Bill Daly hints at several more NHL teams via expansion

For NHL fans who believe that 32 clubs is already too many, you may want to avert your eyes from the following information that comes from Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. 

In light of the success stories of the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, the NHL could be poised for further expansion. While the exact number of potential new teams remains uncertain, Daly stated that any future expansion will prioritize the League's growth and best interests.

"Do I know what that number is? No. I will also say it’s not just (commissioner Gary Bettman) or I making that decision, it’s also our ownership group that makes the decision," Daly explained when discussing the potential number of new expansion clubs. "With the last two expansions in particular, the thought process was a lot different (than 1998-2000). Everybody was just interested in adding clubs, there was an $80M expansion fee, right? It’s much more business-oriented now in terms of how clubs look at it.

They don’t want to add franchises just to add franchises, they want to add franchises that will grow the value of the league. ‘Does this market make sense for the National Hockey League? Does it make my franchise more valuable?’ Understanding that I might get a nice cheque in the short term, but this is a longer-term look at asset-value and whether they are making the league better.”

As far as any concerns that talent may be stretched too thin by the introduction of new clubs, Daly immediately brushed aside that thought.

“The quality of the talent on the players’ side is better that it's ever been and deeper than it's ever been," he said. "I don’t worry in terms of dilution of talent. Skill level is off charts, the league becoming younger and younger.....not concerned about it.”

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