NHL expansion vote ‘doubtful’ for this fall

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly says December is the earliest the board of governors will vote on potential expansion to Seattle. Daly called it “doubtful” any formal vote will happen on a Seattle franchise between meetings in October and December. Seattle Hockey Partners, the group looking to bring the NHL to the Pacific Northwest, will make a presentation to the board’s executive committee on Oct. 2. No vote will take place that day. The Vegas Golden Knights played their first season in 2017-18 as the league’s 31st team. Daly said being able to balance out the 16-team Eastern Conference and 15-team Western Conference is a benefit of expansion and he has seen nothing to indicate any concern about Seattle as a hockey market.