Dream becomes reality
NHL adds Seattle as its 32nd team, play begins in 2021
Seattle’s NHL dream is finally a reality.
The city will just have to wait a little longer than originally planned for its new team to hit the ice.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed hockey’s worstkept secret Tuesday, announcing the league will expand to Seattle at a packed news conference.
The NHL’s 32nd team, which was unanimously approved in a vote by the board of governors, will begin play in 2021-22 at a renovated and renamed KeyArena.
Seattle’s ownership group led by billionaire David Bonderman and a number of minority partners, including Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer, is paying US$650 million to join the exclusive club.
“The league’s expansion decision was only made possible because Seattle will possess the three pillars essential to the success of any franchise: terrific, committed ownership, a thriving market and a state-of-the-art venue,” Bettman said.
It was initially hoped the team would begin play in 2020, but concerns from the NHL that the franchise’s home — which will be known as Seattle Center Arena — won’t be ready in time pushed the start date back 12 months.
“I have business cards I’m going to have to toss out that say Seattle 2020,” joked team president and CEO Tod Leiweke, who said he expects the venue open in March or April 2021. “Waiting a little longer seemed to make a lot of sense and we ultimately agreed with the league.”
Seattle’s expansion fee is $150 million more than what the Vegas Golden Knights paid when they joined the NHL in 2016.
“I never talk about personal finances,” Bonderman said of the price tag. “But this is a few bits of change which aren’t around anymore.”
While the U.S. Pacific Northwest has little recent hockey history at the professional level, the Seattle Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Montreal Canadiens in 1917.
The Metropolitans, who were formed by Hall of Fame brothers Frank and Lester Patrick, played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association before folding in 1924. There was also a failed attempt at NHL expansion to Seattle in the mid-1970s.
No announcement was made regarding what the new team will be called Tuesday, but Bettman
seemed to pour water on the Metropolitans being in the running because the league already has a division with that name.
But whatever name the club goes by, Leiweke is convinced the venture will succeed.
“I remember sharing with Gary Bettman years ago that I thought Seattle could be an incredible market for the NHL,” Leiweke
said. “It’s now up to us to deliver the championship team these fans deserve.”
Seattle will play in the Pacific Division, meaning the Arizona Coyotes will move to the Central. The league’s most recent addition gives the NHL an even 16 franchises in the Eastern and Western conferences and will provide the Vancouver Canucks a natural geographic rival.
“I don’t want to stoke the flames here because those guys are my friends, but bring it on, we can’t wait,” Leiweke said. “That might be the one night I walk into the locker-room and say to the boys, ‘Give it a little more tonight.”’
Viewed as a slam dunk ahead of the vote at this posh resort on Georgia’s coast, expansion to Seattle — the largest U.S. market without an NHL or NBA team prior to today’s announcement — required 75 per cent approval, in this case a thumbs up from 24 of 31 owners, to pass.
“I never felt it was preordained,” Leiweke cautioned. “This has been a real journey that’s had challenges.
“It’s not been for the faint of heart.”
The expansion fee will be divided between 30 NHL teams, meaning a cut of more than $21 million per club. Vegas does not get any of the money and is exempt from the expansion draft, which will take place in June 2021.