Why Texas? Explaining the ins and outs of the NHL exploring a team for Houston or Austin

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The NHL is exploring expansion possibilities for a new franchise in Texas, with potential locations in Houston or Austin. Billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family have engaged with the league, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated territorial rights would not be an obstacle for a new Texas team.

The NHL took the first step toward expansion in Texas earlier this week, agreeing to terms with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family to explore the feasibility of putting a franchise in Houston or Austin. Far enough from the Dallas Stars, who relocated from Minnesota in 1993, a new team would not interfere with their territorial rights. “Symmetry I don’t think should necessarily govern expansion,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.