08/22/26 05:41:00
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08/22 16:07 CDT NHL executive says a Texas expansion team could be approved and
announced by year's end
NHL executive says a Texas expansion team could be approved and announced by
year's end
MUNICH (AP) --- The NHL is hoping to award an expansion franchise to Texas as
soon as the end of this year, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic
this week.
In an interview at the NHL's European media tour in Munich on Friday, Daly told
the publication that he's expecting the league to get an update from a group
working with Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin within the next few weeks.
Friedkin's group has already agreed to pay the $2 billion expansion fee to
bring a team to Houston or Austin, dependent on the ability to build an arena
in one of those cities and get final approval from the NHL's Board of Governors
for the league to add a 33rd team.
"We're moving forward in Texas," Daly said. "I expect ultimately we'll be in a
position to bring something to the board to get their view on it. So, that's
proceeding at a pace. We'll probably get together with the group again in
September and kind of see where they are in the process and what they want us
to do to help, to the extent they need anything.
"If we finalize that and the board approves it, then (at the) end of this
calendar year we'll have an announcement that we're expanding to either Houston
or Austin," he continued.
Houston is the most likely location but Austin continues to be explored as an
option.
The Texas team could debut within three years and Daly said the NHL is engaged
in talks with ownership groups looking to land the league's 34th team.
"They're projecting the ability to start play in 2029-30," Daly said. "So, we
will have one down and potentially one to go. We have ongoing discussions both
with people in the Phoenix marketplace, but also Atlanta, and then we'll see
what comes of those discussions."
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