NHL shoots down Vegas expansion rumors
The NHL denied reports on Wednesday that the league is planning to expand to Las Vegas, Quebec City, Seattle and Toronto.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Canada’s TVA Sports that expansion is “not in our plans. There is absolutely nothing new on that.”
Daly said the four cities have been named “every time there’s talk of expansion in the NHL but it would be surprising that all four would get a team at once.”
The NHL hasn’t expanded since the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild joined for the 2000-01 season.
Tony Gallagher, columnist for the Vancouver Province, reported Tuesday that NHL expansion to Las Vegas is a “done deal” and that the league could also place franchises in Seattle and/or Quebec City. Later Tuesday, Howard Bloom of Sports Business News tweeted that “four teams added by 2017, Quebec City, Toronto, Seattle, and Las Vegas $1.4B in expansion fees.”
Daly was asked about the possibility of an organization struggling with financial difficulties moving, such as the Florida Panthers.
“We have no move in sight, whether in the case of the Panthers, or any other team besides.” Daly said
