Why Did Quebec City Lose the Nordiques in 1995? 

Hartford is not getting another NHL team.

Maybe if you were a Boston and Habs fan sure.

@@amazingmonkey886 It was nice having both Bruins and Whalers sharing local network market. Twice the hockey on basic cable lol.... Then I think ESPN back then for national games, maybe FOX all a blur

@@MarkVrem yeah definitely, I think the Whalers were on “Sportschannel”, right?, and Gerry Cheevers was the color commentator for them.

Yeah same, i was young, i think i was -15 yo

Shoot, at one point the Blues were close to relocating to Saskatoon.

Oh, most people do know that, but there's one traitor in Edmonton who conveniently ignores that fact while wishing ill will on Winnipeg and Quebec City but is all for NHL teams in Arizona and Atlanta regardless of how much money they lose. In a word, sad.

Funny how that never happened in Quebec city.

Agreed. It was close to a fire sale on Canadian teams back then.

​@@FischerFanwho? You dont mean me do you??

I have a Forsberg Nordiques jersey. My all-time favorite

Just wondering who gets the money from the sale of a Nordiques' jersey? The NHL? Colorado?

@@newttella1043 Can’t say for sure but likely to the current Avs ownership as although the name and location changed, it’s still the same franchise. Same as I’d imagine purchasing a North Stars jersey would result in the Stars ownership profiting.

White one is better.

Reason 4: Canadian dollar

All they have to do is rebuilt the university of laval arena it’s not tiny.

Also a low Canadian dollar, no corporate support and sharing the market with the historic Montreal Canadiens.

And the national TV deal is a valid reason. Quebec isn’t adding more eyeball since they’re already watching so it doesn’t make the TV contract more valuable. So it’s essentially the same amount of money split 8 ways instead of 7. And that loss of revenue will be detrimental to the smaller 4 Canadian markets.

Look at Saguenay Region thats 280k New nordiques fans out of the bat

@@Habebandebardown further east too. Being native of that part of Quebec, I can guarantee you people from Rimouski and even parts of New Brunswick would be down to go to Quebec City because it's 3h closer than Montreal.

Like a 1/4 of current Montreal Canadiens fans will become Nordiques fans instead lmao, and who doesn't like a heated rivalry with French insults being thrown around?

going to games obviously, but when it comes to tv rights, i dont think youre creating this huge mass of new viewers either. 70% of the province's population is in this weird gatineau/trois rivieres and sherbrooke triangle ("southern qc"). nobody lives past quebec city up north. the ones that do are already are watching the games and the canadiens have a fan base locked the fuck up all the way to the maritimes. it would have a fan base, theyd sell out most of their games but theres just so little extra "new" money to be made bc mfs all the way in chicoutimi, baie comeau, rimouski, riviere du loup, sept iles, gaspé (we're barely talking about a few 100ks here) are watching CH games anws.

@@Habebandebardownwe're acting like they arent watching games already tho

Wisconsin is the Green Bay Packers market. All of it. Not just Green Bay.

I think Green Bay would have long ago relocated if Milwaukee had an NFL team. But the Packers have been around so long with a mostly storied history that everyone in Wisconsin loves them and Milwaukee will never seek its own team. It’s a bit different with Montreal having the NHL’s version of the Yankees. That part of the province will never cheer for the Nordiques.

The Packers only played two games in Milwaukee (1/4). But yes, the Packers fan base is primarily in Milwaukee. Quebec City doesn't have a Milwaukee.

@@geoff3103 117 miles is not really "right down the road." It's a 2.5-hour drive on game days. Not exactly Boston to Foxborough.

A few years ago The Packers to celebrate their 100 year anniversary did a documentary where they discussed their entire history by decade and it shocked by that even up until the 60s (and at times in the 80s and 90s) how many times the Packers were in danger of moving because of how small Green Bay is and how small and inadequate their old Stadium City Stadium (it was a high school that I don’t think seated 40k) and this was in a era before large TV deals so gate revenue was a must and teams didn’t want to play the Packers because there was very little money involved. It really wasn’t until the mid 90s when they renovated Lambeau Field and added all those luxury boxes and made enough money where they didn’t need to go to County Stadium anymore that there were finally secured. It’s on RU-vid if you want to check it out. Very fascinating series. Also Quebec wouldn’t be the Packers of the NHL since -Green Bay is supported by EVERYONE in the state. -They don’t have a second NFL team to compete against like you would in Quebec -Its owner is the fans.

I as an old timer would love to go back to the old division and conference names.

The quest to be a generic sport with no unique character or history, in the vain hope that it will make hockey more palatable to NASCAR dads in the desert, has led to many adulterations of the sport, its rules, and the league. The changing of the names of the divisions, however, has to be one of the most craven and insulting.

