The NHL may add a 33rd team: there are plans to establish a new club in Texas

The National Hockey League has officially begun the process of a possible league expansion. A new franchise could be established in the state of Texas, with Houston and Austin emerging as the leading candidate cities.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the league is in talks with American businessman Dan Friedkin regarding the launch of a new club. Friedkin owns the football clubs Roma and Everton and could become the investor behind the future hockey franchise.

According to the parties, the negotiations have been ongoing for about two years and have now reached the final stage. However, the NHL has not yet provided a specific timeline for when the potential 33rd team could make its regular-season debut.

One of the key issues remains the choice of city. The leading options are currently Houston, which already has a large sports audience, and Austin, which has rapidly developed into a major sports hub in recent years.

The NHL's most recent expansion took place in two stages: the Vegas Golden Knights joined the league in 2017, while the Seattle Kraken made their debut in 2021.

If the Texas franchise project is completed, the NHL will increase its number of teams to 33 for the first time in league history.