Even though they don’t say it publicly, NHL executives have been preparing for a new expansion behind the scenes for some time.

In fact, as reported by the site HABSolumentFan, the announcement of two new teams could take place as soon as the collective bargaining agreement is renewed, which is set to expire in 2026.

That being said, there have been many speculations about which cities could host an NHL franchise, and it seems that two American metropolises have an edge, according to Kevin Weekes.

Two cities identified for the next NHL expansion while the Quebec Nordiques are ignored despite having everything in place

On his X account, current ESPN analyst mentioned that Houston and Atlanta are the frontrunners to be part of the next wave of expansion in the NHL.

“Many cities remain interested, but I’ve been told that Atlanta and Houston are emerging and making progress toward potential expansion.

I think a new collective bargaining agreement will have to be signed first.

The league’s revenues are expected to be between $6.5 billion and $7 billion this year.”

Kevin Weekes

 

Even though these two cities have been mentioned by multiple media outlets for some time, it is still unfortunate that, once again, Quebec City is not being considered by the league’s executives, who continue to favor American metropolises where hockey is clearly not a natural sport.

However, hockey fans in the Quebec region can still hold onto some hope, as it appears that Atlanta’s bid is not unanimous among NHL executives, and the issue of the new arena there has yet to be resolved.

Additionally, it is very likely that another expansion wave will occur by 2030, which would provide another opportunity for the Quebec Nordiques to rise from the ashes.