So they had no local team.
Who the heck should they be cheering for?

Go back in time to 1993, live there for a few years and see if they were a "Canadiens city". I'm thinking... not so much.
- Nasty_Duck

That's not the point. The point is the NHL is a business and they want to make money. They're already getting money from the people and businesses of Quebec. No one is going to keep spending money on the Canadiens and then spend even more to support the Nordiques.

Winnipeg loses money, and Calgary and Ottawa are barely keeping their heads above water. There's not much reason to think Quebec would do any better and they'd be cutting into the Canadiens' revenue.

There's also no one who wants to own a team in Quebec City right now.

I don't see them taking hockey out of the Canadian capital under current circumstances, maybe 4-5 years down the line if things get progressively worse, but the Sens are on the mend. Florida selling off assets raises a flag, and Arizona has been a roller coaster since inception. The population numbers are there, but the interest doesn't seem to be. FLA to QC, AZ to Houston makes the most sense and won't require significant division realignment - plug Colorado into the Pacific, Houston goes central. Not easy moves to make though - I can't see it happening in the 22/23 window unless somebody goes belly up.

Do people in Houston even like hockey? Quebec had to leave because the NHL didn’t bother to help out the Canadian markets when our dollar was so far behind the US dollar. That’s what killed off the jets, nordiques, and almost the flames and Oilers. That’s a big reason why Bettman is so disliked in Canada, he saves Phoenix, Florida, Pittsburgh (in the early 2000’s) but no help north of the border. Quebec deserves their team back before any American city does.
- Hatt

Oh Lord, not this again.

Bettman was the one who set up the Canadian currency assistance program. It saved Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, and maybe even Vancouver.

This is what Harley Hotchkiss said to Bruce Dowbiggin in an interview in 2005:

"Quite frankly, he saved our franchise and likely Edmonton and Ottawa with (his support of) the Canadian currency assistance program. . . . That act alone is often overlooked, but it saved our franchise. . . . He saved other franchises with his own high energy and determination and grasp of what needs to be done."

Bettman established a revenue-sharing model for the Canadian franchises when the dollar was so low - US franchises subsidized the Canadian ones.

i think the only teams in the league who currently have issues that wouldn't be solved by new/improved ownership is Florida and Arizona.....the fact is that they play in cities where people flat out don't give a poop. they seem like the only logical teams to consider for relocation.
- sensarmy_11

Ottawa?

Biggest hurdle is getting an arena downtown, but one might argue that it would be easier without Eugene.

Buffalo.

Peace Bridge crossing is supposed to go up to $20 per trip when the border re-opens. They have already lost a good % of their CDN season ticket holders due to the annual price increases, weak CDN dollar and just having a terrible product overall. The Sabres aren’t viable without Canadian fan support.

The Pegulas are in over their heads, and will wisely choose the piggybank that is the NFL over the NHL money pit. There aren’t any more local deep-pocketed saviours to keep the Sabres in town, so they will likely have to find a new home.

They’re building a new arena moron. Mix in a clue
- BringNYIhome

an ihop and a loonie store strip mall does not an arena make.


gary needs to lay the hammer down on your mickey mouse franchise!

your team is the homeless squeegee dude at the intersection...too embarrassing.

disagree. Population growth, popularity of the sport, increase in global scouting, training and development. All have increased greatly over time. Plenty of talent to go around.
- mgriffen

canucks should move too...to the garbage dump!

50 years and counting...

I have emotionally prepared myself of seeing the Panthers go. I fell in love with the late 90s panthers with their run in the play offs and the shower of rats. They have such a great organization to play in and they do a lot of things for their players and visiting players. However, I have heard and seen the struggle the marketing team has had throughout the years. Its a hard sell in Sunrise and surrounding area with an unfortunately losing team.

Do people in Houston even like hockey? Quebec had to leave because the NHL didn’t bother to help out the Canadian markets when our dollar was so far behind the US dollar. That’s what killed off the jets, nordiques, and almost the flames and Oilers. That’s a big reason why Bettman is so disliked in Canada, he saves Phoenix, Florida, Pittsburgh (in the early 2000’s) but no help north of the border. Quebec deserves their team back before any American city does.
- Hatt

That's flat out untrue. The league saved the Oilers and Flames at minimum.

That's flat out untrue. The league saved the Oilers and Flames at minimum.
- BINGO!

Yeah by selling the cities of Edmonton and Calgary to the United States. Learn about the Louisiana Purchase dumbass

Yeah by selling the cities of Edmonton and Calgary to the United States. Learn about the Louisiana Purchase dumbass
- eichiefs9

- Atomic Wedgie

The (frank) is this? We don't even get Nevada?

