Hold onto your sticks, hockey fans, because NHL expansion is coming. It's not a drill. The league is already sizing up what Austin, Texas, can bring to the table, essentially making it clear we're headed for more teams joining the hockey world soon. The word on the street is the NHL won't just add one team, they want two. Austin is "on deck," sure, but they've gotta prove they can pull it off. Even if they don't, we already know of other cities interested, and some of them are facing some pretty gnarly roadblocks.
Long Shots and a Billion-Dollar Wall
Let's be real, some cities are a longer shot than a buzzer-beater from center ice. Take New Orleans, for example. Yeah, they've got a long sports history with the Saints and the NBA's Jazz and Pelicans, but hockey? Their ECHL team, the New Orleans Brass, only lasted from 1997-2002, and there's been no foothold since. The Pelicans are the sole tenant at Smoothie King Center, so there's an arena, but finding new ownership willing to make a major investment, especially when it's going to cost billions to join the NHL, just feels unlikely. The Benson family already owns the Saints and Pelicans, and finding others to pony up that kind of cash seems like a long shot. Then there's Indianapolis. This city has some brief, ancient hockey history, like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier starting their pro careers there with the WHA's Racers in 1978. Frank Seravalli even cited Indy a year ago as a potential future NHL site. They've got an ECHL team, the Fuel, since 2014, plus the NFL's Colts, NBA's Pacers, and they regularly host the Men's NCAA Basketball Final Four. The bones for pro success are there. But man, the "beefy cost" for expansion would be a huge ask for a mid-size market that needs to find ownership and investors ready for that kind of cash outlay.Old Demons Haunt Québec City's NHL Hopes
Now, Québec City, that's a tough one to talk about. Every old-school NHL fan and pretty much all of Canada would absolutely love to see them back in the league. They've got the Videotron Centre ready to go, a deep history with the Nordiques, and a fanbase that's absolutely passionate and ready to embrace the NHL again. Emotionally, it feels like a slam dunk, right? But then reality hits, and it hits hard. Many of the exact same issues that forced the Nordiques to pack up for Denver in 1995 are back, and they're bringing friends. We're talking about a weak Canadian dollar against the US dollar, a population in Québec City that just hasn't grown, and the ever-present French language barrier. As awesome as it would be to see a team back up north, the chances just look small. With the cost of expansion skyrocketing, it's tough to see a dedicated ownership group from Québec eagerly ponying up the billions needed, especially when there are so many American investors ready to bring more hockey to more US markets. So, while Austin tries to prove its case, these other cities are already facing huge uphill battles. It's not just about wanting a team anymore, it's about being able to write a truly massive check. We'll be watching closely to see who can actually clear that bar and join the league in the next five years.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.