Quebec’s Premier will meet with Gary Bettman about the return of the Nordiques

Quebec is making a push to bring back the Nordiques.

François Legault, Quebec’s Premier, appeared on Le 5 à 7 on RDS on Thursday evening and said that the province’s government will meet with Gary Bettman in the coming months in regards to bringing an NHL team back to Quebec City.

“I spoke with [Mr. Bettman], and we have meetings with him in the coming months,” Legault said. “You have to look at who is ready to invest. We have an amphitheater in Quebec that has already been built. We are in the process of making contact with Mr. Bettman. We are looking at what we need to bring back the Nordiques. I think we are capable of having a second team in Quebec.”

The Nordiques joined the NHL as part of the four-team WHA merger back in 1979 along with the Hartford Whalers, Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers.

In 1995, due largely to a weak Canadian dollar, the Nordiques moved out west to Colorado and became the Avalanche. The Avs, led by former Montreal Canadiens star Patrick Roy, would go on to win the Stanley Cup in their first season.

Quebec City opened a brand new facility, Centre Vidéotron, back in 2015. The Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL are currently the primary tenants, but the $370 million (CAD) facility has an 18,259 capacity, more than enough for an NHL team.

The natural assumption is that Quebec will be asking Bettman about relocating the Arizona Coyotes, who are in need of a new home for the 2022-23 season as the City of Glendale is opting out of the joint lease agreement for the Gila River Arena.

Given the NHL just welcomed its 32nd team to the league, the Seattle Kraken, it’s difficult to imagine the league will be looking to expand. Having 32 teams gives the NHL symmetry, with an even 16 teams in both the Eastern and Western Conference along with eight teams in each division.

Legault also noted on RDS that the Canadiens aren’t doing a good enough job of employing French players and bringing back the Nordiques would put pressure on them to do so.

“There must be more efforts made by the Canadiens,” said Legault. “I am still working to try to bring back the Nordiques to Quebec. It would put pressure on the Canadiens.”