Pass.

I don't see them taking hockey out of the Canadian capital under current circumstances, maybe 4-5 years down the line if things get progressively worse, but the Sens are on the mend. Florida selling off assets raises a flag, and Arizona has been a roller coaster since inception. The population numbers are there, but the interest doesn't seem to be. FLA to QC, AZ to Houston makes the most sense and won't require significant division realignment - plug Colorado into the Pacific, Houston goes central. Not easy moves to make though - I can't see it happening in the 22/23 window unless somebody goes belly up.
- Bartacus

Panthers are selling off assets?

canucks should move too...to the garbage dump!

50 years and counting...
- bruceflyers

45 years and counting

Can a team in Canada win a Stanley Cup before we start talking about how great it would be to have another Cant Compete In Canada team in Quebec?...move the Canadiens there perfect fit!!!

That's flat out untrue. The league saved the Oilers and Flames at minimum.
- BINGO!

No it’s true, I realize that the NHL did finally help out and save the flames and oilers but only after both almost had to relocate as well. It was also after the jets and nordiques had already had to relocate for the same issue. Point is it was never about lack of fan support in either market for relocating, it was the Canadian dollar. So why put a team in Houston where hockey probably won’t work over a market that would be profitable. The way the league supports Florida and Arizona makes sense no longer. Both markets have been there long enough to determine they don’t have enough fan support and should be relocated to markets that have fan support.

Oh Lord, not this again.

Bettman was the one who set up the Canadian currency assistance program. It saved Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, and maybe even Vancouver.

This is what Harley Hotchkiss said to Bruce Dowbiggin in an interview in 2005:

"Quite frankly, he saved our franchise and likely Edmonton and Ottawa with (his support of) the Canadian currency assistance program. . . . That act alone is often overlooked, but it saved our franchise. . . . He saved other franchises with his own high energy and determination and grasp of what needs to be done."

Bettman established a revenue-sharing model for the Canadian franchises when the dollar was so low - US franchises subsidized the Canadian ones.
- Atomic Wedgie

Well the way I remember it is Bettman did help save the sens, flames and oilers, your correct but only after the jets and nordiques had already had to relocate and the other 3 threatening to. Quebec was a good market, supported by the fans and deserves their team back before any, let’s hope it works there, American market.

What do you mean by that? Its one of the best cities in the US to live in. It has a lot of young people, much more white than most metropolises. The Blazers do very well. The state is under-served by professional franchises.

I could see it happen.
- PT21

SoCal obviously knows 0 about the long history of hockey in Portland. Just an ignoramus with a keyboard.

an ihop and a loonie store strip mall does not an arena make.


gary needs to lay the hammer down on your mickey mouse franchise!

your team is the homeless squeegee dude at the intersection...too embarrassing.
- bruceflyers

Speaking of embarrassing Caitlyn.

That's not the point. The point is the NHL is a business and they want to make money. They're already getting money from the people and businesses of Quebec. No one is going to keep spending money on the Canadiens and then spend even more to support the Nordiques.

Winnipeg loses money, and Calgary and Ottawa are barely keeping their heads above water. There's not much reason to think Quebec would do any better and they'd be cutting into the Canadiens' revenue.

There's also no one who wants to own a team in Quebec City right now.
- Hunkulese

Quebec as a province is hockey-mad. A team their capital would make a LOT more money than the Panthers do. Florida, even with it's much greater population can't properly support two NHL teams. Just not enough people there who actually care. Look at Coyotes - Phoenix has > pop than Houston and can't support hockey.

As for Nordiques and business... you don't think NHL will sell a crap-load of sweaters when a new team arrives? Then add ticket sales which contribute in a huge way to NHL income. Not getting any sales from fans in QC right now. Also consider they already have a sate-of-the-art arena - Videotron Centre.

It's obviously Arizona.

Quebec is a market like Winnipeg, they'll never get an expansion franchise but are the perfect "Emergency" city to be able to take a team overnight.

QC population: 550k + surrounding area

Houston population: 2.3 million + surrounding areas

Which do we choose for a team first? Oh yea, the city the league already left.
- gocanes0506

Yeah but they want those Houston expansion fees...

Don't see how Quebec can afford it...but it makes the stupid issue the French press brings up about the HAbs not selecting French players....they can have most of them.

The respective populations of QC and of Houston are not what matters to the NHL. It’s the number of serious hockey fans within those markets that matter. Suddenly the playing field tilts toward Quebec City.

(And, FWIW, I am not clamoring for QC to get the Nords back. And, I know that Texas supports hockey better than what many think. But c’mon, what an abuse of stats to support an argument.)

Was EK accidentally texting himself...?