NHL Expansion: Quebec City Politics Make Waves

It wouldn’t be the NHL offseason without talk of NHL expansion. It seems that feelings are being hurt in Quebec City, and honestly I’m torn. It seems that the Government in Quebec City is attempting to separate themselves from one of the richest people in Canada; Pierre Karl Peladeau’s name has been connected to NHL expansion in Quebec for some time now, but political issues seem to be creeping in.

…he also wants Quebec to separate from Canada, and that’s led some to wonder if his political views may hurt his chances of landing said NHL franchise. [PHT]

Here’s the problem; the NHL made a mistake by leaving Quebec City, but the NHL at the time was searching for more than Quebec could offer. Now that the league has a few failing teams tale of NHL expansion or possible relocation has become a monthly topic. Quebec could very well prove to be a NHL hot bed, but the politics in and around

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Quebec are often reported to be complicated.

There are some people who want Quebec to become its own country, and other who just want to see NHL hockey in their city. The bigger problem is how does the NHL go back to a city that has so much mix messages?

Quebec in general wants the NHL so bad that the fact that their chances are slipping away have turned the atmosphere into a blame game. “The fact that Mr. Peladeau is a separatist…we know very well whether it’s the owners of the team in Toronto or the owners of the Canadiens, they’re not separatists and they don’t want Quebec to separate,” Legault said, per CBC.ca.”

This is nothing more than people trying to set themselves up to be the savior that brought NHL hockey back to Quebec City, but let get real guys. The NHL expansion will hit major United States cities before it lands in Quebec. Sorry, that’s not too say a NHL team wouldn’t prove profitable in Quebec. But, there is more money to be made in other location or at least that the way it seems.

It wasn’t more than 35 weeks ago that Quebec City was making waves when it came to NHL expansion, but the question I had then is the same issue I’m seeing now. I have very little doubt that a new franchise in Quebec could be profitable; my concerns however are centered on how much the Government will be involved. It would be best for all parties involved if the involvement was minimal and the potential owners are left to run their team and arena as they see fit.

Politics may be the very thing that stops the NHL fans in Quebec City from getting the team they seem so despite to have. I have one final thought. This is hockey, and politic should never control the fate of a sport. Money is money and while the Canadian dollar is not as strong as it once was Quebec could make more than some failing U.S teams.