Report: NHL to approve expansion today with 2 frontrunners

UPDATE: NHL insider Kevin Weekes is now reporting that the NHL could expand by as many as four teams, bringing the total up to 36 teams!

Read below for our earlier report on today's expansion news from NHL insider Andy Strickland.

According to a report from NHL insider Andy Stickland, NHL owners are meeting today to formally approve the opening of an expansion period that will see the league grow from 32 teams to 34 teams.

Stickland further reports that Houston, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia are both frontrunners for expansion.

From Stickland:

Really? We're going to give Atlanta a third kick at the can? Why not just speed up the whole process and move them to Quebec City straight off the hop? After all, the last two Atlanta NHL franchises ended up north of the border eventually. 

The Atlanta Flames fizzled out after just eight seasons and relocated to Calgary to great success. Ditto for the Atlanta Thrashers who moved to Winnipeg after 11 failed seasons in Georgia. Now the NHL is going to give it another shot?

Houston is what it is...

I don't know a ton about the Houston hockey scene, but the city itself has both the population base and the sports culture to support another pro franchise. Houston already hosts the Astros (MLB), Texans (NFL), Rockets (NBA) and Dynamo FC (MLS). It's expected that a potential Houston NHL team would be owned by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who also owns the Toyota Center in downtown Houston.

Again, I can't speak much for Houston but I can't see how or why the NHL would bring hockey back to Atlanta. Again, this is a market that has failed the NHL twice now. Meanwhile, Quebec City has been pushing for an NHL team since the 18,000+ seat Videotron Centre opened back in 2015. In fact, the arena is the third largest arena in North America that does not host an NHL team. Sadly, it appears that the NHL is more concerned with corporate support in their markets and, as such, Quebec City doesn't really register on their radar. Until la Vieille Capitale lands a corporate headquarters for a major international brand the NHL won't be interested. Under Gary Bettman, underserved Canadian markets are just small potatoes to the NHL. 

Frankly, the league's most recent expansion cities of Las Vegas and Seattle have been outstanding successes. Still, I hope the league's brass doesn't let that cloud their judgement. Arizona, Florida and Columbus have all struggled mightily at certain points in their existence. Expansion is not a sure bet and I hope the NHL recognizes that fact.