Danny O’Neil: Seattle could be a ‘bonkers’ hockey market

The National Hockey League is in the process of expansion. Unfortunately for Seattle hockey fans, things aren’t looking good.

Las Vegas is close to a lock on a team, 710 ESPN’s Danny O’Neil said. Quebec and Toronto are also looking for a team.

Unless someone in Seattle can come up with $500 million and find a place for an NHL team to play, it is unlikely this expansion will benefit the Pacific Northwest.

The current Memorandum of Understanding says Seattle has to acquire an NBA team first.

“You would have to reopen that, which is much more difficult because we now have a socialist on the [Seattle City Council,]” O’Neil said.

And that’s too bad, because O’Neil said there would be plenty of support for a team.

“I think this can be a bonkers hockey market,” O’Neil told KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney. However, an NHL team in Seattle could not come second to an NBA team, he added.

In order for an NHL team to work &#8212 if there ever is one in the area &#8212 it needs to be the focus. It can’t be a “second-class citizen” to NBA, O’Neil said. It means Tukwila might be a better environment for a team.