Player agent Allan Walsh has delivered one of the most direct and significant statements yet on the NHL’s expansion plans. According to Walsh, expansion “is coming” — and the two markets in the league’s sights are Houston and Atlanta.
Walsh is no ordinary voice in hockey. As a high-profile player agent with deep connections across the league, he is widely regarded as someone whose information carries weight. When he speaks this clearly, the hockey world tends to listen.
“NHL expansion is coming. Houston and Atlanta,” Walsh wrote, naming the two cities without qualification. His comments add substantial fuel to rumors that have circulated for months and appear to mark the strongest public signal yet that the NHL is preparing to grow again.
Television market strength is emerging as a central factor in the league’s thinking. A city’s media footprint and commercial potential play a major role in NHL decision-making, a reality that helps explain the league’s longstanding coolness toward Quebec City despite the city’s passionate hockey culture. Both Houston and Atlanta score highly on that metric.
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Houston, the largest American market without an NHL franchise, checks many of the boxes the league prioritizes. It has repeatedly surfaced in expansion discussions and continues to generate interest. Atlanta presents a more complicated but still compelling case. The city has hosted two previous NHL teams that ultimately failed to take root, yet its media market remains large and attractive enough to keep it in serious contention.
Walsh’s remarks also align with recent comments from NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, who identified Houston as a priority market and mentioned Austin as a possible alternative. When an influential agent and a top league executive are pointing in the same direction, the scenario gains considerable credibility.
The signals have been accumulating for weeks. Now, with Walsh’s unequivocal statement, NHL expansion to Houston and Atlanta feels closer than ever to becoming reality.