AUSTIN, Texas - Austinites know the city has everything but a major league sports team. Sure, a Major League Soccer team remains a possibility, but would the city support an NHL franchise?

  • Website suggests Austin as home to an NHL team
  • Team would likely need to relocate for it to happen
  • Las Vegas Golden Knights proved pro hockey can flourish in non-traditional markets

A new article that appears on website Stadium Talk argues it would and should.

There is a strong case to be made. Nearby Cedar Park is home to the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars, which serves as the top affiliate for the NHL’s Dallas Stars.

Opposition and doubt were strong when it was announced that Las Vegas would be home to an expansion franchise. The team made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in its inaugural season and tickets to home games at T-Mobile Arena were hard to come by.

Seattle just a few weeks ago was awarded an expansion franchise, and the NHL stated there are no plans to expand after 2020. Still, that wouldn’t rule the relocation of an existing team.

Austin may not be clamoring for the NHL like Quebec City is, but that wouldn’t rule it out. The NHL just wants to avoid disasters like its two failed Atlanta franchises.

The other 23 cities suggested by Stadium Talk are:

  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Cleveland, Ohio
  • Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • Hamilton, Ontario
  • Hartford, Connecticut
  • Helsinki, Finland
  • Houston, Texas
  • Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Mexico City, Mexico
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Moscow, Russia
  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Portland, Oregon
  • Prague, Czech Republic
  • Quebec City, Quebec
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • San Francisco, California
  • Sapporo, Japan
  • Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
  • Toronto, Ontario