New Las Vegas NHL Team Will Play in San Jose Sharks’ Division

Las Vegas certainly has the pieces in place to warrant this expansion franchise.

“Without question, we are very impressed with Bill Foley, the City of Las Vegas and the T-Mobile Arena”, Jacobs said. “The markets, some have worked out fabulously, some have taken a little bit more time and some are still a work in progress”.

Principal owner Bill Foley, a Las Vegas businessman, and his partners will pay a $500 million expansion fee for the franchise.

From there, we turn to the incoming franchise.

Foley uses Black Knights as one of his company names as a tribute to his love of West Point. “… This is, to say the least, a fascinating time for the National Hockey League”. It’s the best of the leagues, it’s a legendary league. “I’m the owner, but I do it on behalf of the community”.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called the application by the Canadian telecom and media conglomerate “first rate” as it included a brand new arena along with strong ownership credentials with an eagerness to own a team.

The league has considered the prospect of expansion for several years, with Quebec City, Toronto and Seattle among the other cities to have shown interest in hosting a team. “Bringing the Nordiques back to Quebec City remains a priority for Quebecor”. They will also be the fifth team added to the league since 1998, and will compete in the Pacific Division – leaving the current playoff format unaltered.

The league will eventually hold an expansion draft to help stock the Las Vegas team’s roster with players off other teams’ rosters before the 2017-18 season.

Guests play slot machines on the casino floor at the Riviera Hotel & Casino on April 30, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Said Bettman: “The team coming into the most competitive league in sports will be more competitive more quickly than prior expansion teams”.

I’ve heard Las Vegas Skating Elvi, and the Vegas Sin. “It seems like the excitement is there and it should be fun”.

“Now you start thinking, too, if you have a big player, a valuable player, will you be making a trade during the season to sort of cut your losses?” “The success that it had really got everybody’s attention”.

“As everybody knows, compared to basketball or football, our game is less susceptible to gambling”, said Bettman.

Bettman said fans shouldn’t count on Quebec City being a landing spot for a relocation because he has no expectation of any team moving. “I’m more anxious about the atmosphere in the (building)”, said Bettman.

While Las Vegas is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, it is also a growing city with a population of over 2 million in the metropolitan area viewed by many as a lucrative sports market waiting to be tapped. “It does provide an advantage”.

Located in the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas has has grown as a hockey town.

How will that expansion team come together and how will it affect the standing 30 National Hockey League franchises? “This team is going to be a team built to win”. “They have a different fan base than we do”.