Major update emerges on the NHL's next expansion team

Dan Friedkin's group just signed an office lease in Austin, and the NHL expansion race between Houston and Austin got a little more interesting this week.

The Friedkin Group, run by chairman and CEO Dan Friedkin, is the group in line for the League's 33rd franchise. Pursuit Sports CEO David Beeston is expected to spend real time in Austin evaluating the market.

Houston doesn't need an office lease. The Friedkin Group is already based there.

So why the Austin move? Because the League left the door open, and Friedkin's camp isn't walking away from either city just yet.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly made the League's preference clear on The Sick Podcast with Jimmy Murphy. Houston is the priority.

"We're primarily interested in and our owners are primarily interested in a potential expansion franchise in Houston," Daly said. "We left open the possibility that we may examine and consider and evaluate Austin, TX as well."

Daly also put a target on the calendar. The expectation is a team in play for the 2029-30 season.

The numbers back up Houston's lead. Per CanadaSportsBetting.ca, Houston has three TAHA-sanctioned hockey organizations to Austin's one.

Houston Bulls sell out debut season as fan base surges

The Houston Junior Aeros list 10 THL travel teams for 2026-27, one more than the Austin Capitals' nine. That's 11.1% more teams at that level.

Across four matching 2025-26 AA age groups, Houston posted a 55.4% win rate compared to Austin's 42.3%, and Houston held the higher rating in three of four groups.

USA Hockey registration tells a similar story. Houston has 2,404 registered players, 17.4% more than Austin's 2,047.

Austin isn't without ammunition. The Texas Stars, Dallas's AHL affiliate, already play there.

But Houston is building something new. The NAHL's Houston Bulls launch their inaugural season in 2026-27, and season tickets are already gone.

Over 4,000 fans have shown interest ahead of the Bulls' home opener at the Deep South Ice Sports Plex in Richmond, Texas on Oct. 2. That's not a rounding error. That's a fan base with momentum, the kind that shows up in juniors long before it ever shows up on an NHL ledger.

Groups like the Houston Girls Hockey Association, WHOAH and Hockey Day in Houston have spent years building grassroots infrastructure the League tends to notice.

The six-month evaluation window opened after the June 23 Board of Governors meeting. A decision is expected around December, and right now, Houston is skating with the puck.