The NHL is coming closer to Quebec City

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by theman23

It was a serious post. Quebec City doesn't grow the league, it just fills a hole. Phoenix is a hole right now, but it has the potential to grow the league. People here are spouting off about how awesome Nashville is as a hockey market right now, when only a few years ago everyone was gung-ho about stealing that team away to Waterloo.

And plus its just icky. Relocating teams sucks, and I wouldn't wish it on any NHL fan. If Quebec wants a team, wait for expansion or drive down the French 401 to Montreal.

Serious question for you, that I don't think I've ever asked (or have forgotten if I have): what's your take on Toronto 2.0, ie: a second team in the GTA somewhere?

I find Torontonians seem to fit into 2 camps here: first, those that can't afford/find Leafs tickets, so are all for it. And second, those that are such die-hard Leafs fans that they don't see a point in ever supporting another local team. I'm curious where you stand on this one given your comments above.

That was the serious part of my post, now on to the inflammatory semi-trolling:

When other Canadian franchises were proposed back in the 60s and through the 90s, your exact words were used to defend the lack of need for ALL of them. After all, we already had the Habs and the Leafs and that was enough for the entire country as everyone just watched one or both teams on the CBC anyway. New teams in Canada wouldn't "grow" the sport in any meaningful way so new franchises should all be awarded to US markets. Of course this argument (and yours about QC) entirely ignore the reality that the NHL is and has always been primarily a gate-driven league.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by freeweed

That was the serious part of my post, now on to the inflammatory semi-trolling:

When other Canadian franchises were proposed back in the 60s and through the 90s, your exact words were used to defend the lack of need for ALL of them. After all, we already had the Habs and the Leafs and that was enough for the entire country as everyone just watched one or both teams on the CBC anyway. New teams in Canada wouldn't "grow" the sport in any meaningful way so new franchises should all be awarded to US markets. Of course this argument (and yours about QC) entirely ignore the reality that the NHL is and has always been primarily a gate-driven league.

I think your question makes the presumption that there is some principle at play here in this whole argument about "growing the game". That is wrong. This is about nothing more than wanting to create some imaginary line that divides your city (whatever that might be) and all of the supposedly lesser smaller cities beneath it.

It's no surprise that the people who were most vocally insecure and felt most threatened by Winnipeg's return to the NHL were fans in the league's next smallest markets - namely Edmonton, and to a lesser extent Calgary. People in places like Toronto and Montreal didn't seem to care nearly as much. Of course, now a team like Edmonton is no longer the small Canadian wunderkind standing next to giants like Boston, Chicago, Toronto and LA. Now they're just another team in the league hard pressed to explain a glaring lack of success despite years of soaring revenues and grandiose talk about "the future".

(Being something of an insecure city like Edmonton, I will concede that Winnipeg has been guilty of this kind of behaviour in the past. When the Jets were threatening to leave in the early to mid 90s, a terrible disgraced former sportswriter here loved to talk about how Winnipeg was bound to become "just another Regina" if the Jets left.)

[freeweed]

And while I'm sure there are people like that everywhere (I remember the "just another Regina" comment well), I just don't see it as a very common opinion.

Winnipeggers, you tell me: do most people in the city scoff at the idea of QC getting a team? Is there some sort of perceived "threat" going on by a (slightly) smaller city re-joining the NHL?

[drew]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Winnipeggers, you tell me: do most people in the city scoff at the idea of QC getting a team? Is there some sort of perceived "threat" going on by a (slightly) smaller city re-joining the NHL?

No, but if anything, most Winnipeggers would assume that QC is a much larger city than Winnipeg.

Rephrase the question with "Regina" or "Saskatoon" and you would likely get a different result. Defense mechanisms would kick in.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by drew

No, but if anything, most Winnipeggers would assume that QC is a much larger city than Winnipeg.

Rephrase the question with "Regina" or "Saskatoon" and you would likely get a different result. Defense mechanisms would kick in.

Agree completely. I have never heard a disparaging word said about Quebec uttered here in relation to getting a NHL team, perhaps in part because we can relate to what they've been through. But yes, Regina or Saskatoon would probably engender a less gracious response...

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by drew

No, but if anything, most Winnipeggers would assume that QC is a much larger city than Winnipeg.

Rephrase the question with "Regina" or "Saskatoon" and you would likely get a different result. Defense mechanisms would kick in.

Good points. You're probably exactly right.

Not that I think it will happen, but with Saskatoon's recent growth - just imagine if they went on an insane boom and added half a million people, while Winnipeg stagnated as it did in the 90s.

[Calgarian]

The idea of NHL hockey in Saskatchewan is a bit ridiculous, at least within the next 20 - 30 years.

So what's the status of the arena in QC, has it broken ground?

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

So what's the status of the arena in QC, has it broken ground?

Long ago. I'm not sure if or how much it's been affected by the construction strike, but it's well on its way now.

[MolsonExport]

the French 401?

[franktko]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

So what's the status of the arena in QC, has it broken ground?

There are live webcams of the construction site:
http://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/webcam...tre/index.aspx

[craner]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

The idea of NHL hockey in Saskatchewan is a bit ridiculous, at least within the next 20 - 30 years.

It might happen at the beginning of the upcomming season if the Saddledome isn't ready for the Flames. Hello Saskatoon!

[Barnard's Star]

Yippee!

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/gl...ext-for-yotes/

[FrAnKs]

If they need to move very quickly, Quebec city is the only place where they could actually move. Hence, nothing official for the moment yet.

[Barnard's Star]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

If they need to move very quickly, Quebec city is the only place where they could actually move. Hence, nothing official for the moment yet.

That's my thought. If we're talking now to this coming Sept., Quebec has got to be at the top of the list. Of course the legal stuff could take ages and the Coyotes will presumably get an initial injunction that they can continue where they are until it gets sorted. But who knows.

[logan5]

From a league perspective, Portland has to be a serious contender for the Coyotes. Paul Allen owns the Seahawks and Trailblazers, so the NHL would likely want to do business with him. Obviously Quebec is a true hockey market, but going to Portland, the league is tapping into the Pacific Northwest. This might be seen as a better overall move that makes the NHL stronger as opposed to Quebec, where hockey already rules.

[Barnard's Star]

^^

The Northeast is the biggest plumb left for the NHL. If QC loses out to Seattle or Portland it will be tough but understandable. If they lose out to Las Vegas on the other hand...

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

If they need to move very quickly, Quebec city is the only place where they could actually move. Hence, nothing official for the moment yet.

Kansas City, Oklahoma, Portland all ready and able to grab a team and keep it in the West....

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

Kansas City, Oklahoma, Portland all ready and able to grab a team and keep it in the West....

I think it is no secret that the NHL would rather be in places like that.

But none of them has as committed an ownership scénario as Qc City. Not even Portland.

[Barnard's Star]

I don't buy KC and OKC, stadium readiness notwithstanding. Are you really going to make a bet on another southern(ish) city after a sunbelt failure? Bettman, admittedly, has consistently double-downed on his southern strategy so I dunno. KC does have some hockey history but it's not exactly a big place. OKC is also small and the NHL would have serious attendance competition with the NBA.

I see Seattle as the front runner if a hockey team alone is enough to trigger their stadium plan. Even money on Portland and QC after that.

[Acajack]

If I had to bet I'd bet Qc City is going to get a team in the next few years. But this Coyotes thing might not be what makes it happen. There are many reasons why it might not.