Is a 32nd NHL franchise on the not-so-distant horizon?
By Simon Vacca
Tod Leiweke — president and CEO of a prospective team from Seattle — is set to make a pitch to the NHL this upcoming fall. In the name of avoiding a lockout, hockey fans should root for him.
Ever since the Vegas Golden Knights shocked the hockey world and embarked upon a glorious run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, puck lovers have extensively ruminated on the future of expansion franchises in the National Hockey League. Apparent, in this regard, is a recurring subject of debate: could another expansion team attempt to mimic the Golden Knights’ quest for Lord Stanley’s trophy?
If Tod Leiweke — president and CEO of a prospective club from Seattle — is to be believed, a potential answer to this question may come to light in the very near future. He is set to make a pitch to the NHL this upcoming fall.
Speaking on 950 KJR, Leiweke remarked, “We now know that in early October we’re going to see the executive committee … We believe that will be on October 2nd in New York City … We then go in front of the entire membership of the NHL to make our case, and we’re going to be ready.”
No stranger to situations of this variety, the former Chief Operating Officer of the NFL did not hesitate to stress the significance of the opportunity at hand. “I’ve never prepared like this for a presentation or meeting,” he noted, “and I’ve had a few in my career. This is an important moment because we owe it to the city to do our best.”
Should Leiweke’s proposal to the NHL warrant a favorable return, then he and his brother, Tim Leiweke, shall act as the owners of Seattle’s expansion franchise. And regardless of one’s opinion on the Golden Knights’ inaugural season, hockey lovers would be wise to root for Leiweke over the course of the next few weeks.
It’s no secret that rumblings of a looming lockout continue to occupy the talk circuit of hockey news. The fact that notable players like Connor McDavid, John Tavares and Carey Price have opted to sign bonus-heavy contracts is a matter of particular concern, as such deals signify a preoccupation with the prospect of stocking up in the event of season cancellation. Simply put, many of the league’s players — up to and including some of the sport’s highest-earning individuals — have swiftly started to brace for the impact of a fight for the books.
But that could change with the introduction of a 32nd franchise. Seattle has already set the expansion process into motion, partnering with Leiweke to upgrade Key Arena for the purpose of welcoming NHL and NBA teams just in time for the 2020-21 campaign.
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In the eyes of some, it might look like a stretch. But it would be silly to trouble the notion that Leiweke’s pitch can serve as the avenue through which the green light is given for further expansion to be implemented — and in turn, the hope that yet another lockout is ultimately averted.