Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - NHL Expansion: Bettman’s Warning To Houston & Austin?? TSN's Darren Dreger Reacts | BB Clips

Episode Date: September 26, 2026

Is NHL expansion to Houston or Austin further away than fans expected? TSN’s Darren Dreger joins Barn Burner to break down Gary Bettman’s comments and why he believes the league is sending a message to the prospective Texas ownership group: get moving. The guys discuss the uncertainty around a December approval, why building a new NHL arena could put a 2030 debut in doubt, and the roughly $3.5 billion investment tied to adding another franchise. Plus, would more teams water down the NHL, or is there enough talent to support expansion? Would you rather see the next NHL team in Houston or Austin? Video Link: https://youtu.be/DMatLVlP8ig#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #austintexas #houstontexas CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️ BARN BURNER MERCH https://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/Flamesnation BARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8 📲 Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en 🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIi Producer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I thought they'd push, I thought they'd push the peanut a little bit more towards expansion. And they didn't. In fact, they kind of pushed the brake bet a little bit. Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. It seemed like, it seemed like, like did somebody get there? You know what? Slapped a little bit for getting to, because Betman hates that. You get the cart in front of the horse and you start assuming and taking things for granted.

You know, Atlanta, is it Houston? Is it Austin? Did, did something happen there to maybe anger Mr. Betman or is it nothing to see so much? No, I think it's probably more to the fact that, okay, we know that Houston and Austin and Texas is exploring interest. And there isn't really an expansion process yet because they haven't got to that stage. But I think that was the message that was delivered through the comments on Tuesday. If we're going to get to that stage, Texas, you need to kick it into gear. We need to, we need to get going so that we're having this

conversation because, you know, I think Chris Johnson referred to some quotes in his conversation with Deputy Commissioner Bill Daley a month ago. And those quotes sound really optimistic that the expansion process was moving forward. And, you know, the idea of this happening and getting approval in December wasn't too far-fetched. And this team launching as early as 2030, again, possible. We didn't get that sort of sentiment on Tuesday. And if you talked to people who are in the business of building, all world NHL buildings, not happening by 2030. Sure. Even when you're throwing out $3.5 billion in expansion fees and building fees, building

the building. So I think there was a bit of a shot over the bow from those comments. Any, but go ahead. I believe, and I don't know. When expansion started, when I got drafted, there was 26 teams. we've jumped up and everyone's like, it's going to be too watered out of the, there's plenty of talent.

Right? Well, not everybody believes that, Rhett, but I think there would be. I mean, and, you know, you're in the know, with grassroots hockey, you know, things have, there's plenty. I'm with you. I mean, you know, everybody thought

that the Canadian hockey league was going to go sideways with all of a sudden these players being able to now jump to the NCAA. And I don't, I don't think that's the case. I saw a graphic that would interest you guys the other day. And it was interesting to me. So I think that there is over now 300 American players set to play in the Canadian Hockey League.

And the majority, not majority, but of the three leagues, the Q, the Western League and the Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League has the most Americans coming in this year. And it was total. It was collectively just over 100 U.S. players two years ago, and now it's over 300. There's tons of talent. My kids had medicine had right. My kids have medicine had right now, and I think they've got eight.

If not more. Yeah, and good players. These kids are good players. So I'm kind of with you. I'm not, I don't love at it being a talent. I wish they did that USHL and the CHL would combine and they would just make one big massively. Go ahead.

Who cares. Yeah. Well, in some ways, that's kind of happening already, right? Like, you've got, you've got USHL teams that will ultimately become Ontario Hockey League teams. Yeah. You know, that's, that's in the works now. But, I mean, that's a completely different story. But I'm, I'm with you in that I don't think that there's, I don't think that this is a cash grab by owners who are just greedy and want that expansion fee money.

I mean, you're business owner. Why wouldn't you take advantage of growth like that? if again the talent can sustain it and i i'm on your side i think you can we'll have this conversation in the offseason but expansion great how much more because of what i just said earlier what else you want to watch yeah more Netflix yeah what's going to be attractive to people it's yeah people get pissy because they don't like you know i think it was rogers came out and okay we've got Monday night but you know for certain people whatever if you don't have the package and all of that it's going to cost you an extra 13 bucks I mean we can groan and moan

all about it it doesn't all I know is I get sucked in to series after series on the various screaming sites that are available and I look down on my bill every month I'm like I what like what am I doing here you know but I still want to all it all it's all it's takes is a 30 second clip on social media, regardless of what you're interested in. You're like, I'm going to pay for that. You do the old thumb print. You just purchased with the thumb print. Yeah.

And again, we will move on. You don't need to call your cable company and sit on hold. Like, hey, can you hook? Okay, we'll send a guy over to Jimmy with the cables in your. Yeah. Boop. Nice. There is.

Hey, look, at the old cabbage in Western Canada, I said I would never put a nickel in Elon Musk pocket. Not a nickel. Guess who? How's it work? Starling package this year. How's it work? Fantastic.

I hate to say it. It annoys me to tell you this. Yeah. Anyway. But I mean, look, we're just creatures of habit. And when stuff doesn't work, you need it to work, right? You just need it to work. So you find something that does.