Seattle One Step Closer To NHL Expansion With League Vote

The NHL Exec Committee "recommended and forwarded the bid" for an expansion NHL franchise in Seattle by a 9-0 count yesterday. The full NHL BOG was told the Exec Committee "recommended they support the expansion bid at their meetings Dec. 3-4 in Georgia." The league will "monitor the progress of KeyArena's construction" to see if the arena would be "completed in time" for the expansion team to begin play in the '20-21 NHL season. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the "focus for everybody" is that '20-21 NHL season. Bettman said, "The sooner construction can begin, obviously, the more likely an early start" (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/3).

Bettman said that the unanimous endorsement by the Exec Committee "speaks volumes" for Seattle’s bid. He added that it "seems unlikely" the BOG will turn down a $650M expansion fee for the opportunity to expand in the Pacific northwest and "provide a natural geographic rival" for the Canucks. The introduction of a team in Seattle also would balance the conferences with 16 teams each (AP, 10/3)