Could Quebec City get back the Nordiques?

[jwmann2]

Plans for New NHL Arena Finalized in Quebec

Hockey should be played in cities where it snows during the winter. It snows in Quebec.

[Nizzy]

I would really like to see it happen.

Montreal vs Quebec is even better than Montreal vs Toronto.

[JS©]

Plans for New NHL Arena Finalized in Quebec

Hockey should be played in cities where it snows during the winter. It snows in Quebec.

I'm sure Dallas ('99), Tampa Bay ('04), Carolina ('06) ,and Anaheim ('07) all agree with this, all having won the Cup more recently than Montreal and especially Toronto.

But I do agree that it would be good to see a team like Quebec back in the league.

[SolidSnake]

No love for Mexico City?

[Zach6668]

Hockey should be played in cities where it snows during the winter. It snows in Quebec.

That's awfully naive and short-sighted.

[Malkamaniac]

Hockey teams should be prospected and relocated to other cities that haven't ever had a team before. Just because.

[no name]

Las Vegas... that just sounds like trouble.. any major sports franchise would have to want its players closely in tht city.

KC.. never thought of it as a hockey town, but if hockey survives, or should i say thrives in St. Louis, why not Kansas city..

Seattle: don't they already have 3 major sports teams??? can they support another.

Qubec: love the support you see in Winnipeg, can only imagine Qubec would have the same kind of fan base. More Canadian cities i think its fitting.

Sasakatoon: to small, nice idea but to small.

Hamilton: is "bald silly" still trying to land this, come on guy give it up.

Milwalkee: heard a rumor about a team hear since they have a minor league team that has good attendence.

Overall, it is kinda hard watching the game on TV and seeing so many empty seats in places like Dallas, Florida and Phoenix and i can't imagine it does much for the players either. Move them where they can survive and profit. There will always be bad teams but it takes time to rebuild, but its nice to know once you start getting back intot the playoff picture your fan base will return.

DIdn't Pittsburgh still get 12k plus fans a game when it was losing in the early 90s???

[Pitt87]

Hockey should be played in cities where it snows during the winter. It snows in Quebec.

That's awfully naive and short-sighted.

I think its your comment that is short-sighted. He didn't say it should ONLY be played where it snows.

Quebec is a reasonable place for an NHL team, but many of the arguments that people make against places like Hartford is that they are close to other NHL teams, which is also true here (~3 hrs. from MTL, I think). I don't necessarily agree with this, since rivalry would help you sell tickets.

[Rylan]

Dallas shocks me with how bad attendance is this year. They have a good hockey team and generally Dallas was always packed for games. Anyone have a real reason why they have had such a downturn? I personally think its those putrid jerseys. Ok not really.

[relantel]

Plans for New NHL Arena Finalized in Quebec

Hockey should be played in cities where it snows during the winter. It snows in Quebec.

It rained for the WC, and the ice is routinely bad in Pittsburgh. Should we now move the Penguins?

[Bathgate]

I said this before in another thread, but if you dream of the US someday surpassing Canada as a world hockey power, then you don't want to see another NHL team depart this country for a Canadian city.

[Streaks House]

Quebec is a reasonable place for an NHL team, but many of the arguments that people make against places like Hartford is that they are close to other NHL teams, which is also true here (~3 hrs. from MTL, I think). I don't necessarily agree with this, since rivalry would help you sell tickets.

The demand for tickets in the QC area would not be an issue despite being within 3 hours of Montreal. The Remparts of the QMJHL have been at the top of the list for attendance in the CHL over the past few seasons, drawing on average ~11K fans a game. In comparison, the next closest organization in terms of attendance in the CHL is the London Knights, who draw on average ~9K fans a game.

[Streaks House]

I said this before in another thread, but if you dream of the US someday surpassing Canada as a world hockey power, then you don't want to see another NHL team depart this country for a Canadian city.

The NHL relocating a franchise to Canada from a market like Phoenix, Florida or Long Island isn't going to make or break long term sustainable success for hockey in the United States.

[HockeyDaddy]

Las Vegas... that just sounds like trouble.. any major sports franchise would have to want its players closely in tht city.

KC.. never thought of it as a hockey town, but if hockey survives, or should i say thrives in St. Louis, why not Kansas city..

Seattle: don't they already have 3 major sports teams??? can they support another.

Qubec: love the support you see in Winnipeg, can only imagine Qubec would have the same kind of fan base. More Canadian cities i think its fitting.

Sasakatoon: to small, nice idea but to small.

Hamilton: is "bald silly" still trying to land this, come on guy give it up.

Milwalkee: heard a rumor about a team hear since they have a minor league team that has good attendence.

Overall, it is kinda hard watching the game on TV and seeing so many empty seats in places like Dallas, Florida and Phoenix and i can't imagine it does much for the players either. Move them where they can survive and profit. There will always be bad teams but it takes time to rebuild, but its nice to know once you start getting back intot the playoff picture your fan base will return.

DIdn't Pittsburgh still get 12k plus fans a game when it was losing in the early 90s???

Pens were winning Cups in the early '90s.

But during the X-Generation days, I am pretty sure that attendance was in the 10-11k range. I sure miss the ticket prices I used to get!

