ANAHEIM — Gary Bettman is coming to Calgary on Monday for a site visit of Scotia Place.

Could an announcement that Calgary will host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey soon follow?

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet he will join the commissioner for a sit-down with ownership, a tour of the arena’s construction site and an update on the building’s progress.  

The timing is fascinating, given the fact Calgary is on the short list to host the next incarnation of best-on-best hockey, which fans are already anticipating given the triumphant return to the Olympics by NHLers.

The NHL and NHLPA have whittled the list of 25 applicants down to just a few North American candidates to host four nations in round-robin play, followed by a playdown that would also be hosted on this side of the pond.

A European city will host the other four teams before they make the trans-Atlantic flight to start playing elimination games.

Daly revealed on Sunday the venue announcements are two weeks away.

He said there would be no need to announce the participants at that time, as there is still plenty of time to see how the situation in Ukraine unfolds before determining whether Russia and Belarus could be reinstated, or if Slovakia could be the eighth team.

The other seven will be Canada, U.S., Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Switzerland and Germany.       

Slated to open in the fall of 2027, the $1.2 billion event centre would be the perfect place to showcase a battle for international hockey supremacy slated for February 2028.   

Imagine Matthew Tkachuk returning to Calgary wearing Team USA colours, alongside his brother, as Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Co. try to avenge the overtime loss in last month’s Olympic gold-medal game.

Dare to dream Calgary, as plenty of sources suggest the world-class pitch tabled by the Flames and city partners is going to be hard to beat.

The plan goes well beyond hosting games, as Calgary is promising a festival‑style atmosphere built around concerts, fan events, and community celebrations. 

Think of the energy that swept through the city during the Olympics, then add the modern production value of a league‑run event.

Imagine the economic impact, the global attention, the chance to christen Scotia Place with the biggest hockey event the city has seen since the Flames’ run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final.

This is the kind of moment that defines a new arena’s legacy before the paint is even dry.

In a city that came within a plebiscite of hosting the Olympic games we just watched, the legacy of volunteerism, support and spirit is all part of the appeal that would make it an event guaranteed to make the league proud.

In terms of pedigree, the city has proven conclusively how well it welcomes the world, with millions attending the Stampede every year.  

Bettman has a long history of rewarding cities that get new venues built by awarding them flagship events like the draft or an all-star game.

Murray Edwards’ influence in league circles doesn’t hurt either, but what’s really pushing Calgary forward is the sheer scale of what’s being proposed: not just a tournament, but a two‑week celebration of the sport, wrapped around the debut of what will be the world’s newest, most modern hockey arena.

There’s also a geopolitical wrinkle working in Calgary’s favour. With Donald Trump’s threats to move FIFA World Cup games out of cities with Democratic leadership, creating uncertainty around major events in the U.S., surely American bids for the World Cup of Hockey suddenly look less stable.

Boston already hosted the playoffs and final of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Calgary, by contrast, offers stability, enthusiasm, and a proven volunteer base that made the 1988 Olympics one of the most memorable of all five-ring parties. The Saddledome last hosted a major league event in 2000, when the NHL Draft came to town. 

A new arena changes everything.

 The league knows it. The city knows it. Bettman knows it.

Calgary’s bid checks every box: a new arena, a global‑event pedigree, a hockey‑mad market, and a plan that elevates the tournament beyond the ice.

If the league wants a showcase, Calgary is ready to deliver one.

Now we wait to see if Bettman and the NHLPA agree.