Seattle wasn’t able to land the Phoenix Coyotes, but the NHL may be coming to town after all.
According to a report from KJR sports-talk radio host Mitch Levy, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is pushing the league’s board of governors to consider giving an expansion franchise to Seattle.
If approved, Levy tweeted that the NHL team in Seattle would begin play in 2014-15, with an expansion franchise tag of $275 million.
Levy added the deal would be contingent on finding a stable local ownership group and making significant progress on building new downtown arena.
Without a new downtown arena in place, Seattle’s short-term option would be Key Arena — a facility that can accomodate roughly 11,000 people for an NHL game.
Seattle was reportedly the NHL’s Plan B if the Glendale City Council did not approve the Coyotes’ new lease agreement.
Bettman is said to be high on the possibility of the NHL in Seattle because of the strong success of the city’s NFL and MLS teams and mentioned last February how another team in the Pacific Northwest would create a natural rival for the Vancouver Canucks.
The NHL has yet to comment on the latest Seattle rumours.
