Gary Bettman may approve next NHL expansion franchise in upcoming meeting

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Liam McCormick
September 18, 2024 (9:22 PM)

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The NHL is believed to be eying several more expansion franchises in the next few years, and one team could be coming up to a major milestone.

Two ownership groups are looking to bring back the Atlanta Thrashers, and both groups have the funding and the plans to build a successful NHL arena. Before either group will commit to construction, they need the commitment from Gary Bettman that the NHL will be returning to Atlanta. Scott Burnside of Sportsnet is reporting the NHL could make the decision on returning to Atlanta on October 1st's Board of Governors meeting.

When the NHL decides to approve another expansion team, there's a number of reasons why a return to the Atlanta Thrashers is the best first option. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly recently said the NHL would prefer expansion in the USA. Atlanta already has an existing fanbase to draw on, and most importantly, they're the only current city with ownership willing to build an arena tailor-made for hockey - not retrofitting a building like Utah or Arizona did.

»As current two NHL owners told me this past week, the NHL is eventually going to 36. How soon after they welcome 34 is uncertain, but as I've suspected all along, I think the timeframe is around 2030.»
- David Pagnotta

Insider David Pagnotta reported earlier this year that the NHL has a target of adding 4 new teams by 2030, and also assured Atlanta would be next. The previous failure of the Thrashers should be ignored, because the reality is they have one of the most viable business markets with competing billionaire groups looking to back the team. One of the groups is headed by prominent former NHLer Anson Carter, giving it even more publicity and legitimacy. If there are four other markets being added, surely there's not four better options than Atlanta.

If the NHL really does have that aggressive of a plan for expansion in the coming years, it may be very likely that we hear a decision made on the Thrasers in the coming weeks at the board of governors meetings.