Seattle to apply for a professional hockey team in KeyArena

Seattle is a step closer to getting a pro hockey team.

The National Hockey League has announced that they will consider a Seattle application for a professional hockey franchise.

This comes after Seattle's City Council and Mayor Jenny Durkan signed off this week on a $600 million deal with the Oak View Group to renovate KeyArena for entertainment, NHL and NBA use.

The announcement from the NHL doesn't mean this is a done deal. A recently formed ownership group must formally apply and prove that they can sell enough season tickets to sustain a team.

Durkan said she’s thrilled by this announcement.

“This is a good day for Seattle sports fans, our City, and our region's economy. The NHL’s announcement helps lay the foundation for a team in 2020 in Seattle’s redeveloped Key Arena.

"We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and I look forward to working with the community, the National Hockey League and Oak View Group to bring a hockey team to Seattle exactly 100 years since our team won the Stanley Cup,” Durkan said in a statement.

If the application is approved, the league has set a $650 million expansion fee, to be paid by the ownership group.

The NHL is not considering any other city in this expansion process. If it moves ahead, Seattle would get the league’s 32nd franchise.