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Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
I don't think the NHL is going to expand again any time soon, so the expansion fee bonus probably isn't a huge factor. It's always been prudent for the NHL to keep some cities on the backburner in the event relocation is necessary. It gives cities negotiating power in events like this and also prevents folding as an option. Much more expansion, and they would be giving that up.
If Feritta wanted an NHL team, he could probably get one easily and he did express interest before. If it helped get him a favourable deal from the City to build a new facility, it's quite possible he would do it. It's not uncommon for teams to play out of old arenas until the new one is complete. The Toyota Center might not be ideal, but it wouldn't necessarily be a permanent home.
It's hard to know what is going on behind the scenes. It's not in anyone's best interests to make relocation discussions public (see Jim Balsillie). Not too many people saw Winnipeg as a realistic destination before it happened. Things can happen very fast if the people involved see an opportunity present itself. It's easy when there isn't an apparent opportunity to point out all the reasons why something won't happen, but when there is an opportunity, the mind set usually changes from "we can't", to "how can we".
Bettman said Houston is very much on the radar despite those issues and I am sure he would move heaven and hell to get a team there.
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What's stopping him? I don't see Bettman trying hard at all to get a team in Houston.
The point about Houston is that as things currently stand it would have to be a sale not a relo. Edwards won't be leasing space in Toyota Centre at some great discounted rate, and Fertitta not interested in giving up prime dates unless he owns the team.