NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he's not concerned about the status of Seattle's new arena, despite an adjustment to the construction schedule.
Seattle's first NHL team will start playing in 2021, accommodating when the new arena will open.
"The decision we made to not start a year early to seems to have been the right decision," Bettman said. "I'm not worried about the start of our season, when they start playing, whether or not they'll be ready for a draft we'll have to see."
The NHL Seattle Group, or Seattle Hockey Partners as they've come to be known, are in Vancouver for the league's annual draft.
NHL Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke, and owner Jerry Bruckheimer, both made their first appearance before the international media.
Despite the buildup, the pair didn't disclose any major details about the team name or colors.
However, they acknowledged they'll be having conversations with people in Vancouver related to their General Manager search.
"We're deliberate about it, but not with a sense of urgency," Leiweke said.
He said his group is not looking to get in front of the commissioner, but it is clearly interested in hosting this event in a couple of years. He said they were looking at "how we're going to put this together, so in two years we're brilliantly positioned to host this event for sure participate in this event."
The duo also did not reveal much more about team colors, or a franchise name.
"You've got to find the right image, the right messaging, and it's got to be something you can get the trademark to. I get to approve it in the final analysis," Bettman said. "I know they were making a very concerted effort to do something that'll be great for the team and reflect the community."
Bettman also didn't shy away from getting Seattle fans dreaming about the future.
"While we're here in Vancouver, it's great to be thinking about the geographic rivalry we're going to have in the Pacific Northwest."