Report: Expansion and 33rd franchise confirmed by NHL insider!

Yesterday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was asked about the possibility and probability of NHL expansion in the near future and Bettman, ever the attorney, offered up a reply that didn't really offer up much information.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun though reports that expansion is indeed in the league's plans and that "it's a matter of when and not if" the league expands in the coming years.

From LeBrun's latest segment on TSN's 'Insider Trading':

"For me it's a matter of when and not if. And you certainly got that sense from listening to Gary Bettman and looking at the body language of the NHL commissioner yesterday morning for his meeting in New York. I feel like he came so close to just saying it's going to happen, but he said, 'No, we're not ready yet.' But then, he talked about the recurring interest and conversations that he's had with... Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake and Quebec City."

- Pierre LeBrun

I swear to God that if this team puts another friggin' team in Atlanta I'm going to choke on my own vomit. This is a city that has had two chances at the NHL and has fallen on its face both times. The league also has an unmitigated disaster with the Arizona Coyotes to deal with, as well. And that's saying nothing about the likes of the Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets who struggle to sell tickets even at the best of times.

Sure, the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken have been success stories so far but the league as a whole is not in good enough shape to be expanding at this point, in my opinion.