Expansion : New Orleans is added to the mix

Dose
Crédit: Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Given how things have been going for several years now, it’s permissible to believe that the NHL won’t be returning to Quebec.

Not for a long time, anyway.

The league’s leaders simply don’t seem interested in a project like that, and it’s not a recent development.

The proof?

A year ago, during an interview at the All-Star Game, Gary Bettman mentioned a few cities that had shown interest in getting an NHL team.

He talked about Houston, Atlanta, Kansas City, Omaha (Nebraska), Cincinnati… And he never mentioned Quebec.

It’s ironic because in Quebec, we’ve often talked about wanting to see the NHL return to the city.

Anyway.

I’m talking about Quebec because we learned today that the NHL met with a group of investors ready to create a new team through expansion.

But no… You’ll understand that it’s not about the city of Quebec.

The plan would be to bring a team to New Orleans instead:

It works well for the Saints (NFL) in New Orleans.

That being said, it’s harder for the Pelicans in the NBA.

The team is 26th in average attendance per game (16,573) and knowing this, it’s normal to wonder if a sport like hockey can work there.

But in all of this, what’s easy to realize is that the NHL has met with another group interested in bringing a team somewhere else than Quebec.

Some things won’t change, it seems… And that’s what’s frustrating for hockey fans in Quebec.

Because we know that they’re passionate about it there.

In rafale

– Indeed.

– There you go.

– Logical.

– A big challenge awaits Felix.