Expansion has been the talk of the hockey world in the last several months, with cities like Atlanta, Houston and Salt Lake City among the locations interested in an NHL franchise.
There's no doubt that Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League are intrigued by the idea of having a franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah and it only seems like a matter of time before the formal expansion process begins. The cost for an expansion franchise is also something that other owners are likely excited about, with the expected cost being in the range of $2 billion USD, $1.35 billion more than what Seattle paid to enter the NHL in 2021.
If Smith is granted a franchise in the coming years, the team will likely play out of Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, which has hosted three NHL pre-season games and will hold another in September between the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. However, a new arena is expected to be built with Salt Lake City reportedly going to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.