High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The National Hockey League (NHL) has undergone several rounds of expansion and other organizational changes during its nearly 100-year history to reach its current number of thirty teams: twenty-three in the United States, and seven in Canada. A number of potential owners have sought a franchise for other cities, but as of April 2010, the NHL has repeatedly asserted that it is not planning any expansion or franchise moves. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently stated "we`re not planning on relocating. We`re not planning on expanding. Anyone who wants a franchise really is out of luck for the foreseeable future. If at some point we`re in the business of relocating or expanding, we`re going to open it up because the number of people and the number of places that want franchises is a fairly lengthy list. " The league made an exception in the case of Winnipeg, Manitoba with Bettman repeatedly having stated a desire to return to the city; the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg for the 2011–12 NHL season.