Report NHL exploring Houston for expansion to 32 not impossible to see

There was speculation about another NHL expansion long before the NBA's Houston Rockets were sold for $2.2 billion in September, as well as about a .And while NHL Sherrick McManis Jersey commi sioner Gary Bettman said on a recent Fox Sports pregame show that securing another expansion team isn't among the league's pre sing priorities, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman Charles Leno Jersey .Outlining the po sibility of an NHL presence in Houston for , Friedman said "there is zero chance Bettman is not paying attention" to new Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who has made it clear he would Considering Vegas just dropped the puck, I could see it being true. But (there's always a but), when someone drops $2.2 billion on the NBA's Houston Rockets and says, "Yeah, I'm interested in the NHL," there is zero chance Bettman is not paying attention.Remember, when the AHL left the city, it wasn't because parent-club Minnesota didn't like Mike Ditka Jersey it there. Then-NBA owner Les Alexander jacked up the rent on the arena because he could make more money with other events. Houston's got a good hockey history. It's the fourth-largest TV market in the United States. The new bo s, Anthony Miller Jersey Tilman Fertitta, oozes cash. It would fit in the one remaining seven-team division. It's not impo sible to Dan Hampton Jersey see.Friedman has a point about Vegas. The Golden Knights like standard expansion teams, so there shouldn't nece sarily be a rush to push the NHL to 32 teams. Then again, why not strike when the iron is hot? As Friedman notes, it also wouldn't hurt the balance of the league's divisional format.