Gary Bettman & the NHL under fire following latest expansion report

Walsh, who represents Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek among other clients, made the comment in response to a Sporting News article breaking down how the league evaluates potential franchise cities.

The reaction was immediate, and split. Many hockey fans questioned why Atlanta is getting another look after two failed NHL stints, with the Flames leaving for Calgary in 1980 and the Thrashers relocating to Winnipeg in 2011.

One reply beneath Walsh's post asked how Atlanta gets another opportunity after failing multiple times, calling the idea nonsensical.

A second wave of frustration centered on Quebec City, which continues to be left out of expansion talks despite having an NHL-ready arena already built.

Another commenter asked why the league would rerun Atlanta but not Quebec City, calling it a strange choice.

The city's 18,259-seat Centre Videotron has sat without an NHL tenant for years, and prior reporting has noted the league appears to be prioritizing American markets for now.

Despite Walsh's confident framing, the NHL's own paperwork tells a more cautious story.

In late June, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the league had signed a term sheet giving Dan Friedkin's family exclusive rights to explore a Texas franchise in either Houston or Austin, with roughly six months to decide.

Atlanta, meanwhile, still has two competing ownership groups vying for the same market. Bettman has also said the league does not need to add a 33rd and 34th team together, meaning Houston and Atlanta arriving as a package is far from guaranteed.

For now, expansion to 34 teams remains speculative, but the fan divide over Atlanta's third chance and Quebec's continued wait is already well underway.

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