While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters that expansion of the hockey league wasn’t a “front-burner topic.” in October 2024, that no longer seems to be the case with reports of a massive update on the potential expansion making the rounds.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan has revealed that as per their sources, the NHL has made progress in finding an owner for its next franchise in Houston. That potential owner is none other than American billionaire Dan Friedkin. Does that name doesn’t ring a bell? You probably don’t follow soccer if it doesn’t.

Friedkin’s company The Freidkin Group owns Italian Serie A club AS Roma and English Premier League club Everton. According to Kaplan, The Friedkin Group had also shown interest in acquiring the NBA’s Boston Celtics which was ultimately sold to private equity mogul William Chrisholm for a whopping $6.1 billion. Unfortunately, hockey fans didn’t seem excited at the prospect of the league growing any further. “Lordie stop the madness! How many teams will be enough! Instead of adding teams, let’s learn how to market the NHL better!!!!!!!” the fan quipped.

You may be wondering why the fan reacted strongly to something that sounds good on the surface. New teams in new states mean more eyes on the sport, right? Well, that’s because chances are that after Houston, a second team may follow. And this addition, according to Kaplan, may stagger start dates. But if the additions do take place, it wouldn’t be the NHL’s first foray into expansion.

The Vegas Golden Knights made their NHL debut during the 2017-18 season. Meanwhile, Seattle’s hockey team, the Seattle Kraken, joined the party just three years later during the 2021-22 season. However, the expansion didn’t come cheap. ESPN stated that the expansion fee for Vegas was $500 million and jumped up to $650 million for Seattle.

So it’s a no-brainer that the Houston deal will be even more expensive. Now, starting a franchise with the NHL in Houston may not cost that much, but fans? They are not really on board with the expansion idea.

Hockey fans argued why the NHL shouldn’t expand

While one fan thought the existing teams could benefit from better marketing and injection of funds, others put forward different arguments. Yet, the bottom line remained the same, and that was the league didn’t need to expand. “(The) Last thing this league needs is a more watered-down version of what’s presently on the ice,” complained one fan.

While the fan may not have been completely right, he wasn’t totally wrong either. Take the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken for example. Two of the newest additions to the hockey league have had wildly different levels of success. Vegas did so well, that they grabbed the Stanley Cup after a handful of seasons in the league. Meanwhile, Seattle is presently languishing in the basement of the league standings.

No one knows how Houston will fair after their inception. If that wasn’t enough, rumors suggest that Atlanta is doing everything it can to become team #34 in the NHL. And that’s exactly why some fans wish to nip this spurt of expansion in the bud. “Atlanta already has had 2 chances. Pls stop the madness,” commented another user on X.

That’s right, Atalanta has already tried twice and failed to sustain an NHL-worthy team. In fact, the Calgary Flames originally started out as the Atlanta Flames in 1972. That lasted for only 8 years before the Flames moved to Calgary. Then came the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000. Yet, the city isn’t done fighting for a third shot at joining the premier hockey league.

Atlanta’s Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group formally requested the NHL to set up a team in March 2024. “I have no doubt that the best league in the world will thrive in its return to Metro Atlanta,” said TNT analyst Anson Carter. So it’s not a matter of if, but when and how far the NHL wants to extend its roots.

Some ice hockey fans who were already in the know expressed their exasperation in the comments. “NHL shouldn’t expand. But, we can point that out until we’re all blue in the face and it’s pointless because it is going to expand. So, since it’s going to, and since it’ll almost certainly go to 36 teams, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Quebec City. There’s your final 4,” commented the fan.

The netizen didn’t exaggerate, either. NHL insider Kevin Weekes announced that “many cities remain interested,” in earning their spot in the NHL. Finally, some tried to explain the NHL doesn’t need more teams by comparing their roster to that of the most popular leagues in America. “There are enough teams already. NBA 30, MLB 30, NFL 32, NHL 32,” the individual wrote. What’s your opinion on the NHL explaining to more cities? Let us know in the comments.

However, rumors of the league inducting Houston and Atlanta have only gotten stronger. Now, hockey fans even know about the potential owner of the future Huston club. So