Expansion not discussed at NHL's board of governors meeting, Bettman says

Stephen Whyno · The Associated Press

· Posted: Oct 15, 2025 8:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 16

Expansion was not discussed astatine the NHL's committee of governors gathering connected Wednesday, commissioner Gary Bettman said afterward.

The league has been astatine 32 teams since Seattle entered for the 2021-22 season. There are groups who aspire to person franchises successful Atlanta and Houston, among different places.

"There is, and continues to be, involvement from tons of places," Bettman said from New York. "But nary of it has reached the level that we request to absorption connected astatine this point."

Asked if the doorway could beryllium opened connected the enlargement beforehand astatine the adjacent committee gathering successful December successful Colorado Springs, Colo., Bettman said that's not for the NHL to decide.

"If idiosyncratic knocks connected the door, we'll peek astir to spot who's knocking and past determine what to bash with it," Bettman said.

Among different topics, Bettman expressed interest astir the operation timeline of the main hockey arena successful Milan for the upcoming Olympics and said it's up to the International Olympic Committee.

"We are constrained successful what we tin and can't do, petition and request and if it reached a definite point, we'll person to woody with it," Bettman said. "But I'm not speculating, and we've been perpetually assured by the IOC and the [International Ice Hockey Federation] that it volition beryllium OK.”

NHL wage headdress remains aforesaid

The wage headdress is seeing grounds increases this twelvemonth and implicit the pursuing 2 arsenic revenues are skyrocketing. Bettman flatly denied buzz that had been going astir astir the headdress being much than $104 cardinal US adjacent season.

"There's nary change," Bettman. "I cognize there's a rumour going astir that we're successful discussions astir the cap. That's absolutely, categorically untrue. There person been nary discussions. It is what we've already agreed to."

Nuts and bolts committee gathering

Bettman opened his chat with reporters saying determination was nary quality to report.

"Basically, it's a nuts and bolts meeting," Bettman said. "Nothing excessively dramatic."

Governors — a premix of owners, squad presidents, wide managers and different executives — got updates connected the authorities of the league, hockey operations and officiating and efforts to turn the crippled internationally.

Bettman said helium had thing to stock connected the merchantability process involving the Pittsburgh Penguins.

As readying continues for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, lawman commissioner Bill Daly said helium expects 18 cities successful North America and 10 successful Europe to bid to big portion of the event.

Asked astir his aboriginal moving the NHL, the 73-year-old Bettman said: "I'm here, and I'm not readying connected going anyplace for a while. And I don't cognize what a portion is."