Report: Two Cities Leading Charge for NHL Expansion

The NHL could soon see expansion in two of the biggest cities in the United States.

Mar 27, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Thrashers left wing Andrew Ladd (C) shakes hands with teammates on the bench after scoring the winning goal in the shootout against the Ottawa Senators at Philips Arena. The Thrashers defeated the Senators 5-4 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The NHL continues to move towards another expansion with two key American cities leading the charge. According to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, Houston and Atlanta continue to make progress towards NHL expansion.

Weekes notes that the NHL will probably need to sign a new collective bargaining agreement will need to be signed first, but reports have indicated one may get agreed upon ahead of schedule. Projected league revenues are expected to be around $6.5 and 7 billion this year in the United States alone.

👀 Many cities remain interested, I’m told both Metro Atlanta & Houston are emerging and progressing on their paths towards potential @NHL Expansion. I’d anticipate a new CBA may have to signed first. League revenues projected to be between 6.5-7 Billion 🇺🇸 this yr. #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/F7bvWy32Bj

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) January 20, 2025

If Houston and Atlanta land new NHL teams, it would expand the league to 34 teams and 27 in the United States. Houston previously had a WHA team, the Houston Aeros, between 1972 and 1978.

The Aeros weren’t around long but had a successful run in the WHA. Led by Larry Lund and all-time legend Gordie Howe, the Aeros made the WHA playoffs in each of their six seasons of existence with two championships.

The Aeros ended operations in 1978, a year before the NHL added five teams from the WHA.

If Atlanta lands an expansion franchise, it will be the third attempt to have an NHL team in the city. The first began in 1972 with the Atlanta Flames, and ended in 1980 when the franchise moved to Calgary. After 45 years, the Flames remain in Calgary.

The NHL’s second attempt at a team in Georgia’s capital came in 2000 when the league expanded and saw the birth of the Atlanta Thrashers. Famously one of the worst teams in NHL history, the Thrashers made the postseason once in 11 seasons of operation.

In 2007, the Thrashers made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but were swept in the opening round by the New York Rangers. After 11 seasons and no playoff wins, the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg and became the NHL’s second iteration of the Winnipeg Jets.

Houston and Atlanta aren’t your traditional hockey markets, but the NHL would love to have teams in a pair of the biggest markets in the United States. By population, Houston Metro area has the fifth largest population in the country with over 7.1 million people.

Atlanta’s metro area is right behind Houston at sixth with 6.3 million people.

The NHL already has a team in seven of the top 10 cities in the country based on metro area and is looking to capture all 10. Houston and Atlanta may be up next, and the NHL wants to find their way back to Phoenix, Arizona in the near future.

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