Seattle is officially on deck to become the NHL’s 32nd team after the NHL Board of Governors voted Tuesday to approve the expansion application from the city’s ownership group to bring the team into the league beginning with the 2021-22 season. To make room for the new team, the Board of Governors approved a realignment package that will shift the Arizona Coyotes into the Central Division, once the new team begins play, while Seattle will compete in the Pacific Division.
Seattle’s ownership group is led by David Bonderman with CEO Tod Lewieke and will now pay a $650 million expansion fee, up $150 million over what Bill Foley and his group paid to bring the Vegas Golden Knights into the NHL for the 2017-18 season. The team will follow the same rules for the 2021 Expansion Draft as Vegas did in 2017, although Vegas will be exempt.