Quebec City's NHL Hopes Fade: Why Bettman Isn't Sold on Expansion

News that their beloved town would host an NHL pre-season game prior to the 2024-25 season sent hockey fans in Quebec City abuzz. For many, word of the possibility of NHL action coming back to Quebec was rekindling hope among those who have long dreamed of seeing the league make a permanent comeback to the city.

It seemed as though a case for NHL expansion was building up, with a preseason game featuring the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins selling out in record time. Behind the scenes, though, that excitement was met almost immediately with a sobering reality.

Despite the overwhelming fan support and sold-out arena, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman did little to build on that excitement as he was quick to manage expectations. During a news conference at the Bell Centre, Bettman addressed speculation about the return of an NHL franchise to Quebec City, saying that while he knows there is a great passion for hockey within the Quebec market, the League is not contemplating expansion or relocation at this time. In his speech, Bettman reminded everyone how the NHL is focused elsewhere these days and cooled expectations of any quick return of pro hockey to Quebec.

Gary Bettman underlined that the bigger aspects, market size, geographic balance, and economic viability, have guided the NHL's expansion plan. While second to none in hockey tradition, Quebec City is a smaller market compared to big U.S. centers. As Bettman himself mentioned, there has never been a "complete and concrete" proposal to bring a team back to Quebec submitted to the league. With no application taking place, very few, if any, chances exist for Quebec City to be in the running during the next round of NHL expansions.

Not helping at all is the fact that major American markets are what the league is targeting, including Atlanta and Houston. The two cities now position themselves at the head of the bidding line in the NHL expansion debate. As David Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein report, other hockey insiders have mentioned that the size and economic heft of U.S. markets make them more appealing for the league. Quebec City though, having its richly steeped fans, doesn't hold nearly the same commercial appeal as these bigger American cities. This has led many to believe that quite a few expansion cycles will pass before the NHL seriously considers expansion back into Canada.

Though excitement abounded over the 2024-25 preseason game in Quebec City as a testament that this city loves hockey, it seems this dream of an NHL return is still far from coming to fruition. With the league's very clear expansion priorities being larger U.S. markets, and without an official application coming from Quebec City, there is little else for fans to do but be patient. The enthusiasm is there, but for now, Quebec City will have to watch from the outside in any NHL expansion.