Avalanche Could Be Getting a New Central Division Rival
The Colorado Avalanche could eventually have one more team standing between them and a Central Division title.
This one will be different, though. This one will be brand new.
An expansion in the NHL has been discussed for several years, but the possibility became a lot more real when deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealed in an interview with Chris Johnston of The Athletic (subscription required), that the league is progressing with discussions.
Those discussions seemed to be surrounding a potential franchise in Texas.
Houston has become the favorite, but the reports say that Austin is still in the mix. According to multiple reports, an ownership group led by billionaire Dan Friedkin has agreed to pay a $2 billion expansion fee. There are some other details that have to be worked out, but it appears that the speculation could be turning into reality soon.
The expected timeline includes a possible announcement of the expansion by the end of this year and then the actual team in place for an NHL debut by 2029-30.
As far as what division the new team would be placed in has not yet been determined, but looking at the situation, the Central Division makes plenty of sense.
Houston Is Natural Fit for Central Division
The NHL currently has 32 teams that are evenly divided between two conferences and four divisions. Adding one team would disrupt that balance, no matter where the franchise is located.
If Houston is the new location for team No. 33, it seems like placing them alongside the Dallas Stars in the Central Division just makes logical sense.
That also puts them in the same division as Colorado.
It is important to note that none of this is official. The NHL could completely change what the ultimate outcome looks like. Even the expansion isn’t official.
There has been discussions of even adding a second team during the expansion. That would make 34.
The location of the second expansion team could change how the NHL evaluates its divisions.
Still, the possibility of Houston joining the Avalanche in the Central Division is real.
Just One More Obstacle for Avs
The Central Division isn’t an easy place to play. There are several teams in the division that are capable of making the playoff race difficult.
Expansion teams aren’t necessarily immediate contenders, but just because that’s not necessarily how it goes, doesn’t mean they should be dismissed.
The Vegas Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season in 2017-18 and then went on to win the championship in their sixth season.
The Seattle Kraken reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their second year. So, never write off an expansion team as one that might not be a contender.
A very capable Western Conference opponent could develop in a short amount of time depending on how aggressive the organization wants to build its roster.
Interesting Timing for Colorado
The potential timeline of a 2029-30 arrival of an expansion team is interesting for the Avs. There is so much talk about the “win-now” methods that Colorado is employing. The roster by then could look very different.
Nathan MacKinnon would be 34 and Cale Makar 31. Several members of what is now a very veteran-heavy roster might not even be on the team at that point.
The Avalanche team that exists by 2029-30 would be a lot different from the one that a team will face in 2026-27. But that doesn’t mean that Colorado won’t still be very competitive by then. There are several pieces of the roster that will still be here.
It just simply means that the next phase of the MacKinnon-Makar era for Colorado could include another divisional opponent.
Is the Expansion Real?
There are still a lot of hurdles that have to be cleared to make the expansion happen.
The arena has to be finalized. The Board of Governors has to approve the expansion. The location has to be picked formally. Just because a lot of talk is surrounding Houston doesn’t mean that is where it will ultimately land. Austin is still in the picture.
Then, of course, the division. That hasn’t been decided and won’t be for a while. This is speculation.
What is clear though, is that this has moved past just a simple conversation.
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NHL, NCAA and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Avalanche and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com