One of the reports out of the NHL meetings this week was the interest in league expansion to Austin or Houston. It’s a matter of time before the NHL moves to 33 and then 34 teams. The money and fit are there for both Texan markets, and one of them landing a team seems inevitable. 

The subsequent question is where the American Hockey League will expand. Every NHL team has an AHL affiliate, so the league will follow suit with its expansion. The question is, which markets make sense? 

Before diving into cities, it’s important to keep a checklist in mind. The ideal markets for hockey include at least a few of the following. 

So, let’s dive right in, starting with the cities that work with an inevitable Texas team. 

Most NHL teams generally prefer an easy location to call up or send down their prospects. The best is when they can participate in the morning skate with their NHL team and are still close enough to join their NHL team by the time the puck drops that night. New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio all check that box. 

Oklahoma City has a long-standing hockey history, notably for other development leagues but hosted an AHL team (the Oklahoma City Barons) for a brief period. The problem is the market, and it’s one of the reasons the team only lasted for five years. 

Likewise, San Antonio had an AHL team for nearly 20 years with the San Antonio Rampage. From 2011-12 until 2013-14, the Rampage averaged over 7,000 in attendance, and the city’s population makes it the most reasonable for the AHL to consider. The problem is sharing the arena with the San Antonio Spurs, which they did but presumably, an NHL team doesn’t want to do when bringing their development team there (it’s one of the reasons the Vegas Golden Knights relocated the team). 

New Orleans is the toughest because of its hockey history. The market doesn’t have one, and the city doesn’t have the infrastructure for an AHL team. While they could share the arena with the NBA team, ideally, they’ll need one built, and then they’ll compete with that team and the New Orleans Saints, an NFL team that essentially dominates the market. The plus is that it’s close to Houston and, more importantly, would allow an expansion team to build up a Gulf of Mexico fanbase. 

The AHL expanding into any of these markets allows them to fit right in with the Texas Stars, who play in Cedar Park, Texas (30 minutes away from Austin). That said, they remain isolated from the rest of the league. It’s why some teams like their AHL teams clustered alongside other teams, even if it means long-distance call-ups and recalls (Bakersfield, Chicago, Springfield, and Syracuse come to mind). It’s why other regions of North America make a lot of sense as well. 

The Bridgeport Islanders relocated to Hamilton this offseason. However, the market is still great for the AHL and one they’ll certainly revisit at some point, a city in the Atlantic Division cluster that’s also within driving distance of the three New York area NHL teams. The only question is whether Bridgeport gets a team through expansion or relocation, since the New York Rangers might move the Hartford Wolf Pack or the New Jersey Devils might relocate the Utica Comets beforehand. 

The other market to revisit is Albany, which hosted an AHL team for almost 30 years between the Devils and the River Rats. It’s a great hockey market and a better sports town that notably struggled because they were affiliated with the New Jersey Devils in the Lou Lamoriello years (and his interest in AHL teams was minimal). Better yet, Albany fits right in with either the Atlantic Division cluster or the trio of Upstate New York teams, especially Syracuse and Utica.

Manchester, New Hampshire, hasn’t had an AHL team in over a decade, and it’s a small town that is often overlooked in the region. However, if the city builds a new arena, it’s another market that can take off. 

It’s worth adding that the AHL can always look at Upstate New York for a team, notably Binghamton or the Adirondacks. The problem is that both are smaller markets and make more sense for the ECHL than the AHL. 

There’s a good chance that Atlanta, Georgia, will land an NHL team. If that happens, Southeast expansion might follow for the AHL, especially if they add a team close enough to Charlotte, which is one of the isolated teams at the moment. 

Savannah, Georgia, is a small market that hosts the Ghost Pirates in the ECHL. It’s not an AHL market but it works best for an Atlanta-specific team. It’s in the same state and within four hours of both Atlanta and Charlotte. 

Orlando, Florida, is a better market in the big picture. It’s a bigger city that has an airport hub, which benefits travel for both the NHL affiliate and the divisional AHL teams. Even if Atlanta doesn’t put a team there, the Florida Panthers might consider it, even with a strong affiliation with Charlotte, because of the distance.

The other Florida market to consider is Jacksonville, which is a halfway point between Atlanta, the Florida Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The problems, however, make it an unlikely city for the AHL. It’s still distant from any team in the AHL or NHL, and aside from the ECHL, it isn’t a hockey market. 

Quebec City is always on the shortlist for NHL expansion and relocation and has been since it lost the Nordiques in 1995. They have an NHL-sized arena ready to go. It’s why they might be the next version of Hamilton, as they can take on an AHL team that is struggling with attendance and considering relocation. Quebec City would be an NHL market with a fanbase eager to embrace a team going all-in on the AHL team. 

It would be fun to see what professional hockey looks like in Halifax, Nova Scotia, or the Maritimes, for that matter. The problem is that it would be a mess for both leagues. A team in Halifax would require flights for everything from call-ups to road trips to other teams visiting. 

Another layer to Canadian expansion is if the Edmonton Oilers eventually want to bring their affiliate close. While Bakersfield, California, is out west, it’s still a decent flight and requires a border crossing. So, maybe the Oilers bring a team to Alberta or one of the neighboring provinces. 

The Pacific Northwest is fascinating. Portland, for example, has one of the highest populations for any city in the United States, yet it only has one professional team. While the Portland Winterhawks play in the Western Hockey League, it’s an untapped market with minimal competition. Likewise, Boise or Spokane are good options but the problem with all three is that the only NHL team that would add them as an affiliate is the Seattle Kraken, and they have a good setup with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. 

There’s also Cincinnati, which is a good wild card if Cleveland lands an NHL team. Or Madison, Wisconsin, if Milwaukee gets a team. These Midwest markets already host AHL teams but are built for the NHL and safe bets for the league, especially after adding a 33rd team. 

The first question is where the NHL might move to next. Wherever they go, the AHL will presumably be nearby. And there’s no shortage of options for both leagues.