Gary Bettman unveils the reason holding the NHL back from a return to Quebec City

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Tom Banks
October 16, 2024 (9:25)

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The fans in Quebec City have been begging the NHL for a return, and now Gary Bettman has revealed what needs to happen for that return to become possible.

With the NHL making its debut on Prime Video this week with a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens, many topics were broached with Commissioner Gary Bettman, who had a media session ahead of the historic game. While Bettman would go on to comment on the NHL's potential move towards streaming services, it was another topic that raised the most eyebrows in Quebec.

That would be the topic of a potential return for the NHL to Quebec City, almost 30 years after the departure of the Quebec Nordiques, who would go on to become the Colorado Avalanche. The city is clearly set up for a return of the NHL, with an arena that holds over 18,000 people regularly hosting pre-season games as well as the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts to the tune of over 9,700 fans on a consistent basis.

However, the Commissioner doesn't believe they're set up quite yet, singling out the lack of a figurehead for their expansion bid as the reason why:

«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.

One thing that could help a potential bid if the league is to open up talks is Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson, who has reportedly told Bettman that he would welcome an NHL return to Quebec City.

While the NHL's viewership overall is seemingly struggling, the league is drawing plenty of interest for potential expansion, and even though a return to Quebec City isn't likely in the near future, talks continue and one day that could turn into a historic new team in Canada.