Seattle expansion bid vote likely in December

Seattle's bid to receive an NHL expansion franchise likely won't be voted on until December.

So says NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, who termed it "doubtful" that the NHL board of governors would vote on the matter earlier.

"We would have the vote in person," Daly told reporters in reference to a scheduled meeting in Florida.

Seattle Hockey Partners, the group behind the city's bid for a franchise, is slated to make a formal presentation to the executive committee on Oct. 2. But a vote won't occur that day.

The NHL recently expanded into Las Vegas for the 2017-18 season, so the league isn't in a hurry to put the 32nd team in play.

Daly said a Seattle squad likely wouldn't enter the NHL until 2021-22, but the ownership group is aiming to have the league in the Pacific Northwest for the 2020-21 campaign.

"I think the ownership group is on board with that timeline," Daly said of 2021-22. "That's not set in stone, but I don't think either side is feeling any time pressure."

The Seattle group is working on an arena plan, but KeyArena would likely be renovated to serve as the initial home.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)