TORONTO -- NHL expansion is likely coming in the near future, though the league hasnt committed to any official plan just yet. [url=http://www.cheapnationalsjerseys.com/]Cheap MLB Jerseys[/url] . For more than a year, commissioner Gary Bettman has said the NHL is listening when approached by cities in

TORONTO -- NHL expansion is likely coming in the near future, though the league hasnt committed to any official plan just yet. Cheap MLB Jerseys . For more than a year, commissioner Gary Bettman has said the NHL is listening when approached by cities interested in acquiring a team even though theres no formal expansion process underway. Amid reports this week indicating solid plans are in place, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said theres "nothing new to report on this subject." "Nothing new has happened," Daly said Wednesday in an email. Status quo doesnt necessarily mean the NHL wont eventually expand to Las Vegas, as the Vancouver Province reported Tuesday was a "done deal." And it doesnt necessarily discount the possibility of adding four teams by 2017, one each in Las Vegas, Seattle and Quebec City and a second in Toronto, as SportsBusinessNews.com reported via Twitter. Getting to 32 teams sooner rather than later would make sense for a league that moved to unbalanced conferences with 16 teams in the East and 14 in the West beginning last season. Las Vegas and Seattle fit geographically. But the NHL has several hurdles to overcome before awarding franchises, including answering arena and ownership questions. MGM and AEG are in the process of building a 20,000-seat facility in Las Vegas that could be ready by the spring of 2017, and either UNLVs Thomas & Mack Center or Orleans Arena could be short-term options. But its still unclear who would own a team in Las Vegas, let alone what could happen to sportsbooks if the NHL is the first major North American professional league to move in there. Seattle, with its vocal and passionate fanbase, has a less-than-ideal arrangement in the short-term with Key Arena. Getting a new building would be crucial to the NHL going to the Pacific Northwest. Chris Hansen, who tried to buy the NBAs Sacramento Kings to move them to Seattle, and Don Levin, owner of the AHLs Chicago Wolves, could head up an ownership group there. Communications giant Quebecor would love to resurrect the Quebec City Nordiques, and Quebecor Arena could be done by the fall of 2015. The Canadian dollar is much stronger than it was in the mid-1990s when the Nordiques moved to Denver, and fans have long been clamouring for the return of the NHL. But Bettman said at the Stanley Cup final in June that he wasnt sure how the NHL would deal with putting another team in the Eastern Conference. The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets were just moved from the West to the East for the 2013-14 season. Quebecor did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is also a key player in Quebec Citys efforts to get a team back. His assistant said Wednesday he would not comment on the reports. If the NHL did choose to cash in on what SportsBusinessNews.com reported would be roughly US$1.4 billion in expansion fees by expanding to 34 teams by the centennial season of 2017-18, a second team in Toronto could play in the Western Conference. The size of the Toronto market has long made it an interesting possibility, whether the expansion team shares Air Canada Centre with the Maple Leafs or has its own arena. Outgoing MLSE president and CEO Tim Leiweke cast doubt on the report based on his interaction with Bettman on Wednesday morning. "The commissioner and I had other business this morning, so we talked for a while and this came up, and I asked him, Did I miss a meeting? And he laughed and said, Nope," Leiweke said in an interview on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. "This isnt on the agenda right now." Officially, expansion is not on the agenda . But that doesnt stop the speculation. "We listen when people say, Wed like to come visit you and tell you why were interested and where were interested," Bettman said in June. Plenty of cities are interested, including Portland, Hamilton and Kansas City. But even with a new, lucrative Canadian TV deal and growing revenues, the NHL doesnt have to rush into anything. Expansion is tempting because fees dont count toward hockey-related revenue, which gets split between owners and players. Any expansion fee, which could run in the neighbourhood of $300 million or more, depending on the market, would be money the owners dont have to share. Getting to 32 teams -- 16 in the East and 16 in the West -- makes for better playoff math and easier scheduling and would also tie the NHL with the NFL as the leagues with the most teams. Going to 34 would surpass North Americas most popular professional sports league. Any kind of expansion requires approval from the board of governors. The NHL hasnt expanded since 2000, when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild