A recent statement made by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during his press conference in Florida has sparked interest about a possible future expansion.
New Development About A Possible Future Expansion
"Gary Bettman says the NHL has generated interest for expansion: 'Places like Atlanta, like Houston, like Quebec. But we're not in expansion mode right now, and it's not really something, at least right now, that's close to our priority.'" - via Chris Johnston, TSN
Although Quebec was mentioned, there are indications that Atlanta and Houston are the preferred destinations for Bettman. He confirmed Atlanta's interest in bringing back a professional hockey team. This suggests that the National Hockey League may expand to eventually include 34 teams.