BREAKING: 33rd NHL teams expansion location revealed via NHL insider?
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman may be playing it cool, emphasizing no immediate plans for expansion, but the league is undeniably attracting interest from potential markets.
One intriguing development is the South Forsyth Project in suburban Atlanta, making bold strides toward securing an NHL team. According to insider Kevin Weekes, the project is moving full steam ahead, with arena designs progressing swiftly and builder interviews underway.
This ambitious move could mark Atlanta's return to the NHL map. The city first hosted the league in 1972 until 1980 when the Flames relocated to Calgary. In 1999, the Thrashers joined the league but morphed into the Winnipeg Jets in 2011.
Recent NHL expansions, notably the successes of the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, have piqued the interest of potential team owners. Atlanta, following the South Forsyth Project's aggressive push, aims to capitalize on this momentum.
However, Atlanta isn't the sole contender in the NHL expansion race. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has expressed a keen interest in bringing a franchise to the area. Perhaps he'll take a page out of South Forsyth's playbook to sway Bettman into considering Utah for the next NHL expansion.
Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, noting the potential for success, recently stated that Atlanta could yield better results than two previous failed expansion attempts in the market.
As the NHL expansion landscape evolves, these developments hint at the league's potential growth into new and exciting territories.
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Is this city the perfect place for the 33rd NHL team? | ||
| Yes | 50 | 28.7 % |
| No | 124 | 71.3 % |
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