Return of the Quebec Nordiques: Pierre-Karl Péladeau made a statement that speaks volumes

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Elias Edmonson
September 3, 2023 (12:02)

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Due to the immensely complicated situation in Arizona, many fans have expressed their desire to see the Coyotes move to Quebec in the near future. After all, it's simply incomprehensible that the NHL insists on keeping the organization when the team will play a second consecutive season in a venue with only 5,000 fans.

Meanwhile, in Quebec, the Videotron Centre can host over 18,000 fans and is located in a market where hockey is practically a second religion. Just imagine the rivalry that would arise between the Canadiens and the Nordiques; it would be simply insane, and the league would benefit.

However, despite the sustained efforts of various business groups, Gary Bettman categorically refuses to bring a second team to La Belle Province (The Beautiful Province, referring to Quebec).

In this regard, during his appearance on the airwaves of 98.5, the president of Quebecor, Pierre Karl Péladeau, made a significant statement concerning a potential return of the Nordiques. He pointed out that, in his opinion, it's evident that the NHL's leadership is not enthusiastic about the idea of placing a team in Quebec.

"Let's not kid ourselves. On the NHL's side, there doesn't seem to be overflowing enthusiasm." - Pierre Karl Péladeau

Moreover, he went on to mention that the future of hockey on TVA Sports is possibly at risk, given that they might not renew their broadcasting rights after their current agreement ends in 2025-2026. Considering the network incurs massive losses and no NHL team is settling in Quebec, it will be interesting to see if Quebecor will be willing to shell out a huge sum to acquire the NHL broadcasting rights.

"Did TVA Sports pay too much for the (broadcasting) rights of the NHL? Probably. Was it the price to pay? But it's easy to say in hindsight. Because we also wanted to integrate all this with the fact that we were going to have a professional hockey team in Quebec, which would create a solid foundation. Unfortunately, I would like to consider this situation (the return of the Nordiques), but we hit a wall." - Pierre Karl Péladeau

One thing's for sure, based on the words of Pierre Karl Péladeau, the chances of seeing an NHL team arrive in Quebec seem increasingly slim.

Credit: GoNordiques