UPDATE: Return of the Quebec Nordiques? "Possible", say RDS, Corus Sports, other sources

In all the talk about returning NHL franchises to Canada, there is serious movement afoot to revive the Nordiques in Quebec.

Some time ago I posted some news about this, based on an interview by respected Montreal sports analyst Yvon Pedneault (Corus Sports, Hockey Night In Canada) conducted with a former member of the Nordiques organization. The suggestion was that the Nordiques are coming back, and as the interviewee said, "Sooner than you think."

Today, RDS reports that movement is gaining in strength in its article "Quebec Met Des Sieges En Vente" (Quebec starts selling seats).

http://www.rds.ca/hockey/chroniques/275521.html

Led by local businessman Mario Bedard and a Quebec-based group of investors, the push in on to sell advance seats and corporate suites to raise money to bring Le Colisee up to NHL standards. They have reportedly already sold 1500 seats priced from $1500 to $3000, and 63 of the available 70 suites.

The recent declarations of KHL chairman and Gazprom executive Aleksandr Medvedev that, in effect, Quebec City "should" have a team, in addition to Medvedev suggestions he is ready to but an NHL franchise, makes this situation all the more intriguing.

The Goverment of Quebec has already offered money to assist investors who want to buy Le Canadien, so Les Nordiques will most certainly shoot to the top of their agenda.

Would they facilitate a joint venture with Gazprom, the KHL and the Russian Government? Not out of the question.

From a marketing perspective, a revival of the Nordiques-Canadiens rivalry means big TV ratings--and potentially big dollars--in a hockey-mad environment.

There are reasons for the NHL to welcome this development. The Bedard Group has already had exploratory discussions with former Nordiques like Michel Goulet who is now part of the Colorado Avalanche executive team, so this group is clearly ready to play 'by the rules'.

If the league were to get behind the initiative, they could not only confound their critics accusing them of being 'anti-Canada', but might also have a way to thwart the threat of an anti-trust lawsuit by Jim Balsillie.

With a number of franchises potentially available--the Atlanta Thrashers being just one of those spoken of as being moveable--the return of Les Nordiques may be more than just a dream.

Your thoughts? Can it happen? Would you like to see it happen?

Make it so. Winnipeg, Quebec City, Hamilton and hell, Halifax... make it all happen.

NOW!

I'd love to see it happen if it's a sustainable model. I don't know if we'll see teams move from the States to Canada. I really hope I'm wrong but I have the distinct impression that the only chance Canada has of getting a franchise is through expansion. This could be achieved as long as Atlanta, Phoenix and Florida move to Kansas, Las Vegas and ??. Once that has transpired then they can think about bids for expansion in Winnipeg, Quebec, Southern Ontario with two of them winning a team.

I voted the NHL needs this team and the rivalry was great. Thanks DTR for allowing multiple choice on this one.

the Diques were my fave team until they were moved.....

This would be AWESOME, loved the Candiens/Diques, Diques/Bruins Playoff Series... epic contests...

yes the NHL does need the Diques, the greatest reason being those Battle of Quebec playoff rivalries, but another part of it being the more Canadian cities, the better, starting first with Winnipeg and Quebec.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Obviously, I chose option number 2.

I just feel sorry for the poor bastards in Canadian cities that were led to believe they had a shot at teams as part of Bettmans little game with Balisillie. No amount of money, fan support and/or corporate support will bring additional teams to Canada.

If Bettman were a member of this forum, he would have checked No--let dead franchises stay dead, unless we're talking about Minnesota, Kansas City, Denver and Atlanta, of course.

ah Screw Bettman and this horse -> :p: he rode in on, hope it turds on his head.

I liked their logo...



Sweet.

wprager wrote:Where'd you get that Tuk?

Also, your current avatar (Willie) -- is there really a mustache there, somewhere?

It was going to be their new jersey the year they left.

yes, there's a stach somewhere.

wprager wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:

wprager wrote:Where'd you get that Tuk?

Also, your current avatar (Willie) -- is there really a mustache there, somewhere?

It was going to be their new jersey the year they left.

yes, there's a stach somewhere.

Our you could change your userid to The Guy with The Mustache Or Some Stubble.

Too long :^^^^:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:

wprager wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:

wprager wrote:Where'd you get that Tuk?

Also, your current avatar (Willie) -- is there really a mustache there, somewhere?

It was going to be their new jersey the year they left.

yes, there's a stach somewhere.

Our you could change your userid to The Guy with The Mustache Or Some Stubble.

Too long :^^^^:

are we talking about Sid's the Whiner's playoff growth again? oh wait, nevermind

I think its ludacrus that that team was lost. Hockey was invented in Quebec, and the capital can't keep a team. I find it hard to beleive that NHL hockey would not be popular there. I know the canadian dollar was brutal at the time ....

HowieMorenz wrote:I think its ludacrus that that team was lost. Hockey was invented in Quebec, and the capital can't keep a team. I find it hard to beleive that NHL hockey would not be popular there. I know the canadian dollar was brutal at the time ....

It was another case of rising salaries, poor Canadian dollar, a small market (Quebec was the smallest market in the entire NHL at the time) and their mono-linguistic French-only tendencies all contributed to poor marketability. The Govt turned down a bailout offer and there were no other investors, Aubut had to sell to the Colorado investment group... and the rest is history.

Are we about to see history being made?

