NHL Board of Governors Defers Expansion Decisions for Texas Cities
The NHL's Board of Governors met to discuss potential expansion to Houston or Austin, Texas, but deferred making any decisions on the matter.

Elmira, NY, September 22, 2026 —
The National Hockey League (NHL) has postponed any decisions regarding potential expansion into Texas markets. The league’s Board of Governors convened to consider bids for new franchises in either Houston or Austin, two major metropolitan areas in the state.
However, following discussions, the Board of Governors elected to defer making any immediate choices on the expansion proposals. The specific timeline for when these decisions might be revisited was not provided.
The potential expansion has been a subject of speculation within the hockey community, with both Houston and Austin presenting compelling cases for an NHL presence. The lack of a definitive outcome from this meeting leaves the future NHL landscape in Texas uncertain for the immediate future.
Details regarding the specific proposals, the entities behind them, or any financial figures associated with the potential expansion were not disclosed. Furthermore, the reasons for deferring the decision were not made public. The NHL has not announced when the Board of Governors will next address the matter of expansion to these or any other potential markets.
Story summarized from the original created by STEPHEN WHYNO, Associated Press on www.mytwintiers.com, see more information here.
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