The NHL insists expansion is not imminent.

"Nothing has happened to change the status quo," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

"There continues to be interest from some markets and we continue to be interested in discussing the possibilities but there is no plan moving forward in terms of expansion."

The NHL has not expanded since the 2000-01 season when the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets became the 29th and 30th franchises in the league. After last year's realignment, the Eastern Conference has 16 teams and there are 14 in the Western Conference.

Seattle, Toronto, Quebec City, Las Vegas and Kansas City have been mentioned as markets that might land a new team in the league.

"If we get to a point where there's enough interest in enough places that it warrants consideration, then the Board of Governors may well invoke a formal expansion process and we'll look at everything," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said. "I don't think this is something you do on a piecemeal basis."

A person with knowledge of the league's plans, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said reports of a possible four-team NHL expansion were news to him and "I don't believe it".

(China Daily 08/29/2014 page23)