NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, in Vancouver for last night's
Canada-Russia World Cup of Hockey game, confirmed that Nashville
has formally applied for an NHL expansion team, according to the
VANCOUVER SUN. Iain Macintyre writes the bid was submitted by
Nashville-based Gaylord Communications and businessman Craig
Leopold. Meanwhile, Bettman would not speculate on the
possibility of expansion teams going to either Portland, Atlanta,
Houston or Seattle or if there is a deadline for applications.
He did not rule out the possibility of Nashville or another city
starting up as early as the '97-98 season. Bettman: "This
expansion is not about making money. This expansion is about ...
making the league stronger. I could give you 100 different
scenarios, but there's no point. Let's see what happens. We
have not made a decision. There is no list of priorities." On
the World Cup, Bettman said he would be "surprised" if the '96
edition was the sole event, but added there are no plans beyond
the '98 Winter Olympics for any global tournament involving the
NHL (VANCOUVER SUN, 8/30). ALL-STAR PALACE: Bettman announced
Vancouver's GM Place has been awarded the '98 NHL All-Star Game.
The event will take place on the weekend of January 16-17 and
will include a hockey theme park. The park is scheduled to be
built at the renovated Pacific National Exhibition grounds and
Orca Bay Sports will grant $225,000 toward the renovation (Neil
Campbell, Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 8/30).
JUST DUCKY: The Mighty Ducks and Penguins will play a
preseason game at Portland's Rose Garden September 23 in the
first NHL contest at the facility. The game is the second of
three annual preseason appearances in Portland by the Ducks, who
played at Memorial Coliseum in '95 (Rose Garden).