[Bathgate]

I said this before in another thread, but if you dream of the US someday surpassing Canada as a world hockey power, then you don't want to see another NHL team depart this country for a Canadian city.

The NHL relocating a franchise to Canada from a market like Phoenix, Florida or Long Island isn't going to make or break long term sustainable success for hockey in the United States.

Hockey in the US will never be as big as it is in Canada. To surpass Canada as a hockey power will require bringing our 10x population to bear (roughly 300 million vs 30 million). That requires a major league presence in all areas of the country. Atlanta and the Southeast is already lost. Losing Phoenix will be an abandonment of the Southwest. These areas might be comparible to the Pittsburgh region 25 years ago relative to hockey interest and youth hockey participation. Look how far Pittsburgh has come in producing good players and it may accelerate even more. And don't talk about the weather. It's too warm in Pittsburgh for having outdoor hockey rinks everywhere. It's all about indoor rinks. There won't be many more built in the Southeast.

[columbia]

I said this before in another thread, but if you dream of the US someday surpassing Canada as a world hockey power, then you don't want to see another NHL team depart this country for a Canadian city.

Who has this dream?

[Zach6668]

Hockey should be played in cities where it snows during the winter. It snows in Quebec.

That's awfully naive and short-sighted.

I think its your comment that is short-sighted. He didn't say it should ONLY be played where it snows.

Quebec is a reasonable place for an NHL team, but many of the arguments that people make against places like Hartford is that they are close to other NHL teams, which is also true here (~3 hrs. from MTL, I think). I don't necessarily agree with this, since rivalry would help you sell tickets.

That's fair, slightly mis-read it, but your interpretation of it is equally ridiculous. Not all snowy cities would be good hockey towns, heh. Either way, I would still like to see Quebec get a team back, well, I'm more indifferent to it, but I'm also all for giving new markets a proper shake at becoming hockey towns, which most of the unsuccessful southern teams simply haven't had.

[Nizzy]

I said this before in another thread, but if you dream of the US someday surpassing Canada as a world hockey power, then you don't want to see another NHL team depart this country for a Canadian city.

Who has this dream?

I'm American and want nothing more for the NHL to see more teams in canada than anything. I know they will appreciate it more. The average american sports fan only fans about LeBron James and Peyton Manning.

It's so stupid to put all these teams in the sunbelt and expect them to start producing tones of young hockey players. Ice rinks aren't cheap. Its still very expensive to play ice hockey in leagues as a kid in Pittsburgh.

[Kaizer]

Seattle: don't they already have 3 major sports teams??? can they support another.

depends on if soccer counts. and in Seattle, it does, they draw 30k every Sounders game. If they can do that for Soccer, they would do it for pro Hockey.

[Rylan]

I <3 the Sounders.

[no name]

Wonder what happened to the idea of Toronto getting a second team, they talked about that befor. heck if the Rangers and Islander can share NY i guess 2 teams can share Toronto.

I am not worried about the US becoming a hockey power. It will always be a nitch sport in the US. I would most like to see hockey be sucessful in any market it is in, U.S. or Canadian. The league as a whole will benifit from that.

Thanks for correcting me on the 90' 12k, i don't know what i was thinking. I was thinking of the early to mid 2000's.

[bh]

The best thing for the NHL is to be in places where there are frenzied fans. I just marvel at the Winnipe games. The players no doubt would want to play for a team that was supported well.

[Headshot77]

Wonder what happened to the idea of Toronto getting a second team, they talked about that befor. heck if the Rangers and Islander can share NY i guess 2 teams can share Toronto.

I am not worried about the US becoming a hockey power. It will always be a nitch sport in the US. I would most like to see hockey be sucessful in any market it is in, U.S. or Canadian. The league as a whole will benifit from that.

Thanks for correcting me on the 90' 12k, i don't know what i was thinking. I was thinking of the early to mid 2000's.

I dont think new york should have two teams.

[MRandall25]

Wonder what happened to the idea of Toronto getting a second team, they talked about that befor. heck if the Rangers and Islander can share NY i guess 2 teams can share Toronto.

I am not worried about the US becoming a hockey power. It will always be a nitch sport in the US. I would most like to see hockey be sucessful in any market it is in, U.S. or Canadian. The league as a whole will benifit from that.

Thanks for correcting me on the 90' 12k, i don't know what i was thinking. I was thinking of the early to mid 2000's.

I dont think new york should have two teams.

They technically have 3 (Newark is pretty much NYC)

[JeanPronovost]

Dallas shocks me with how bad attendance is this year. They have a good hockey team and generally Dallas was always packed for games. Anyone have a real reason why they have had such a downturn? I personally think its those putrid jerseys. Ok not really.

There are a few reasons. The team is overshadowed in the market because while they've been losing, we've had back-to-back AL pennant winners and an NBA champion. Fans turned on the previous owner, who let the Rangers and Stars go to pot because he got in over his head with the Liverpool soccer team. And people tell me Reunion Arena was a much more fun environment than American Airlines Center is. Reunion is a grass field now.

Their gate has been better lately because they're in a race. I think they have an up-and-coming team, good marketing plan, good broadcast crew -- fans will come back.

You're right -- in the 1990s you couldn't get in to see the Stars or the Avalanche. Now tickets are easy to come by for both.