I agree. This regionalization scheme has pretty much hamstrung the versatility of scheduling in the NHL. C'mon! Detroit in the "Atlantic"?...Arizona in the "Central"? How many extra travel miles do these misplaced teams have to incur before it effects their competitive ability? Look at Detroit since this realignment. I don't that is the entire reason for the malaise, but I don't think it's a coincidence either. The scheduling is horrible in the NHL, and that's one reason why...

@@bartphlegar8212 Detroit hated being in the Western Conference and spent a good many years trying to get moved to the East. Not really the best team to use to make your point. Detroit is exactly where they wanted to be.

Kids don't like eating their carrots either. I get it. But it seems to me that under this goofy arrangement they'd be better off with Chicago, Columbus, Nashville, Minnesota, Winnipeg, St. Louis, et al. These days they spend half their time in Customs...I'd prefer a more liquid arrangement, like the old Adams, Norris, etc. divisions, with a rubber band analysis used to equalize the travel as much as possible. Half the teams in the "Atlantic" aren't even close to THE Atlantic, and a good number of the teams that are, are shoveled into a "Metropolitan" division along with some decidedly unmetropolitan markets like Carolina and Pittsburgh. It's ridiculous...

How do you feel about the recent rumours about your team?

It's exhausting. I almost don't even care anymore.@@SaveznaRepublikaJugoslavija

I’m sorry for Coyotes fans. You have no control on what’s happening.

@@Christian_Martel Yeah, all 3 of them

and the WPG rally had 40,000 ppl at it - not 300 lmao

@@kdids And they still got moved and were going to get moved regardless.

The Good Friday brawl

As a Habs fan, I can confirm watching those games and those teams made for a marvelous rivalry.

​@@thomastherriault6199 That was 1984 40 years ago that's taking living in the past a little too far

@@michaelleroy9281 But it was pre-Bettman hockey.

Don't think that Quebec will ever get a team back. You will end up with more Lindros situations, where players won't want to go there. How many American players will want to learn French? That also means bringing their families there.

All my homies hates Marcel Aubut! Seriously, FUCK this slimy, rapey, unlikable douche nozzle. If I see Marcel Aubut walking down the street on a rainy day, I am 100% splashing this MF into another dimension...

I remember the petition to save the Nordiques signed by 75000 people.

I agree. Without Roy, it’s really hard to see them winning the Cup that season, and a whole lot happened that was possible only because of that first Cup. Sakic, Forsberg, Roy, and Foote remained the core for 7 more seasons, they were a perennial contender, they attracted free agents, they were the team Boston sent Borque so that he might win a Cup at last. If the Nordiques remained, no Roy, likely no Cup in 96 or 97, and maybe Sakic, who almost became a Ranger following that season (but was retained because of the Avs’ excellent cash flow) does leave. As you say we can’t know anything other than Roy never goes to Quebec, but we can see what happened in Denver and seriously doubt it would have happened in Quebec some other way.

in all likelihood, The Nordiques would have ended up being the Montreal Expos of the NHL, not being able to afford to keep their best players and having to trade everyone away.

110% that cup was won with the help of Patrick Roy! No disrespect to Jocelyn Thibault, Stéphane Fiset or Garth Snow, but neither of these three were solid enough between the pipes to nab Québec the Stanley Cup in the 1994-1995 season. It was the Nordiques weakness and everyone knew it.

Ya and there is no way we win that cup without Roy. He just straight up stole soooo many games for us!

As a Habs fan who has never lived a day in the province of Quebec, I couldn't have said it any better! Hockey needs the return of that Habs-Nordiques rivalry.

So does Saskachewan.

No one "deserves" anything. We are only granted that which is afforded to us. QC still has all the issues it did the first time. Time has past, and the nostalgia for the past does not work in the modern age.

@@mikestoastIn all fairness, the arena is not an issue anymore. There is a prospective owner with potential partners. It’s still a small market, but economically Quebec City region is in better shape than in 1995. I’ll give that: the Canadian dollar’s still sh*t.

@@amazingmonkey886 Saskatchewan doesn't have a market large enough to interest the NHL. The province does not even have a city among the top 15 largest in population in Canada.

As a Habs fan I can attest Goulet was a constant thorn (I mean this in a complimentary fashion). You saw that mustache rushing forth and offense was coming.

I'll never forget Dave Poulin scoring that 2 man shorthanded breakaway on Gosselin in game 6 of the conference finals in 1985. I thought we were a team of destiny that season. Then next season Pelle killed himself and we haven't recovered since.

Hey, if my memory serves me correct, I believe none other than former Broad Street Bully, Andre 'Moose' Dupont himself, finished his NHL career with the Nordiques!

The Stastny brothers were pretty awesome, too, especially Peter.

