Gary Bettman reveals the factor holding the NHL back from returning to Quebec City

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Tom Banks
October 15, 2024 (10:56 PM)

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NHL fans in Quebec City have been clamoring for a team for the last three decades, and now Gary Bettman has once again addressed a potential return.

The National Hockey League season is well underway, and with the excitement around the Utah Hockey Club, it's no surprise that the conversation around NHL expansion continues. That was ramped up on Monday as the NHL debuted on Prime Video with the Penguins traveling to Montreal, and unsurprisingly, it led to many journalists questioning Bettman about one popular topic.

That topic is the return of the NHL to Quebec City, as the team is now going on three decades since the Quebec Nordiques were relocated to Colorado to become the Avalanche, with people still begging for their return. Unsurprisingly, Bettman wouldn't commit to anything, with expansion not on the horizon for the NHL, but he did reveal what was ultimately holding the NHL back from the move.

«That depends on a lot of factors that we don't control, including someone, or an entity, that is engaged enough and committed enough financially to want to even be considered - and it hasn't happened yet,» he noted.

During the interview, Bettman did note something very intriguing however, and that was that Geoff Molson, the owner of the Montreal Canadiens has privately told him he will support a return of the NHL to Quebec City, as it could create another potentially huge Canadian rivalry.

However, the big thing holding the league back thus far is a lack of an entity that will back the project and show the passion and support necessary to get the NHL interested, as that simply hasn't happened thus far. In terms of infrastructure and support, Quebec City is ready for another team, with an 18,259-seat arena that often draws over 9,700 fans to see the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts, so the passion remains, and now if the team can get the backing they need, we could one day see the NHL back in Quebec City.