NHLPA poll leaves no doubt about preferred NHL expansion destination

The NHLPA regularly comes out with its recommendations for the NHL when it releases the results of an annual poll filled out by its players. The NHL does not always go along with the suggestions from the Players’ Association, but commissioner Gary Bettman always gets to know what the players are thinking.

Things getting even bigger in Texas?

Taking the category over by 34% of votes, Houston was voted as the next location where players would want to go if the NHL were to expand #NHLPAPlayerPoll pic.twitter.com/fLpFLcSIm9

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 17, 2026

One of the key topics of this year’s poll was the subject of league expansion. There have been reports that the NHL is considering expansion from 32 to 34 teams, and the cities that appear to have the inside track are Houston and Atlanta.

However, a poll of the NHLPA’s members indicate that players are more interested in another city besides Atlanta. That city has already had two expansion teams in the Flames (moved to Calgary) and the Thrashers (moved to Winnipeg and became the Jets). Players favor Houston as their top choice, but Quebec City is the second choice. The poll indicates that 34.3 percent of the responding players favor Houston, while 16.9 percent also said that they would like to see Quebec City join the NHL.

The Quebec Nordiques called Quebec City their home when that team joined the NHL in 1979-80 after a seven-year run in the World Hockey Association. The Nordiques left Quebec City following the 1994-95 season and moved to Colorado and became the Avalanche.

Atlanta was the third choice in the poll, followed by Scottsdale, Arizona and Austin, Texas.

While the NHL has not announced formal expansion plans and Bettman has not committed to adding new teams to the league, NHL insiders report that expansion is coming when potential owners indicate they are willing to write a check of between $2 and $3 billion to the league.

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