As an Oilers fan, and the Nordiques being my favourite eastern team, I must say that Goulet and the Stastny Brothers were amazing. I always wanted (and expected) an Oilers/Nordiques Final. Never happened unfortunately.

They started off well after coming over from the WHA, but by the late-80’s fell down hard. By the time they regrouped and had a heck of team put together (hence the Avs winning it all their 1st season, after the Roy trade) thanks in part to Lindros’ not wanting to be there, welp…

I'm old enough to remember them from the WHA.

It’s been 30 years of relevant football since then though. Especially if lightning has indeed struck a third time with regards to the QB position.

Bob Harlan and Ron Wolf were the true saviors of that revival

@@bradleyminoski2020 Bob Harlan... Now why does that last name ring the "I'M CALLING BOTH GAMES" bell?

SKYRIM'S FOR THE NORDS!! ;)

Whether you think they do or not, it's likely to happen. Accept it.

Huge media market With a competent owner, it’s gonna happen

Huge market. Cry about it the Canadian dollar combined while being tiny market in Quebec City is a double no.

It’s not the cities fault both the Flames and Thrashers franchises had horrible ownership.

Doesn't matter anyway, as of February 2024 , there are no plans for future expansion 32 teams is enough, it's a shame that Detroit and Chicago only play each other twice a year

I wouldn’t say so. Given how tough the Devils and Red Wings got right at that time, it’s clear that obtaining Roy (which Quebec never could have done) was the key for Colorado. The Nordiques wouldn’t have prevailed and eventually guys like Sakic and Forsberg would have left in free agency. The Avs very nearly lost Sakic anyway and the story of how they kept him is something else that wasn’t possible in Quebec.

I remember that game. I was so upset, they basically lost the series there.

@@MDK2_RadioHighly hypothetical.

The Nords would not have won the cup because there was no way in hell that Patrick Roy would have been traded to Quebec … Colorado was in the west and had no impact on the Habs. Montreal fans would have gone berserk if they traded Roy to the enemy! 😳

@@thomobrien1854 I never said they needed Roy and the team went 30-13-5 in their final season, they were a solid team without him and Thibault was a good goalie on his own.

Never going to happen

It’s hockey, not soccer.

@@oilersridersbluejays and?

@@oilersridersbluejays Most European hockey leagues have or still operate with promotion/relegation.

That's because the sports world revolves six inches around the good ol' U.S. of A.

Protect from?

It’s sad. The Nordiques were my favourite Eastern team. The Expos were my favourite NL MLB team. I still have my Oilers and my Blue Jays and I’m extremely thankful for that, but I really miss my Nords and Expos.

Look for RDS.

LE BUUUUUUT!!

Tabarnac

Good luck with that, there are no plans for future expansion as of February 2024

I have not heard anything about the Dallas Stars moving, again

As a resident of Salt Lake, I sincerely doubt we will get a team, there isn't the support here. I've attended minor league games here since the 70's and it's always going to be secondary to the Jazz. Hope Quebec does get a team again. Love the AVS too.

Imo TVA Sports get the nordiques and RDS get back the Habs everyone is happy

Its not Quebecor who owns the Alouettes, its Pierre-Karl Péladeau, AKA PKP, the owner of Quebecor, who personally owns the Alouettes, he bought the team with his own money

@@Loumi171 Yes, just looked it up, you are correct. Correction was just made.

Only because of a foolhardy city council in Glendale and a stubborn, egotistical Commissioner. They have not survived in Arizona because of any form of profitability. Oh, and the current edition of the Winnipeg Jets has already lasted longer in their current home than they did in Atlanta. Let that sink in.

@@FischerFan basically Gary Betman tells us that this pile of garbage team in arizona that was sold 9 times is allowed to lose money but quebec isn't allowed to lose money. gary was a fraud in the NBA and is still a fraud to this day. never grew the game, only grew the piles of money owners have.

@@chrisbelos2834 I believe when it comes to this current situation with the Coyotes, Bettman's buttons are being pushed by the U.S. television execs instead of the owners.

@@FischerFan yep. all about the money they don't make over there, not about what they actually get.

Oh, it's an emergency back up alright. That's why I believe relocation is the more likely route if the League is to return to Quebec City.

I been to both places and I’m American. Very nice towns. Are there any recent migrants from France?

@@MbisonBalrog Honestly yes ! There are immigration law who favors France in terms of recognition of diploma.

@@jean-philippedoyon9904 cool but I imagine them being more soccer and rugby fans.

So who won the cup in 1913 then ?

We all knew what he meant and that was what he was trying to convey.

@@oilersridersbluejaysIts always a good thing to correct mistakes when we see them, especially since you don't speak for everyone and misunderstandings and confusion can happen. We all know that if a whiteboard doesn't have a mistake on it, Shannon didn't make it, so you don't have to stick up for him. You understood, great, move along. My comment is here in case anyone is confused.

