Kevin Allen

USA TODAY Sports

The NHL says it isn't in expansion mode, but if top players had their way, they would like to see franchises in Seattle and Quebec City.

USA TODAY Sports surveyed 28 higher-profile players during last week's NHL media tour in New York, and 20 listed Seattle as one of their top two expansion choices and 19 mentioned Quebec.

Seven players had Las Vegas listed among their top choices, and three liked the idea of placing a second team in the Toronto area. Oklahoma City and Madison, Wis., also received votes.

Expansion talk was in the news this summer with reports that Las Vegas, Seattle, Toronto and Quebec were in the mix for a new franchise, but the league denied that and said it merely is in a listening mode if cities want to talk.

Other results from the player survey:

-Twenty-two (73.3%) players said they understood the NHL's supplemental discipline rules and which actions would land them a suspension.

-Thirteen players (46.4%) said Detroit Red Wings' Mike Babcock was the NHL's best coach, and six (21.4%) voted for the Chicago Blackhawks' Joel Quenneville.

Dave Tippett (Arizona Coyotes), Darryl Sutter (Los Angeles Kings), Claude Julien (Boston Bruins), Alain Vigneault (New York Rangers) and Barry Trotz (Washington Capitals) also received votes.

Players were not allowed to vote for their own coach.

-The balloting for top defenseman was inconclusive at best.

The Nashville Predators' Shea Weber, Kings' Drew Doughty, Blackhawks' Duncan Keith, Ottawa Senators' Erik Karlsson, Bruins' Zdeno Chara and Minnesota Wild's Ryan Suter were the top vote-getters, but no one had a significant lead.

Keith is defending Norris Trophy champion and Karlsson and Chara are previous winners.