NHL considers second franchise in Houston

If you’re a Texas hockey fan, you’re well aware that the Dallas Stars are making another deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is pretty exciting news in itself.

But interest continues to grow for a second NHL team in Texas and several people are willing to shell out the money to make it happen.

According to a report from the Houston Chronicle, Bettman says that while the league “is not currently planning expansion,” several parties have expressed interest in bringing a team to Houston, including NBA Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.

Fertitta said he was interested in bringing an NHL team to the Toyota Center when he purchased the Rockets in October 2017 and has expressed more interest recently, recently revealing he was partnering with a real estate developer to bring a team to Bayou City.

The NHL currently has 32 teams and, for the first time since 2011, transferred a franchise in a complex transaction after moving the Coyotes’ hockey assets from Arizona to Utah.

Houston was originally on the shortlist for the Arizona team to move, but it’s unclear what happened that prevented that from happening.