NHL
Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman greets fans to start the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater.
When considering expansion, the NHL has fielded interest from four cities: Atlanta, Houston, Indianapolis and New Orleans. However, a group from Austin recently threw its hat into the ring as another potential location, according to a report from Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday that a formal expansion process has not been initiated by the league and there are no pending applications. But conversation of growth beyond its 32 clubs could rise in the coming months with the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement pending ratification. The NHL has not yet responded to a request for comment on Austin's potential as an expansion team.
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Seravalli reported that industry focus has been on Atlanta’s third bid for NHL hockey. Theoretically, two teams would be added if the NHL decided to expand, one in the East and one in the West, with Austin possibly making sense as a western counter to Atlanta. Bettman reiterated Friday that any bid must check four boxes to be considered: a cohesive and well-heeled ownership; an NHL-ready arena; a burgeoning market and whether that market makes the NHL better.
By population, Austin is four times larger than Salt Lake City, which was awarded the Utah Mammoth by the NHL in 2024. And there is already hockey interest in the Austin market; the Dallas Stars' American Hockey League team, the Texas Stars, play their games at the H-E-B Center in suburban Cedar Park.
Any potential NHL team in Austin would compete with the University of Texas sports in the fall and spring, as the NHL regular season generally runs from early October through early April, and Austin FC's Major League Soccer season runs from late February through mid-October. Another potential team could arise if the city's petition for an MLB team is successful.
Caleb is the Texas State beat reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. He began his career as a digital sports producer at the Dallas Morning News in 2021 after graduating from the University of North Texas. He was previously the Statesman’s trending sports reporter.
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