What are the favorite cities for the next NHL expansion teams? The National Hockey League had as little as six teams in 1942. The Seattle Kraken joined as the 32nd team in 2021.
The NHL is now made up of 25 teams from America and 7 from Canada. An expansion team can generate new jobs, increased tourism and greater tax revenues for cities. Let’s take a look at the possibilities for the next NHL expansion teams.
6. Portland
Portland is known for its passionate sports culture and successful major league sports teams. The Trail Blazers have been historically strong in the NBA and the Timbers are one of the biggest Major League Soccer teams.
The city also has a strong history of supporting minor league hockey. The Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League have produced NHL Hall of Famers Marian Hossa, Mark Messier and Cam Neely.
A big reason Portland can host one of the next NHL expansion teams is the state-of-the-art Moda Center. Home to the Trail Blazers, Moda Center has hosted NHL preseason games in the past and would be a great location to host a Pacific Northwest rivalry against the Seattle Kraken.
Pacific NorthWest needs another #NHL team. #Portland #Winterhawks. pic.twitter.com/pTVXaEq2qX
— Big𝕊𝕂𝕐🍥 (@CanuckSyko) March 6, 2023
5. Milwaukee
Milwaukee is a city rich of hockey traditions and is home to the successful minor league team and Nashville Predators affiliate the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers have created one of the biggest MLB rivalries, and a Milwaukee NHL expansion team in a region with an already strong ice hockey presence would create massive rivalries with the nearby Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.
Fiserv Forum opened in 2018 and is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. The modern state-of-the-art arena is located conveniently in downtown Milwaukee, and has hosted the NCAA Frozen Four, reason that Milwaukee can become one of the next NHL expansion teams.
4. Kansas City
Kansas City was home to NHL team the Scouts between 1974-1976 but suffered from low crowds, poor on ice performances and growing debt. The Scouts then relocated to Denver for six years before moving on to become the New Jersey Devils.
Things have changed since then and there’s renewed interest for a Kansas City NHL expansion team. T-Mobile Center has hosted St. Louis Blues preseason games in the past, and in 2007 the city offered to host the Pittsburgh Penguins with free rent if they relocated.
A roadblock for a team is Kansas City’s proximity to existing NHL markets in St. Louis and Nashville. They’ll also need corporate sponsorship and a rich owner to help cover the mammoth cost of expansion fees.
This week in 1974, the NHL’s Kansas City Scouts were born. Two years and a mere 27 wins later, the team was Colorado bound. Don’t be sad it ended; be happy it happened. pic.twitter.com/w5Po2Nb4SU
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) June 12, 2018
3. Quebec City
The Quebec Bulldogs were a founding member of the National Hockey League in 1917 before moving to Hamilton in 1920. In 1979 the Quebec City Nordiques became the second NHL team to play in the city. A relocation to Denver would take place in 1995 and the Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche.
A Francophone market of less than 1 million people, Quebec City would only be bigger than the Winnipeg market if it gained an NHL expansion team. The Nordiques struggled in the city because of a lack of market size which was an issue with skyrocketing player salaries.
Fans in the city are passionate ice hockey fans however, and an NHL team in Quebec City would be comparable to the Buffalo Sabres or Washington Capitals markets. The state-of-the-art Videotron Centre, an 18,000-seater stadium built in 2015, could also host an NHL game tomorrow if it had to, making Quebec City a viable expansion team candidate.
2. Hamilton
Hamilton is one of the favourites for the next lot of NHL expansion teams but despite multiple bids, it keeps on failing. The favorite for NHL expansion in 1990, the Hamilton bid attempted to negotiate the $50 million expansion fee and both Ottawa and Tampa where chosen instead. It was a bad move considering the Seattle Kraken paid a $650 million expansion fee in 2021.
In 2006 a deal for the Pittsburgh Penguins to relocate to Hamilton was agreed in principle. That fell through as the Penguins agreed with the city of Pittsburgh for a new arena instead. It was also rumored in 2007 that the Nashville Predators were relocating to Hamilton but a move never eventuated.
The NHL currently has seven Canadian teams and Hamilton is the second largest population center of all Canadian cities without an NHL team. The city also sits just an hour south of Toronto, the National Hockey League’s most profitable market.
FirstOntario Centre is home to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League and is a viable NHL arena with a seating capacity of over 17,000.
