Doug McLean didn’t leave much room for debate when the NHL’s next expansion team came up.
In his view, Houston is the destination, and he said it with complete confidence: 100%, Houston will get the National Hockey League's next expansion franchise.
That line alone would have been enough to get attention in Quebec, but McLean wasn’t the only one leaning that way. During a discussion on the expansion question, Daren Millard asked the direct question: officially, is it Austin or Houston that will land the next franchise?
John Shannon answered just as directly: "At this point, it's Houston," he said, dismissing the other candidates in the process. McLean then backed it up again: "It's Houston," he simply confirmed.
When three familiar hockey voices land on the same city, it carries weight.
For Quebec Nordiques fans, though, it’s the kind of news that stings. The idea of a return keeps getting pushed farther away, and this latest wave of talk only adds to that feeling. McLean even framed it in blunt terms: "Houston appears to be heading straight toward an NHL team, an outcome that once again closes the door on the return of the Quebec Nordiques."
The logic behind Houston is easy to see. The American market remains attractive to the league, and Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, fits the kind of box the NHL and Gary Bettman’s governors seem to value.
None of it is official yet. The league still has to confirm anything in writing before it becomes real. But the chatter is loud, the signals are pointing one way, and right now the trend is clearly not helping Quebec City.
In Other News...
Canadiens Face A Real Xhekaj Decision In New Trade Proposal
Arber Xhekaj keeps lingering in the center of Montreals offseason conversation, and the latest trade idea only adds another layer to it. Calgarys interest in the young Canadiens defenseman has been floating around for months, and the discussion has resurfaced again as Montreal continues sorting out its blue line and weighing what kind of move would actually make sense for the roster it wants to build.
The appeal from the Canadiens side is straightforward enough: they have been looking for a right-handed defenseman who can handle meaningful minutes, and the proposal being kicked around would address that need while forcing Montreal to decide how much value it is willing to attach to Xhekaj. Depending on how the deal is structured, the price could climb beyond a simple one-for-one swap, which is exactly why this has become one of those talks worth watching rather than dismissing. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Real Shot At The Young Center They Need
The Canadiens have spent plenty of time looking for another young center to grow with their core, and Adam Fantilli is suddenly part of that conversation because of what is happening in Columbus. The Blue Jackets are believed to be getting close to the salary cap faster than expected, which has put a little more intrigue around a player who already looks like one of the leagues brighter young pivots.
Fantilli, 21, turned in a strong season with 59 points in 82 games, enough to make him the kind of center any team would at least have to think about. Montreal has not been confirmed as a club preparing an offer sheet, but the possibility alone is enough to keep the idea alive, especially if Columbus finds itself in a spot where matching becomes difficult. [Read more 🡒]