NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday the league will consider an expansion application for a Seattle franchise, but they will need to examine all the aspects and do their homework before expanding to the new market.
The new team would cost $650 million, Bettman said, but added that the NHL is looking at only Seattle for their 32nd team.
鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean we have granted an expansion team,鈥� Bettman said following the Board of Governors meeting.
鈥淲e have agreed as a league to take and consider an expansion application and to let them run in the next few months a season ticket drive.鈥�
Seattle has made no secret of their desire for a NHL team.
On Monday, city council voted to begin renovations on the city-owned KeyArena in an effort to turn it into a premier venue that could be ready for an NBA or NHL team within three years.
A Los Angeles-based development group signed a memorandum of understanding with Seattle to privately finance a $600 million remodel.
Oak Bay View group has lined up billionaire David Bonderman and filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer as the lead owners for a potential NHL franchise.
The president of the Vancouver Canuck is looking forward to potentially driving to one of his team鈥檚 road games in the near future.
Trevor Linden says the club welcomes the development from this week鈥檚 NHL board of governors meetings that the league has agreed to consider an expansion application for Seattle.
Hollywood filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer and billionaire David Bonderman have also been given the green light to start a season-ticket campaign to gauge fan interest.
鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 a natural,鈥� Linden said Friday after the board of governors meeting wrapped up in Florida.
鈥淭o have a freeway rivalry would be great.鈥�
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cautioned that the potential for a team in Seattle 鈥� which comes with a price tag of US$650 million 鈥� is still in its early stages, but Linden made it clear the Canucks are fully on board with the league鈥檚 32nd franchise playing a couple of hours down the road.
鈥淭ons of people from Vancouver go to Seattle to watch other sporting events or just hang out,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople from Seattle come up to Vancouver just to see what Vancouver has to offer, so I can see that being an interesting play.鈥�
Vancouver is about 230 kilometres north of Seattle. The Canucks鈥� closest current geographical rival are the Calgary Flames, who are roughly a 90-minute flight away.
鈥淔rom ownership on down it鈥檚 always been viewed as a very positive development, and that hasn鈥檛 changed,鈥� said Linden.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not market protecting. We鈥檝e never had any conversations, whether it鈥檚 internal or with the league.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a great opportunity.鈥�
Like us on and follow us on .