joined the league. With the state of business being pretty good, the league could look to change that in the coming years. "I think if, in fact, we get to a point where theres enough interest in enough places that it warrants consideration, then the board of governors may well invoke a formal expansion process and well look at everything," Bettman said in June. Wholesale Nationals Jerseys . The Indians scored twice in the top of the ninth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by closer Matt Lindstrom. Axford (0-1) came in seeking his fifth save in as many chances. Cheap Washington Nationals Jerseys .m. on Friday. Granger was acquired from the Indiana Pacers last Thursday for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen, but never played a minute for Philadelphia. The 76ers also received a 2015 second-round draft pick in the deal. http://www.cheapnationalsjerseys.com/ . Nix is a career .218 hitter in 425 games over six seasons. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter batted .270 with a homer this spring for Tampa Bay.NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. A discussion on their banged-up quarterbacks future with the Titans will have to wait until the off-season. "Were just concentrating on these seven weeks," coach Mike Munchak said Monday after announcing Lockers injury. "Thats all were concerned about. Next year is next year. Right now we just got to go forward and try to win a game." Not only did the Titans lose Locker on Sunday, they also became the first team to lose to previously winless Jacksonville this season 29-27. That loss dropped the Titans to 4-5, missing a chance to pull within a game of Indianapolis (6-3) in the AFC South. The quarterback was hurt in the second quarter of a 29-27 loss to Jacksonville at the end of an option play. Locker, who was on crutches and a walking boot, told reporters before leaving the stadium he hoped and prayed the injury wouldnt end his season. But further tests Monday confirmed the extent of the damage. "To lose him now is a huge blow," Munchak said. "I mean you watch any team that loses their quarterback its a big effect on the team." Munchak said whether Locker will need surgery to repair his foot will be decided in the next few days after consulting with surgeons. "So its hard for him," Munchak said. "I know how depressed he is, I know how hard this hurt him and our team. I mean, hes a fighter." The Titans drafted Locker with the eighth selection overall in 2011 to be their franchise quarterback, and he signed a four-year contract with an option for a fifth year. Locker is completing 60.7 per cent of his passes for 1,256 yards and has eight touchdowns with only four interceptions and a passer rating of 86.7. He is 8-10 since becoming a starter, but he will wind up missing 14 of a possible 32 starts in his first two seasons. Asked if he was worried Locker is injury prone, Munchak said that will be a topic for discussion in February. Cheap Nationals Jerseys. The Titans signed Fitzpatrick to back up Locker in March, and he went 0-2 against Kansas City and at Seattle when Locker hurt his right hip and knee Sept. 29 against the Jets. Fourth-year quarterback Rusty Smith will be Fitzpatricks backup and has been on the 53-man roster since Locker got hurt against the Jets. Fitzpatrick threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns as a reserve in the loss to the Jaguars, and he also ran for a touchdown trying to rally the Titans. Tight end Delanie Walker, who caught a 14-yard TD pass from Fitzpatrick with 40 seconds left, said Monday they need Fitzpatrick to step up. "Hes going to be the starting quarterback from now on because Jake is out for the year, so Ryan has no choice but to play good," Walker said. "I feel like he did a great job against the Jaguars. This is his opportunity to be the man now." Walker pointed at other NFL teams that have lost starters at that position. "But when its your turn to step up, youve got to step up and play, and thats where were at," Walker said. Safety Bernard Pollard said its time for the next man up. "So we trust and we are behind Fitz 100 per cent," Pollard said. Locker isnt the only injury the Titans are dealing with on a short week. Center Brian Schwenke hurt his right ankle and played only 15 snaps, with veteran Chris Spencer finishing the game. Munchak said Schwenke is day to day. Damian Williams hurt his hip on a punt return and was having tests Monday after leaving on crutches, forcing the Titans to look for a new returner. Alterraun Verner handled the job after Williams was hurt, but the cornerback is tied for the NFL lead with five interceptions and the Titans are reluctant to use him in that role. NOTES: The Titans injury report based on a walk-through session included RG Chance Warmack (ankle) out, along with LB Moise Fokou (left knee), LB Zaviar Gooden (hamstring). RT David Stewart (shoulder) was limited. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '