NHL Reportedly Planning Expansion Franchise to Surprising City

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Daniel Lucente
February 19, 2025  (2:51 PM)

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Photo credit: Kimpton Hotel Fontenot

A new city is on the NHL's radar for expansion, and that is New Orleans, Louisiana, as this is a new option for the league to expand the game in the South.

The NHL recently sat down with an ownership group that would love to have an expansion team in New Orleans, deputy commissioner Bill Daly informed ESPN's Kevin Weekes on Wednesday.

The meeting was held at the league's New York offices. This dialogue is in its very early stages, and expansion is far from certain.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has been reluctant to commit to a timetable for further expansion beyond the current 32 teams, following the additions of Vegas and Seattle.

The NHL's first choice for its 33rd franchise seems to be back in the Phoenix market, where it still holds the branding rights for the Coyotes after the club moved to Utah.

Phoenix does not yet have an arena for an NHL team, though, and there has been no progress on that front.

New Orleans is presently one of several cities that are seeking to obtain an NHL franchise. Houston and Atlanta already possess, or are building, NHL-ready arenas and have had multiple ownership groups show interest.

The other cities most frequently named as possibilities for expansion are Cincinnati, Hamilton, Kansas City, Omaha, Quebec City, and Saskatoon.

But if expansion did occur, some combination of Atlanta, Houston, and Phoenix appears the most probable way to go. This is definitely not the news those in New Orleans want to hear.

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Previously

Connor Bedard Reveals His Feelings on Not Being Chosen for Team Canada at the Four Nations

New York Rangers Make Roster Move as Playoff Hopes Hang in the Balance

Boston Bruins Team Doctor Reveals What Really Happened With Charlie McAvoy: It's Worse Than We Thought

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FÉVRIER 19   |   302 ANSWERS NHL Reportedly Planning Expansion Franchise to Surprising City Should New Orleans be the next city to get an NHL team?
Yes	44	14.6 %
No	258	85.4 %
LIST OF POLLS

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