Report: NHL eyeing Austin and Houston for expansion

Field Level Media|published: 06/23/2026, 3:32pm EDT

Apr 24, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media before game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Dallas Stars could one day have some company in Texas, with ESPN reporting Tuesday that the NHL is looking at Austin and Houston as potential expansion targets.

Expansion beyond the current 32 teams was being discussed at the NHL's board of governors meeting on Tuesday in New York, according to the report.

Commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated during the Stanley Cup Final earlier this month that the league has received interest from prospective cities and owners across North America.

In addition to the two Texas locations, other cities that have publicly stated an interest in hosting an NHL team include Atlanta, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Omaha, Neb. Atlanta had two previous NHL teams that relocated to Calgary and Winnipeg.

Bettman previously told the board of governors that potential expansion teams should expect to come in for a fee of at least $2 billion, per ESPN.

The newest NHL franchise, the Seattle Kraken began play in 2021-22 after laying out a $650 million expansion fee. That was a significant leap from the $500 million it cost for the Vegas Golden Knights to found a club that first faced off 2017-18.

--Field Level Media