Around 7:30 p.m. ET, former NHL goalie turned hockey analyst Kevin Weekes tweeted a photo of downtown Atlanta with the caption “eyes and a clock.”
Considering how Weekes shared the Atlanta skyline photo late into the evening, it’s already collected over 150,000 views and over 550 likes.
However, anyone following @NHLtoAtlanta‘s social media account would know what Weekes is alluding to: a Thursday night Board of Commissioners meeting in Forsyth County to lay out plans for a new arena.
BREAKING: At a Board of Commissioners meeting tonight, The Gathering development received rezoning approval and adopted a finalized MOU. This approval all but guarantees the construction of a mixed-use arena at the southernmost end of Forsyth County.
In the coming months, the… pic.twitter.com/J4bP12FDV9
— NHL to Atlanta (@NHLtoAtlanta) January 10, 2025
Despite the positivity behind the tweets, the reaction to possible expansion to Atlanta for the third time has been met with negative comments.
As many people remember, Atlanta is the original home of the Calgary Flames, who skated in the Georgia capital from 1972 to 1980. Eventually, the NHL returned to the city with the Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2011 before relocating to Winnipeg.
Weekes’ tweet and Forsyth County’s meeting come at an interesting time. Maricopa County recently announced this week that it is forming a committee to bring the Arizona Coyotes back to the desert.
BREAKING: Newly elected Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chair Tom Galvin announces the formation of a committee of political & business leaders to bring the NHL back to Arizona.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that he met with Galvin before Christmas via Zoom.— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) January 6, 2025
Meanwhile, expansion talk has ramped up again. The Hockey News just released its annual Top 100 People of Power & Influence in Hockey rankings, which examine the sport’s influential people and discuss the game’s business side.
If Weekes is onto something with his tweet about Atlanta, a potential home for expansion, it would be a counter-move to the Coyotes returning to the league.
As of 2025, only the NFL and NHL have expanded to 32 teams, while the NBA and MLB remain at 30 teams apiece. To keep the competition balanced, expansion should happen in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
