NHL Expansion Teams Announced

Las Vegas and Quebec City have submitted proposals for a National Hockey League expansion team before the July 20 deadline that the league had set for interested cities, according to media reports. The NHL has said that any expansion teams, if approved, would not begin play until the 2017–2018 season at the earliest.

The Las Vegas team, if approved, would play its home games at an arena being constructed by MGM Resorts International and AEG on the Las Vegas Strip. The team’s bid is being pushed by businessman Bill Foley in partnership with Joe and Gavin Maloof, who previously owned the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. If approved, the team would become the first top-level professional team to play in the city in any major sports league.

Quebecor, which will operate the 18,259-capacity Videotron Arena in Quebec City, confirmed on Twitter that it had submitted a proposal to the NHL. The city previously was home to the Quebec Nordiques, who left in 1995 to become the Colorado Avalanche.

Seattle was also believed to have been interested in an expansion team but did not submit a proposal by the league’s deadline. The NHL has not expanded since the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild joined the league in 2000.