from Bob McKenzie of TSN,

The NHL expansion train, destination Seattle, is now on the track and ready to leave the station – perhaps as soon as this week.

As soon as Seattle city council voted yes Monday to a radical refurbishment of Key Arena, Seattle checked off the final of three boxes the NHL requires to expand.

Market? Check.

The NHL has always had eyes for Seattle and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. That region has been the most notable missing part of the NHL’s so-called national “footprint” in the U.S. In 2013, the NHL’s internal rankings for most desirable expansion locations were: 1. Seattle; 2. Las Vegas; 3. Quebec City.

Quebec City was a distant third, and still isn’t seriously in the NHL expansion picture (more on that later). But in the years since 2013, Seattle was quickly eclipsed by Las Vegas because the former didn’t have its arena and ownership buttoned down like the latter.

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added 11:59am, also from McKenzie,

With all the talk of possible NHL expansion to Seattle, it’s probably a good time to review all the other franchise issues that seem to be percolating out there.

Let’s start with Carolina.

By all accounts, a sale of controlling interests of the Carolina Hurricanes from Peter Karmanos to Texas businessman Thomas Dundon may be on the verge of happening.

That will spark a lot of “relocation” talk for the Canes, but it shouldn’t.

My strong sense is that the NHL remains fully committed to Carolina as an NHL market and if Dundon enters into an agreement to purchase the Canes, he’s doing so knowing full well the NHL would only approve it if the Canes stay put.

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