1. Houston
Houston has a history of ice hockey with the Houston Skippers beginning minor league ice hockey in the city in 1946, albeit for one season only. The Houston Aeros of the AHL and IHL were founded in 1994 and relocated to Iowa in 2013.
What makes Houston the best location for the next NHL expansion team is that it’s the largest market in either America or Canada without a National Hockey League team. It makes Houston an extremely attractive option to host a team and doing so would complete a “full set” of major league teams in the city.
In 1998 Houston was just hours away from the Edmonton Oilers relocating to the city, only for a local ownership group in Edmonton matching Houston’s offer and the team staying in Canada instead.
Toyota Center is a 17,800 seat modern arena and home to the Houston Rockets. It’s hosted NHL preseason games previously and is located in downtown Houston. Another team in Texas would also create an intense rivalry with the Dallas Stars, and corporate sponsorship would not be an issue in a city with an exceptionally strong economy.
Houston named the 5th most valuable sporting city in America: study
Another reason why Houston needs an NHL Team https://t.co/gbYFyHEaiM— NHL To Houston (@NHLtoHouston) April 5, 2023
NHL Relocation
Which NHL Team Will Relocate?
Arizona Coyotes (Sooner rather than later. The Southwest has 2 hockey teams, when 1 should suffice)
Carolina Hurricanes (Move ’em back to Hartford!)
Columbus Blue Jackets (No, and because Ohio is a huge market)
Florida Panthers (Sooner rather than later)
New York Islanders (When Hell freezes over)
Places where they will move to:
Quebec City, Quebec.
Kansas City, MO
Houston, TX
And a dark horse, Atlanta, GA.
Thanks for your comment mate! I’d love to se Hartford too. Do you think much has changed in ATL since the Thrashers left?
Arizona won’t be moving they’re building a recreational center like the bucks and braves have
I like the canes in raleigh, but that’s my opinion
Don’t know what to think of the blue jackets moving if that’s your suggestion
Miami area is a money market(I doubt they’ll move)
The islanders could move, I wouldn’t mind it that much
Quebec city: YES!!!
Kansas city: Quite possible, idk
Houston: I think would work pretty well.
Atlanta: would be very interesting to try again, I’d be all for it
Hartford: great hockey market would like to see the whalers back(was a cool franchise)
Atlanta is ready to handle an NHL Team. As our TV market and population continues to grow.
Houston is ready for an NHL team and with Tilman Fertitta saying he wants an NHL team in Houston. It’s time to get an NHL team in Houston. We’ll take anyone of the options. Arizona is the most obvious for them moving to the central and a move to Houston keeps things intact, Florida is 50/50, if they can turn things around they should be good & if they don’t they stay in relocation talks, Carolina Is a dice roll and if they continue to be successful they’ll be fine & if not they could become a candidate, and Columbus is iffy. The Islanders should be fine with their new arena.
Good luck with Houston buddy. It’s such a massive market
The best way to put a team in Quebec:
1. Put an expansion team in Atlanta
2. Wait 😉
Haha love that idea
Frankly I’m a little surprised by the lack of interest in Portland. A 3-way rivalry with Seattle and the Canucks would seem to be a natural and the MOSA Center is certainly NHL-ready, despite the fact that their ice system has allegedly been turned off.
BTW Seattlw is going to be a big success, at least off the ice. They’ve been marketing throught the state of Washington as well as Oregon and even Vancouver Island.
Makw that MODA Center.
Good luck hopefully Portland get a franchise one day. What would you call them?
1. The Panthers do not play in Miami. They play in a place called “Sunrise”, which is a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.
2. The Lighting are also located in Florida and it is a successful franchise in all respects.
Thanks for the comment Dustin much appreciated. What do you think is the big difference between the Lightning being so successful and the Panthers?
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Houston is about to become the third largest city in the US it’s about time Houston has a a professional hockey team will have the population for it and we also have the money and I bet you will Houston is willing to build a new stadium for the hockey team it’s expansion City and one of the fastest growing cities in the US so come on Houston let’s get us a professional hockey team real soon peace
Good luck! Would be a good rival to the Stars. Could even just have a lease at Toyota Center as a quicker way to play in the league
Atlanta is ready and has the Infinity Ice Arena. This time it will work due to so many transplants and with the Arena location in the suburbs.
Hey mate thanks for reaching out. I’m sure you’ll know more than me regarding the arena, but is a 2003 built arena not going to be attractive for a franchise?