SEATTLE SPORTS PIT

Report: NHL expansion paperwork in hands of potential ownership group

Jan 9, 2018, 3:59 PM

Another small step in Seattle's pursuit of an NHL franchise has been made. (AP)...

Another small step in Seattle's pursuit of an NHL franchise has been made. (AP)

(AP)

The NHL made a major step in granting a potential expansion team to Seattle in early December, making a formal request to its Board of Governors to seek approval for the expansion team. But in the month since, things have been pretty quiet.

Top Seattle sports story of 2017: NHL moves toward expansion

We appear to have a reason why.

Darren Dreger, a hockey insider for TSN in Canada, reported Tuesday afternoon that while there is expansion paperwork in the hands of a prospective Seattle ownership group, there has been no submission as of yet.

The potential ownership group is headed by David Bonderman, a minority owner of the NBA’s Boston Celtics and University of Washington alum, and Jerry Bruckheimer, a well-known producer in Hollywood.

While this little tidbit of news may seem slightly worrisome on the surface, it’s actually just another sign that the process of bringing major league professional hockey to the Emerald City – slow as it may be – is very much underway.

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Report: NHL expansion paperwork in hands of potential ownership group