When the NHL and NHLPA agreed to realign the league for the 2013-14 season, they conveniently left two open spots in the Western Conference divisions for possible expansion.
One of those spots could be occupied by a Seattle franchise in the near future.
According to talk show host Mitch Levy of 950 AM in Seattle, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is reportedly exploring the idea of bringing professional hockey back to the city.
Before Seattle fans get too excited, it's important to note that there are a few significant roadblocks to overcome before the NHL makes its first foray into the Emerald City.
The biggest obstacle is the lack of a new, state-of-the-art arena that would allow an NHL franchise to be profitable. At the moment, the only stadium in Seattle for a hockey team is the aging Key Arena, which hasn't housed a pro franchise since the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City after the 2007-08 NBA season.
The problem for the NHL is that it's likely in a holding pattern while the NBA figures out what it's future (if there's a future at all) is in Seattle, because accordin ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Nicholas Goss
NHL Expansion to Seattle: Not so Fast Without an NBA Partner
July 31st, 2013 by Nicholas Goss Leave a reply »
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