If you were paying attention to the NHL's board of governors meetings at all last night, you may have heard, well, almost nothing concerning expansion efforts. That's because commissioner Gary Bettman, that glowing beacon of compassionate humanity, did his best to quell any talk of the NHL potentially branching out into newer - and in some instances, older - territories, offering essentially a "we'll see," when the subject was broached.
But while Bettman did little talking, it seems rumors have begun to swirl in the NHL's backrooms that there really have been developments where expansion is concerned - developments which apparently bode well for Las Vegas and ill for Quebec City.
'This isn't going to be what my friends in Quebec City want to hear, and for that I apologize. But word on the NHL street is that the League may only be expanding to one market this time around, and it doesn't sound like Quebec City is the frontrunner," David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported late Monday.
"There is legitimate concern across the NHL over the sinking Canadian dollar -- which, as a Canadian, sucks -- and it appears to be affecting the way the NHL has been evaluating its expansion process."
The failing Canadian dollar as a reasoning behind potentially limiting expansion efforts in the here and now to a single location makes sense. Bettman estimated Monday that the cap would rise about $3 million next season. Reports suggest that most of the league's owners are taking a much more cautious approach to their budgeting.
High end cap of $74.5 is a projection. Some are also skeptical and believe it could hang around where it is now, $71.4.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 8, 2015
While it would make sense for the NHL to move to a 32-team league, there's nothing that says they have to make the leap now. And if it comes down to Las Vegas and Quebec City, the betting capitol of the world probably has more than a few natural advantages over the competition. There's also that ticket drive that apparently landed about 14,000 commitments.
"Speaking to several very high-up, in-the-know people in the NHL circle, from both ends of the spectrum, the sentiment is that Las Vegas will be awarded an NHL franchise once all is said and done, while Quebec City will be left out of this round," Pagnotta wrote.
Quebec City boasts a committed fanbase and a state-of-the-art facility. But they simply can't provide the league same kind of immediate financial impact or visibility that a city like Las Vegas can.
Assuming Pagnotta's report is correct, it sounds like Quebec City will have to wait at least another couple of years before they can call themselves home to an NHL franchise.
