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

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.

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

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 ....

A team back in QC would be cool.

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.

SpezDispenser wrote:A team back in QC would be cool.

Cool in October, sure. Damn cold in February, though. :^^^^: