Bruins owner Jacobs says both NHL expansion options have upside

Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman break down what both the Las Vegas and Quebec City expansion team bids presented at the NHL Board of Governors meeting and what questions are paramount to them successfully joining the NHL.

Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs says both groups hoping to land an NHL expansion team made impressive presentations at the recent league meetings.

Jacobs said on Thursday that the Quebec bid has more history and a more passionate fan base behind it. But he said it might make more sense to go with Las Vegas because the Western Conference already has two fewer teams.

Jacobs says he doesn’t “know if there’s a will” among the existing owners to expand.

The NHL took applications for expansion franchises this summer and got two bidders. The Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995 and became the Colorado Avalanche. A team in Las Vegas would be the gambling city’s first major pro sports team.

Both cities have already built areas in the hopes of landing a team. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said there is no definite timeline for expansion.

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