Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly hints at additional NHL expansion teams on the way

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Gabriel Sami
August 26, 2024 (5:44 PM)

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Bill Daly's recent comments have stirred up a buzz in the hockey world, suggesting that the NHL might expand beyond its current 32 teams.

For fans who feel that the league is already at its limit, this news may come as a shock. As the NHL builds on the successes of the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, the prospect of further expansion is on the horizon. Although the exact number of new teams remains uncertain, Daly has emphasized that any expansion will prioritize the league's future success and value.

Expansion driven by business, not just growth

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has made it clear that the NHL's approach to expansion has evolved. According to Daly, the decision to add new franchises involves not only himself and Commissioner Gary Bettman but also the NHL's ownership group. The league's expansion strategy is now focused on maximizing long-term value rather than merely increasing the number of teams.

"Do I know what that number is? No. I will also say it's not just (commissioner Gary Bettman) or I making that decision, it's also our ownership group that makes the decision," Daly explained when discussing the potential number of new expansion clubs. "With the last two expansions in particular, the thought process was a lot different (than 1998-2000). Everybody was just interested in adding clubs, there was an $80M expansion fee, right? It's much more business-oriented now in terms of how clubs look at it.

They don't want to add franchises just to add franchises, they want to add franchises that will grow the value of the league. 'Does this market make sense for the National Hockey League? Does it make my franchise more valuable?' Understanding that I might get a nice cheque in the short term, but this is a longer-term look at asset-value and whether they are making the league better."

Another point Daly addressed was the potential for talent dilution with the addition of more teams. Fans worried that expanding the league could spread the talent too thin need not worry. Daly reassured that the quality and depth of NHL talent have never been better.

«The quality of the talent on the players' side is better than it's ever been and deeper than it's ever been," he said. "I don't worry in terms of dilution of talent. Skill level is off charts, the league becoming younger and younger.....not concerned about it.»

As the NHL considers future expansions, the impact on competitive balance and team success, including the challenge of winning the Stanley Cup, remains a point of concern for fans. With the possibility of more teams entering the league, the dynamics of the game will undoubtedly shift.

Source: Hockey Feed
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AOUT 26 \| 87 ANSWERS Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly hints at additional NHL expansion teams on the way Should the NHL expand with more teams?
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