Attached is a link to an article discussing the NHL’s unofficial take on league expansion. The two front-running cities in these talks apparently are Houston and Atlanta. As the article correctly points out, the league already has attempted twice to expand into Atlanta, both ending in re-locations out of the city.
If the league continues to desire expansion into non-traditional markets, my personal opinion is that Houston is the obvious choice of these two cities. Hockey has become quite popular in Texas, and cities in that state have shown a willingness to embrace and support its sports teams. The same cannot be said of Atlanta, the best evidence for which is shown by the NHL’s failed prior attempts to expand into that market.
https://www.bladeofsteel.com/nhl/news/nhl-expansion-jeff-marek-points-to-two-clear-frontrunners