The NHL is talking about expansion again.
But much to the chagrin of hockey fans north of the border, the league won’t be investigating opportunities in Quebec City or debate if a second team in Toronto makes sense.
Instead, the NHL board of governors will consider an application for a 32nd franchise from a potential ownership group in Seattle with the aim of dropping the puck in 2020/21.
The Seattle group is led by TV and movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer and billionaire David Bonderman.
And they will have to dig deeper than any other expansion team in NHL history after commissioner Gary Bettman said the expansion fee would be $650 million.
That is $150 million more than what Las Vegas had to dish out before joining the league this season.
Adding an expansion team in the uneven Western Conference, and knowing Seattle is a solid market, is a good move.
The NBA is considering a similar addition after having the Supersonics leave Seattle years ago.
But there will come a time, perhaps in the next two to five years, when the NHL’s Eastern Conference will get two more teams.
One of those clubs should land in Quebec City.
It is a market that is nearly a carbon copy of Winnipeg, and we’ve seen how well the Jets have done since returning to the city.
A second Toronto team would be intriguing, but let’s face it, the Maple Leafs would never go for it.
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