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You may have seen our story last week, in which the NHL’s Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told me there was a local group interested in bringing a team to Seattle.

Today, prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Vancouver, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was asked again about the Seattle Group.

Q.   There’s  been recent reports of a group in Seattle interested in
an  NHL  team.  What are your thoughts on Seattle as a hockey market?  With Winnipeg done, do you have a list of cities that are potentials?
      COMMISSIONER  BETTMAN:  There are no shortage of places that continue to express interest in having a team.  I think it was half a dozen, and now it’s  down  to  five because Winnipeg comes off the list.  My answer is the same.  I don’t want to raise anybody’s expectation.  We’re hoping not to do
relocation.   You all know that we don’t believe in doing that, except as a
last resort.  We do everything possible to avoid it, and we’re not planning on expanding.
      The  interest  is  flattering,  but I don’t want anyone in any market that doesn’t have a team to get their hopes up yet.