No deadline set yet for NHL expansion

Associated Press

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday there is no timetable for the league to decide on pending expansion applications from Las Vegas and Quebec City.

Bettman spoke after the league’s executive committee reviewed presentations from the two cities in a three-hour meeting, and then presented that information to the Board of Governors at the annual December meeting.

“The board will meet to vote when we decide there’s something to be put to a vote,” Bettman said. “That will really be after the executive committee begins and finishes deliberations and are prepared to make a recommendation.”

Bettman said no decisions have been made on whether to add one, two or no teams at all.

Despite no action being taken at the meeting, Bettman said it does not mean the process has slowed down since Bill Foley’s Black Knight Sports & Entertainment and Montreal-based communications giant Quebecor were chosen earlier this year from 16 expansion applicants.

“When I say there’s no timeline, I know the steps we have to go through to get there,” he said. “Could they be done in time for 17-18 start? Yes. Will they be? Maybe, maybe not.”

Bettman said the league has “virtually” all the information it needs from the two cities and discussions now are about if the league wants to expand, if these are the right cities and how the process would go in terms of the expansion and entry drafts.

Bettman also shot down reports that the league will open the expansion process to other cities, saying Las Vegas and Quebec City are the only options at this moment.