I have a sense people are going to want to travel here to attend the event, it's a larger theater, and it's an opportunity to make this a destination event for our fans."

Also, with the NHL Players Association holding its meetings here that week, Bettman expects a record turnout for the event, which will feature an after-party at The Palms' Rain nightclub.

"We're going to have record attendance for players, award winners and other celebrities," Bettman said. "I think (everyone is) going to have a terrific time."

Bettman also announced Monday that the NHL will team with Pokerstars.net and the NHLPA to present a celebrity/pro athlete charity poker tournament on June 17, the day before the awards ceremony.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will pay the NHL about $650,000 per year to sponsor the event, and LVCVA president Rossi Ralenkotter hopes the relationship will lead to the city landing an NHL team.

"This is a great opportunity for us to showcase Las Vegas to the NHL, and hopefully that conversation will continue, as well as with other leagues, for a potential team," he said.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman also is hopeful that bringing the NHL Awards show to the city will be followed by bringing a franchise here.

"I think it's a big deal because it shows (the NHL) has no problems with Las Vegas as a destination," he said. "That's certainly an indication that when it's time to expand or for a franchise to move, there won't be any objection to having it in Las Vegas."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.