It’s been a long time coming, but the NHL is finally coming to Seattle. The NHL’s 32nd team was approved on Tuesday by the league’s Board of Governors, and an inaugural season of 2021-22 is projected. This gives Seattle sufficient time to complete renovations on KeyArena, as well as complete work on practice facilities in the city as well. In conjunction with Seattle’s arrival to the Pacific, the Arizona Coyotes will be relocated to the Central Division. Goodbye, five games a year against the Coyotes. We’ll maybe miss you.
Of course, a 2021-22 start date also gives the Seattle To-Be-Named-Laters a chance to skip over any lockout action that happens the year before.