LAS VEGAS (AP) NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman shares the sports world’s amazement at the Vegas Golden Knights‘ ability to reach the Stanley Cup Final in their first year of existence.But if the league adds another team in Seattle in the near future http://www.sabresshoponline.com/authentic-kyle-okposo-jersey , Bettman expects it to have every opportunity to accomplish the same feat under the same favorable expansion terms given to Vegas.The commissioner also acknowledged that the Emerald City could secure that expansion team within the year.The Golden Knights are hosting the Washington Capitals after winning the Western Conference in an inaugural season that ”quite simply astonished the sporting world,” Bettman said in his usual state-of-the-league remarks before the Final opened on Monday night.Sour grapes were understandable among the fans of other NHL teams after Vegas’ incredible ascent to the top of a league with 12 other teams that have never won the Stanley Cup and seven more that haven’t won it in the last 20 years.The Golden Knights cleverly built this winner with an undeniably generous expansion draft that allowed them to select the likes of franchise goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and many other proven NHL players. Yet Bettman said he has received ”no pushback whatsoever” about the favorable expansion draft from the league’s other 30 owners”I think people (around hockey) are excited,” Bettman said. ”I think it’s gotten their attention.”Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly both confirmed the NHL plans to keep the same rules on the next expansion draft. If it happens within the next two years, as increasingly expected, Vegas won’t have to lose any of its players, Daly added.The vote on adding a Seattle franchise won’t happen in June when the board of governors meets during the league’s annual awards show in Las Vegas, Bettman said. But the board will get an update on Seattle’s plans, and a formal vote could happen later this year, perhaps at meetings in September or December.”There is a lot of due diligence that has to be done, a lot of interaction with the prospective ownership group Rasmus Ristolainen Jersey ,” Bettman said of the group headed by billionaire investment banker David Bonderman. ”We think we’re on target, and depending on how everything goes, it wouldn’t surprise me that there is a possibility that in the fall, early winter at the latest, that this could be addressed by the board. But we’re not there yet, and there is still work to be done.”Seattle hopes to be ready to become the NHL’s 32nd franchise in 2020, pending a $600 million renovation of Key Arena. But after the energizing effect of the Golden Knights on this hockey season, the league’s appetite for expansion – and the likely $650 million fee that will be split among the league’s other owners – has been whetted.The NHL also has talked about adding a franchise in Houston, the largest metropolitan area in the U.S. or Canada without a team. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has showed interest in joining the league, but a bid likely is years away.”I don’t think at this point in time there’s interest in filing for an expansion franchise Womens Luke Kunin Jersey ,” Daly said. ”I think they’re relatively new NBA owners. They’re getting their feet under them in terms of operating that franchise, knowing that that means. At some point in time, we’ll have a discussion with them about whether there’s an NHL team to pursue.”—More Stanley Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/StanleyCupFinals COLUMBUS, Ohio — Injuries are a concern for the Colorado Avalanche and the Columbus Blue Jackets heading into their matchup on Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena.The Avalanche (2-0-0) could be without captain Gabe Landeskog, the Denver Post reported. He was not at Monday’s practice before the team left for Columbus.The Blue Jackets (1-1-0) announced the same day that center Brandon Dubinsky will miss four to six weeks after suffering a strained oblique on Sunday during practice. Columbus already is dealing with the absence of all-star defenseman Seth Jones for the same length of time after he sustained a knee injury during the preseason.Article continues below ...The Post reported that Landeskog was seen going into the x-ray room after the Avalanche’s 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night. The left winger has one goal and one assist in Colorado’s first two games.“He’s dealing with a little bit of a lower-body thing, so we gave him a maintenance day,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said, according to the Post. “Hopefully, he’s good to go.”Just in case Landeskog is unavailable, the Avalanche recalled forward Vladislav Kamenev from the Colorado Eagles.During Monday’s practice Marcus Foligno Jersey , Bednar moved former Blue Jacket Matt Calvert up to Landeskog’s line to join Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon.“We want to see him be energized and help drive our group,” Bednar said.Calvert returns to Columbus to play against the Blue Jackets for the first time since he left this past summer as a free agent.Philipp Grubauer will make his first start in goal for the Avalanche. “The guys played unbelievable the last two games (in wins over Minnesota and Philadelphia), and we’ll try to carry that over,” Grubauer said.Grubauer was the starting goaltender for the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals when they lost the first two games of a first-round playoff series with Columbus in April.“It’s a team that he’s familiar with,” Bednar said. “He played them over the last couple seasons out east and faced them in the playoffs a little bit. So, I think he’ll be excited to go.”The Avalanche also hope that defenseman Patrik Nemeth (upper body) will be able to return during their two-game road trip. He sat out Saturday’s game but practiced Monday and could be cleared for contact on Tuesday.The Blue Jackets opened the season with an overtime road win in Detroit on Thursday before losing their home opener to the Carolina Hurricanes the following night.Now they have to shuffle their lines without Dubinsky, who had a goal and an assist in the first two games while winning 68.8 percent of his faceoffs.“Dubi’s done a lot of work this summer, not only physically but mentally, and he’s dead-on his game,” coach John Tortorella said http://www.officialwild.com/authentic-adidas-matt-dumba-jersey , according to The Columbus Dispatch. “Now in practice he hurts himself. The guys you pull for are those types of guys. Easy to pull for. You want to see them follow through.”Tortorella told reporters that offseason acquisition Riley Nash will move up to center the third line that includes Josh Anderson and Boone Jenner. Lukas Sedlak will replace Nash on the fourth line.“We just have to figure out how we’re going to play, with or without him,” Tortorella said. “I don’t want to paint a bleak picture; I just want us to get off on the right start in building our identity as a team.”The Blue Jackets filled a roster spot when they activated defenseman Scott Harrington off injured reserve on Monday. Harrington missed the first two games with an upper body injured suffered in the preseason.Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski appears to have avoided a serious lower body injury after a hard fall during the loss to the Hurricanes.“I wasn’t happy with how I played Friday night,” Werenski said. “I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t really as strong defensively. So, I think having that injury and playing the way I did, it’s kind of good to get it out of the way early this season and hopefully not have too many more of those.”