Breaking: The NHL is one step closer to a 32nd franchise!

It has been a good day for Seattle and their growing hockey community.

On Tuesday, Tod Leiweke, the president and CEO of Seattle’s bid for an NHL expansion franchise, heard back from the NHL board of governors’ executive committee about a recommendation on whether to officially grant a 32nd franchise. According to many NHL insiders following the exciting developments on the pending NHL expansion, the executive committee agreed to continue with the Seattle application, with a potential final vote coming as early as December.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun believes a full Board of Governors vote on the Seattle expansion will come Dec. 3-4. Even the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman claims that the new added franchise could be kicking off their inaugural season in the fall of 2020.

Bettman says #NHL executive committee agreed to continue with Seattle application. Potential vote upcoming in December, requires 75% vote. “The committee ageeed: Let’s do this,” Bettman said.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 2, 2018

So to recap: still some due diligence to be done on Seattle's part but all is pointing to a full Board of Governors vote on Seattle expansion come Dec. 3-4. Bettman says launch of team in fall of 2020 would be ideal but depends on some factors
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 2, 2018

The remodel of the Key Arena is expected to take nearly two full years, which means even waiting until the vote in December would make an Oct. 2020 puck drop date potentially aggressive. However for now, it seems like the NHL commissioner still believes it is possible for Seattle.

“They know we want it in 2020 and they [the NHL] want it in 2020, too, if we get the team,” mayor Jenny Durkan said prior to today's meeting, according to TSN.

Bettman: “Everyone’s goal is 2020” for Seattle.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 2, 2018

The NHL had been at 30 teams since 2000 when it decided in 2016 to expand to Las Vegas. The Golden Knights began play last October and made a stirring run to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. Seattle will surely be looking to be doing the same, and who knows, maybe even better.

And the hockey community in Seattle is more than ready for a team. A season-ticket drive this past spring was a clear sign: Seattle sold 10,000 season-ticket deposits in 12 minutes, and team officials say they now have 32,000 as excitement keeps rising for the arrival of an NHL team in the city.

Close-by rivals, the Vancouver Canucks, are even excited about the potential addition to Seattle to the league. Canucks owner Francensco Aquilini told Associated Press hockey writer Stephen Whyno how the team was looking forward to the expansion.

"It looks good. It’s exciting. We want a team in Seattle. It’s great for Vancouver. It’s great for the league. It’s eventually going to happen. KeyArena is going to be built. So I think it’s imminent.”

Canucks owner Francensco Aquilini on Seattle expansion: “It looks good. It’s exciting. We want a team in Seattle. It’s great for Vancouver. It’s great for the league. It’s eventually going to happen. KeyArena is going to be built. So I think it’s imminent.”
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) October 2, 2018

How do you feel about a 32nd team in the NHL?