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The National Hockey League is looking to continue expansion into the southern United States. With the Vegas Golden Knights as one of the most successful franchises in the league, a good owner could create one of the league's best teams. One of the big cities connected to the NHL is Houston and they have a new connection. Dan Friedkin, a Houston billionaire, has with the NHL per ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
“American billionaire Dan Friedkin has emerged as a strong ownership option to bring the NHL to Houston,” Kaplan reported. “…NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed in an email that the league has met with the group ‘on a number of occasions about potential interest in a Houston expansion franchise.'”
Friedkin is originally from San Diego but lives with his family in Houston now. He has his hands in many businesses but most notably is the co-founder of Imperative Entertainment. He has produced films like The Square and Killers of the Flower Moon with the company.
Houston has the arena, the Toyota Center is the home of the NBA's Rockets, and Friedkin has experience owning sports teams. He has stakes in AC Roma and Everton and just helped Everton secure public funding for a new stadium.
Houston's place in the future of NHL expansion
In Kaplan's report, she wrote, “NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has tried to cool off expansion rumors recently, telling reporters in October that the topic never came up at this fall's board of governors meeting and that expansion was not a ‘front-burner topic.'”
Bettman's actions don't match that statement even outside of the Houston reports. Louisiana governor Jeff Landry posted on social media that he had a conversation with league executives about expansion. There have been substantial rumors about the expansion to Atlanta for a third time. And the league loves the Scottsdale market they just left.
Houston is the biggest American city without an NHL team and has long been a target for the league. Despite conversations with Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta in the past, Kaplan reports that Friedkin is seen as a “more viable option.” If it gets a team into Southern Texas, the league will take it.
Getting into big television markets is what Gary Bettman wants. It is why the Coyotes toiled away without an arena for a half-decade. Houston is a massive market and makes sense as one of the next teams. Kaplan reports the league wants to expand into two cities with staggered dates, just like they did with Vegas and Seattle.
