HOUSTON – The National Hockey League has taken a major step toward expanding into Texas, with Houston and Austin emerging as the leading candidates for a new franchise.
Following Tuesday’s NHL Board of Governors meeting in New York, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the league has approved the process for a new expansion team in Texas.
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Earlier Tuesday, ESPN NHL reporter Emily Kaplan reported that expansion discussions involving Texas were expected to be addressed during the Board of Governors meeting.
Kaplan later reported that billionaire businessman and Rice alum Dan Friedkin would be the prospective owner of the expansion franchise.
Dan Friedkin would be the prospective owner of the expansion Texas NHL team.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) June 23, 2026
Wrote about Friedkin’s interest previously, as well as his sports portfolio 🔗 https://t.co/hRfezefe45
Under the agreement, Pursuit Sports, the global sports ownership and operating platform of the Friedkin family, has been granted exclusive rights to pursue an NHL expansion franchise in the state.
The Friedkin Group, a Texas-based ownership organization that owns Italian soccer club AS Roma and several other sports and entertainment assets, will immediately begin evaluating Houston and Austin as potential homes for the team.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Friedkin family said both Houston and Austin offer compelling opportunities for a successful NHL franchise.
“Each city brings unique attributes that would make a new team a huge success — both have the infrastructure, passionate fan bases, and economic strength needed to support a championship-caliber franchise for years to come,” the family said.
The group said it has long been interested in bringing another NHL team to Texas and will now begin a thorough evaluation process to determine the franchise’s future home.
“We have wanted for some time to bring an NHL team to Texas, and we are excited that the process has now begun,” the statement said. “Selecting a new market for an NHL franchise is a special and important responsibility, and we are grateful to the league for their faith in us and their support.”
If Houston is ultimately selected, it would become the second NHL market in Texas alongside the Dallas Stars.
Houston has previously been linked to NHL expansion and relocation discussions due to its large population, corporate presence and existing arena infrastructure at the Toyota Center.
The city’s hockey history includes the Houston Aeros, who competed in two minor and development hockey leagues from 1994 to 2013.
No timeline has been announced for a final decision between Houston and Austin, but Tuesday’s announcement marks the most significant step yet toward bringing NHL hockey to another Texas city.
A report from ESPN contributed to this article. Read their full article here.