Stuff it with all due respect.

​@@slytester5636Where is he wrong? Lol. If Quebec was going to be viable, they'd have a team.

@@slytester5636you should take your own after if you can’t simply conduct yourself like a grownup.

@@people3865 silly me for using economics and facts /s

@@slytester5636 I wish it weren't the case, but facts are facts. Greater Quebec City Area has a population of 850,00. It's mean income is around $48,000. That puts it the lowest at major Canadian regions. This isn't about not wanting QC to have a team, it's an argument on why they won't.

Halifax ranks 12th among Canadian cities and has only about 55 per cent of the population that either Quebec City or Winnipeg has. Halifax also can't even get its act/funding together to bring a CFL team to the city in spite of what, 40 years of rumours now?

Nothing beats a poutine from Québec. 😂 Also, ask Don Cherry, the Colisée had the best hot dogs in the league.

The NHL will be expanding in the future. They won't go with just two. They'll eventually get to 36. Quebec will be one of them.

Lets hear the issues

Do tell.

@@Mathieuacc I am very familiar with Quebec and Love visiting that being said, # 1 issue English speaking people in moving and living in Quebec are treated like 2nd class citizens. It's just a fact.

@@milolabrett6549 that's completely 100% wrong. Québec city has the most welcoming people in NA. My best friend is British and moved here with his wife and 3 kids. They are having the time of their lives.

True. The only reason for not putting a team in Quebec City is Bettman and the owners have a pipe dream of convincing NASCAR and WWE fans in the southern US to fall in love with hockey.

And what’s the difference between Winnipeg and Quebec? oh yeah we have a brand new arena top of the list

​​@@drthalasiren4411lol they are.... sad you can't see that through your bias. Look at the growth across the board from youth hockey to college. In places that climatically speaking never see or feel a real Winter.

​@@drthalasiren4411Not sure it's a pipe dream, it's where the money is at. Quebec already watches hockey. The more teams you put in the States, the more fans (hopefully) you produce. Their reasoning makes sense.

Totally agree that QC should have a team. When the NHL goes to 36 they have to include one Canadian team. Even though Bettmans list of 6 teams were all US cities which I disagree with. If Arizona remains. 4 teams being: Quebec City, Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake City

Really here to hate?

Every day.

Prob would've never reached the heights they reached in Colorado though since Montreal would've never traded Roy to Quebec. Even with how bad things ended between the team and Roy.

@@NothingToPointOut24exactly. They might have ended up with an elite goalie at some point but maybe they would have lost Sakic (who nearly went to the Rangers at one point) or Forsberg or some other key player. They wouldn’t have had the revenue they enjoyed in Colorado either. People just don’t think about that stuff.

Happened the very season they moved.

@@Rockhound6165but wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t moved.

While I understand your sentiment and don't necessarily disagree about more teams in Canada. I've tried pointing out something to people that they seem to overlook. If every single person tunes in to watch an NHL game in Canada. In the States only about 15 percent of the population needs to watch an NHL game to be a greater viewership than Canada. That's why the NHL has more teams in the States and wants to grow more fans in the States. There is a much higher potential for growth and sustainability in the States than Canada. Can they make another team in Canada succeed. Yes. But they can gain more by having another team in the States succeed and grow the game more.

@@angushiltz4880 ..and the League has been force-feeding its product on the U.S. for what, over thirty years now? Hockey has long hit the wall in the U.S. and is simply destined to remain a niche sport compared to football and basketball. It remains the most popular sport in only five American states. I suppose the NHL needs another 200 franchises in the U.S. in order to 'grow the game'.

The league is not moving Western Conference team like Arizona to Quebec

At some point Shannon said Quebec offered to buy Aubut out, which I was wondering if that meant something like GB Packers was in mind. It's such a unique arrangement that I don't think any existing owners want to let someone try because if it works again people will start questioning the arrangements these owners have with these teams, which we should really already be doing. I don't think splitting the province would be that big a deal. Quebec province has about 150% the population of Wisconsin and the attendance for indoor sports is significantly lower than outdoor.

@@dylanhoward4978good points.

For now, they're about to see a massive economic boom thanks to immigration. Just look at what happened to Halifax. QC is next on the list.

yeah that is 20 years ago housing cost for Boston suburbs probably.

M'as t'en faire moé des great story telleurs

It’s more common than you think. Oilers were always my team but I always had Nordiques as my 2nd favourite team. Had a soft spot for the Whalers and old Jets as well so maybe it was just a former WHA thing and they all had really nice jerseys. I think also I disliked Montreal a lot so it seemed natural to favour the Nordiques. It’s sort of like Toronto and Ottawa; I really don’t like the Leafs and never had, so the Senators were my other eastern team I rooted for. Mind you, if the Nords or Sens played the Oilers, it was Oilers all the way.