Kraken May Lose Title As NHL's Newest Expansion Team

Above Image: The Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers play an exhibition game at Dallas’ Reunion Arena in 1987.

Within the next couple of years, Seattle Kraken management could face a first-time decision: figuring out which players to expose if the NHL follows through on expanding to Texas.

“The NHL is exploring potential expansion in either Houston or Austin,” reported the Associated Press, “under an agreement with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family, commissioner Gary Bettman said in mid-June.”

Of course, the league may exempt Seattle from losing players to a proposed 33rd team located in the Lone Star State. When Seattle held its expansion draft in 2021, the four-year-old Vegas Golden Knights weren’t required to make players available.

Kraken An Exception To NHL’s Sunbelt Strategy

The NHL has a mixed record in exporting the ice sport to warm-weather cities. Carolina, Tampa Bay and Nashville have established solid foundations. Florida and Anaheim, too, but only when they’re winning. On the flip side, Arizona couldn’t keep its team, and Atlanta has lost both the Flames and Thrashers.

As for Texas, the Dallas Stars have built a devoted fan base, built largely on a three-decade history of icing winning teams. But as someone who lived in the state for 14 years, make no mistake: the Stars are way, way down the pecking order. The Metroplex’s sports hierarchy unfolds something like this: 1. Cowboys in-season 2. Cowboys off-season 3a. College football 3b. High School football 5. NFL 6a. Mavericks/NBA 6b. Rangers/MLB 8. Everything else.

With minor alterations, the Houston and Austin markets shake out the same way. In neither region are fans clamoring for major-league pucks. As the old joke goes, the only ice they know about is what the scotch gets poured over in their glass.

However, “They are huge markets,” points out ABCNews.com. “Houston at nearly 2.4 million is the fourth-most-populated U.S. city; Austin at just over 1 million is in the top 12.” Even more to the point, the Friedkin clan has convinced the league they can support the estimated $3.5 billion cost of an expansion fee and constructing an arena. A huge payday for existing owners awaits, including those in Seattle.

Could they fill an arena every night? Sure. As another old joke goes, “There were 20,000 fans at the hockey game. Every hockey fan in town was there.”

It’s a crying shame that the current value of the Canadian dollar keeps obvious locations with rabid fan bases like Quebec City and Hamilton, Ont. from even being on the NHL’s radar. Meanwhile, there’s rumblings about Phoenix getting a second crack, and Atlanta a third – because, like Friedkin, deep-pocketed folks in those cities have indicated a willingness to pony up.