NHL Eyes December for Texas Expansion Call but Sets No Deadline

Commissioner Gary Bettman says a multibillion-dollar decision on Houston or Austin still requires significant work before team owners vote.

The NHL still hopes to decide on Texas expansion by December, but Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday that the process is moving forward without a fixed timeline. Speaking after a Board of Governors meeting in New York, Bettman said there is substantial work remaining before the league picks between Houston and Austin as its next market.

The league began pursuing expansion with billionaire Dan Friedkin in one of those two Texas cities in June. Bettman noted that expansion is a multibillion-dollar transaction affecting every club, and that three-quarters of the governors would need to approve any addition. A second Texas franchise, joining the Dallas Stars, would likely require roughly $3.5 billion once the expansion fee and a new arena are counted.

Interest in expansion teams is also strong in the Atlanta and Phoenix areas, though the league has defined even less structure around those markets. Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said those candidates could soon receive more detailed feasibility studies.

The league also announced leadership changes. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis was elected Board of Governors chair, succeeding Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs after 19 years in the role. Flames governor Murray Edwards was named vice chairman.

On the business side, the NHL projects about $8.1 billion in mixed-currency revenue for 2026-27, up slightly from nearly $8 billion the previous season. A new 12-year, $7.7 billion English-language media rights deal in Canada with Rogers Communications, running through 2037-38, is a key driver, and the league is preparing to negotiate new U.S. television contracts beginning in 2028.