Expansion into Texas is losing steam, and Darren Dreger says some NHL owners don't think it's a good idea at all.
Speaking on Insider Trading, Dreger said those owners "don't believe the talent pool is deep enough" to support another team.
He added that there's "a ton of work before they get close to saying they're moving forward." That's a long way from a done deal.
It backs up what Elliotte Friedman said last week. A vote that once looked like "an absolute certainty" for December now looks anything but.
The market in question is Houston, the largest city in Texas and still without an NHL team. The Dallas Stars remain the state's only club.
Talent is the heart of the argument. Every new team needs a full NHL roster, and some owners clearly worry the league would get watered down.
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Talent concerns put the brakes on Houston for now
Owners have reason to think about it. Teams across the league are already leaning on waiver claims, AHL call-ups and aging veterans to fill out their depth.
There's a business side too. Expansion fees put money in every existing owner's pocket, so this pushback says plenty about how serious the talent worry is.
The talent argument is real. Adding a team before the league can fill its current rosters with quality depth would weaken the product, and fans would feel it first.
It's like opening another table at a restaurant that's already short on cooks. Everyone ends up waiting longer for a worse meal.
Nothing is dead yet. But "a ton of work" doesn't sound like a league ready to vote this winter.
Houston will keep waiting. The question now is whether the owners' doubts fade by December, or whether Texas expansion slides quietly onto next year's agenda.
Should the NHL hold off on expanding to Houston?
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