The National Hockey League stands at a crossroads, with whispers of expansion growing louder and more cities vying for a coveted franchise spot. As the league’s footprint continues to extend across North America, the stakes have never been higher for both the business of hockey and the integrity of the game itself.

With Austin, Texas emerging as the latest contender for a new NHL team—willing to pay a staggering $2 billion franchise fee—the landscape of professional hockey could be on the verge of dramatic change.

Since the league’s first major expansion in 1967, the NHL has welcomed new markets, new fans, and new opportunities. Each new team brings excitement, fresh rivalries, and the promise of growth. Yet, this relentless march toward bigger and broader horizons has not come without controversy. While some see expansion as a sign of the sport’s thriving popularity and financial health, others warn of unintended consequences: diluted talent, roster imbalances, and concerns about the quality of play.

As rumors swirl and more cities throw their hats into the ring, the debate intensifies. Is the NHL’s rapid expansion a bold step toward the future—or a risky gamble that could threaten the very foundation of the game? The answer remains to be seen.

Photo credit: Sports business journal

According to sources, Austin, Texas is the most recent group to make a bid for expansion in the NHL, with franchise fees reaching $2 billion.

NHL expansion has been ongoing since 1967, with the most recent to join being Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, Seattle Kraken in 2021 and the Utah Mammoth in 2024.

Now, six more cities have shown interest in supporting an NHL team, the most recent being Austin Texas, whose bid has been growing in momentum and popularity, as the potential NHL franchise would be the first major sports-team in that city.

Yet, not all are in favor of expansion. In fact, one NHL insider claims that ever since modern expansion, contenders’ lineups are filled with holes and are lacking in depth, a concern that cannot disputed.

With the growing number of NHL teams, talent is spread thinly across 32 teams. Given current cap restrictions, contenders now spend approximately 40% of the cap on 4-5 star, core players, with the remaining 60% spread across the remainder of the roster, most of which are depth players. Adding more teams would only exacerbate this problem.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the June 2025 Board of Governors meeting that ‘there are no pending applications and the NHL is not seeking to initiate a formal process at this point.’

That may be so, but it was reported that in February of 2024 a group from Omaha met with NHL officials to make a pitch for expansion. New Orleans was also reported to have met with the NHL in New York City, while in 2024 and March of 2025 sources claim Houston had discussions with the NHL concerning expansion.

Other cities that have shown a serious interest in making a pitch for an NHL franchise are Atlanta, Indianapolis, and New Orleans.

A study published in April, 2011 by the University of Toronto’s Mowat Center for Policy Innovation concluded that Canada could support twelve NHL teams. Ironically, there are no reports of a Canadian city making a bid for expansion.

The report stated that Canadian franchises do very well, pack the buildings, make for great TV and have great revenue streams. This, of course, cannot be questioned, if economics is the primary factor for expansion, and I would be naive to suggest it isn’t. Yet, at some point, the interest of NHL players and fans need to be considered.

What is good for the NHL, however, remains to be seen. More teams are good for revenue, but dilute the talent pool; the right balance of money and talent is a matter for far smarter minds than mine to unravel.