If there was perhaps a small flame of hope as to a possible return of the Nordiques to Quebec, the big boss behind this operation himself took charge of extinguishing it Thursday morning.
Passing by the microphone of Paul Arcand on the airwaves of 98.5 FM in Montreal, Pierre Karl Péladeau, the CEO of Quebecor, has in essence made it clear that the great dream of a return of the Nordiques to Quebec is in short over.
“We mustn’t tell stories,” he replied. On the side of the management of the National League, there does not seem to be an overflowing enthusiasm. »
The question of the Nordiques was related to the immediate future of the TVA Sports network, whose current broadcasting contract with the NHL is due to expire at the end of the 2025-2026 season.
“Because we also wanted to […] integrate all that with the fact that we were going to have a professional hockey team in Quebec, which would create a solid base […] Unfortunately… I would like to consider this situation eventually [the return of the Nordiques], but we hit a wall. »
This sober observation from the boss of Quebecor comes barely three months after Gary Bettman had displayed a very detached air on this subject during the opening of the Stanley Cup Finals in Vegas, which opposed the Golden Knights to the Florida Panthers.
During his annual final address to various members of the media on the circuit, the NHL commissioner had not even mentioned the name of Quebec, nor had his assistant Bill Daly, seated next to him for the occasion.
Instead, the two men repeated many words of enthusiasm for the Arizona market, “an incredible market,” according to Gary Bettman, who added that the specter of relocations was no longer among the dangers looming over the circuit and its teams. “We are in a better position to resist possible moves than we were 20 or 30 years ago,” the commissioner said at the time.
In a similar vein, the ordinarily reserved Bill Daly had even put forward the name of businessman Ryan Smith, suggesting that he might wish to bring a hockey club to Utah in the distant future. The two leaders had also taken advantage of the moment to repeat that the league is not thinking of an expansion of the executives either.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche, the club born from the ashes of the Nordiques, is preparing to begin its 28th season in the NHL.
Remember that the Nordiques had to leave Quebec in May 1995, after 16 seasons in the National League.