MONTREAL – Quebecor will pull out all of the stops in an effort to regain an NHL franchise in Québec City.
Reacting to Wednesday’s announcement that the NHL is kicking off a formal expansion review process to consider adding new franchises to its 30-team league, Quebecor said that it “plans to participate in the process announced by the NHL and submit his (sic) candidacy in order to bring the Nordiques back to Québec City”.
“Quebecor has consistently stated that its objective is to establish an NHL franchise in Québec City and it intends to make every effort to achieve that goal”, the company said in a statement. “Out of respect for NHL authorities and the process that has been established, Quebecor will maintain its policy of discretion as it proceeds.”
Québec City’s Videotron Centre, set to open in September, has been designed to meet NHL standards and seats 18,259 for hockey. Quebecor signed a 25 year agreement last April to manage the facility for the next 25 years.
The NHL said that applications from interested parties will be accepted from July 6 – August 10, which will then be reviewed by the NHL’s Board of Governors' executive committee. The expansion fee to be paid to secure a team would likely be at least $500 million, and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the earliest an expansion team could begin play would be the 2017-18 season.
