NHL Set to Return to Quebec City?
According to CBC Sports, Quebec City mayor Régis Labeaume has met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in regards to the possibility of bringing an NHL franchise to the provincial capital. Marcel Aubut, the former owner of the Quebec Nordiques, was also at the meeting.
Hockey fans know that Quebec lost its Nordiques after an aging arena and a poor Canadian dollar forced a sale that wound up moving the team to Denver.
Bettman has been on record, as recently as earlier this week, as saying that he could consider the possibility of an NHL franchise in Quebec City again were there to be a reliable building in place. According to some reports in Quebec news media, we could be hearing news about a new building in Quebec City as soon as the end of next week.
So are the wheels in motion for a team to return to Quebec City?
Well, there’s no question that there’s a fanbase for a pro franchise in the city. Their CHL team draws an average of 11, 721 fans a game, making it one of the most successful franchises in the league. It should be noted, too, that Quebec’s Remparts play in a relatively out-of-date arena that is smaller than other CHL arenas.
And if Bettman is talking about it realistically, that means that there’s certainly a possibility. Some might consider this to be a sort of slap in the face to Hamilton fans considering this summer’s mess with Balsillie and the Coyotes, of course, and there is the possibility that Bettman may have been eyeing Quebec all along.
Obviously the Coyotes would have to be the top contenders to head into a new arena in Quebec City. With the NHL’s ownership lease on the team only set for one year, it’s a possibility that Quebec City could be looking at NHL hockey again in the next season of play. But it’s also possible that any other combination of potential scenarios could unfold in the coming weeks.
Labeaume, after meeting with the Boss in New York, said that the talks were “very profitable, very worthwhile.” If that means anything at all, I’d say the possibilities of seeing a Quebec rivalry again are well worth examining.
Posted by Jordan Richardson.
Tags: Gary Bettman, NHL, nhl franchise, phoenix coyotes, quebec city
October 12th, 2009 at 4:27 am
Maybe Bettman being the dork he is will give a team to Quebec
then he will reward Hamilton a team with a different owner
I remember him saying earlier this year, He would give Winnipeg a chance
anyway to prevent Jim B. from getting a team he will do it
Maybe some how that will be the start to his long waited demise.
I have to say I love how Bettman gives cities that never worked before
in terms of success with the NHL, another chance
He is as fickle as a Teenager trying to figure what cell phone they like best
October 12th, 2009 at 11:10 am
bettman and the nhl owners are complete asses, reject a sound offer with solid financial backing in a very viable hamilton market, and then talk about moving the coyotes to quebec city….just because a chl team in quebec draws 11000 fans a game at a top ticket price of $12, does anyone really believe that translates into success at the gate for an nhl team…my god $27 plus service charge (if you can actually get one) is the starting point to see the winless Laughs…$12 might get you parked, certainly won’t get you and your kid a hot dog and a coke…people are paying over $200 each for platinums to watch their heros go out and give a half ass effort…the same heros who rip off cabbies for a couple of bucks and get no punishment.