Las Vegas and Quebec City will apply for expansion teams

The NHL is now taking expansion applications for the 2017-18 season. On Monday, the league distributed application materials. To be successful in receiving an expansion team, a bid must demonstrate it has the arena, the market and the finances to pay the expansion fee of $500 million. The league is also charging an application fee of $1 million dollars. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said:

We don't want somebody on the back of an envelope or a napkin to submit an application, so there'll be commitments made with respect to an application. We want real people, and we'll see where the interest comes from.

So far, Las Vegas and Quebec City are the only two markets who confirmed they will apply for expansion. Both cities have ownership groups, passionate fanbases and NHL-caliber arenas under construction.

A second team in Toronto is a possibility. Investors would be interested in placing another team in the league's biggest market .

Seattle has yet to start construction on a NHL-caliber arena and it's unlikely they will apply. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said:

No one has their arena act together yet in Seattle.

Portland, Milwaukee and Kansas City are more potential expansion sites, although they are unlikely to apply.

Expansion applications are due by August 10, 2015. The NHL has not expanded since 2000, when the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets paid $80 million each in expansion fees.