If the Nordiques do in fact return to Quebec, one of the NHL's oldest franchise cities...the Quebec Bulldogs, originally known as the Quebec Hockey Club and Quebec Athletic Club, so back to 1889 when they played in one of the precursors to the NHL, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada.

The Bulldogs became a professional team in 1908, joining the National Hockey Association which became the NHL, playing until 1920 when the team was moved to Hamilton and became the Tigers.

If Quebec were to regain a franchise before Hamilton, no doubt a certain irony would be noted.

It would be awesome, and the rivalries that would be rebuilt would be huge for ratings. There may be some reworking required with the divisions - maybe go to four instead of six? But that would be a minor thing to negotiate.

The only thing that I'd see as a potential issue is whether Medvedev (sp?) is up to something vis a vis his connection with the KHL - does he intend on using the team as a conduit for players or money back and forth?

RDS reports that Mario Bedard, one of the principals behind the effort to revive Les Nordiques, is to meet with Pierre Karl Peladeau and Quebecor, who had previously tried to buy Le Club de Hockey Canadien.

From RDS.ca this morning:

Quebecor rencontrera Bédard en août
2/8/2009

Dans le dossier du possible retour de la Ligue nationale à Québec, Mario Bédard a indiqué au Soleil qu'une rencontre entre Quebecor et lui est prévu pour la fin du mois d'août.

Jusqu'ici Bédard et le groupe de Pierre-Karl Péladeau ne se sont jamais parlé.

Cette rencontre visera donc à mesurer le sérieux de cette entreprise dans le dossier.

Avec Remstar et Quebecor dans son camp, Bédard estime que c'est maintenant à la population de se faire entendre et de prouver qu'elle souhaite réellement le retour de la LNH.


http://www.rds.ca/hockey/chroniques/279639.html

This follows a report confirming the Remillard brothers (successful broadcast producers and the sons of Quebec business magnate Lucien Remillard) and their firm Remstar's interest in, and the possible support of the TQS broadcast network for, the Nordiques' return.

LNH à Québec : le désir des Rémillard
Samedi 01 août 2009, RDS.ca

Les frères Rémillard parviendront-ils à ramener la LNH à Québec? Selon
ce que le quotidien Le Soleil rapporte, les frères Rémillard seraient
intéressés à ramener une équipe de la Ligue nationale dans la vieille
capitale.

Maxime et Julien Rémillard auraient même approché Mario Bédard, l’instigateur de la construction d’un nouvel amphithéâtre multifonctionnel.

TQS s’est dit intéressé au projet et serait prêt à investir dans les droits de télédiffusion.

Les frères Rémillard ont déjà été propriétaires d'équipes de la Ligue nord-américaine de hockey.

RDS commented today on this comment by Larry Brooks yesterday in the New York Post:

There is, we have been told by two individuals at the (NHL) Board level, a southern-based NHL team that's indicated some preliminary interest in moving a handful of October home dates for 2010-11 to Quebec City.

http://www.rds.ca/hockey/chroniques/279691.html

Des matchs à Québec : très incertain
RDS.ca, 3/08/2009

Selon ce que rapporte Larry Brooks du New York Post, une équipe de la Floride envisagerait jouer quelques matchs dans la vieille capitale lors de la saison 2010-2011.

Cette information proviendrait du Bureau des gouverneurs de la LNH.

Toutefois, toujours selon Brooks, les chances que les gouverneurs approuvent un tel projet sont à peu près nulles.

De plus, les gestionnaires du Colisée n'ont reçu aucune demande pour la location de l'amphithéâtre.
---

RDS points out there is no indication at this time that the NHL would approve the games in Quebec, nor have the management of Le Colisee received any request for the scheduling of dates.

However, this is all apparently being planned for the 2010-11 season...with the Florida Panthers being in the process of being sold, and major investors in Quebec like Pierre Karl Peladeau and the Remillard brothers emerging, a number of possibilities can be imagined.

Further developments in the 'Return of the Nordiques' dossier, from Corus Sports today:

LNH A QUEBEC: JOSEE VERNER Y CROIT
Corus Sports, 4-08-2009

La ministre des affaires intergouvernementales du Canada, Josée Verner, a affirmé que le gouvernement fédéral pourrait contribuer au financement de la construction d'un nouvel amphithéâtre à Québec.

À la suite d'un point de presse sur les fêtes de la Nouvelle-France, Verner a déclaré qu'elle était prête à « regarder ça, pousser ça et défendre ça. Je vais très certainement suivre le dossier de près et voir comment on pourrait investir là-dedans. »

Au niveau provincial, Jean Charest a déjà promis une somme de 50 millions $, alors que son ministre des Finances, Raymond Bachand, s'était dit enclin à consentir un prêt de 100 millions $ pour l'achat d'une équipe.

---

So it appears that the Federal Government, as expressed by the Minister Josee Verner, is prepared to add its subsidy to the $50MM being promised by Quebec PM Jean Charest and the $100MM being promised by the Quebec Finance Minister.

The prospect of Les Nordiques returning to Quebec seems credible, if these reports are added to the previous information posted here.

SSF> good point...but IMHO don't be surprised if the Panthers end up in Quebec City.

BTW Wang and the Islanders apparently had a good meeting with Nassau Country today (according to the Live Blog on MaxHockey.com), so Kansas City might indeed become the Coyotes' new home within two years...if the team isn't broken up into pieces before then by the legal battles.