The times have changed over the years, and so has NHL franchise fees and the caliber of player that the new teams to the league have been able to poach from the existing clubs.
Take this report today from Seth Rorabaugh at the Trib, who pointed out it cost $2 million in 1967 for the Pittsburgh Penguins to establish themselves with a spot in the NHL. Even adjusted for inflation that’s only about $16.2 million in 2021 dollars. Franchise values and prices have gone up exponentially lately, with $80 million in fees in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s for teams like the Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers to get their entry.