Gary Bettman under fire for rejecting a relocation to Quebec City
NHL commissionner Gary Bettman is under fire for rejecting a relocation from the Arizona Coyotes to Quebec City.
Hockey fans in Quebec City have been hoping for the return of the NHL ever since the Quebec Nordiques moved to Colorado 30 years ago. Despite rumors over the years, the return of the NHL to Quebec has never materialized, even as the Arizona Coyotes have struggled. Instead the NHL chose to focus on moving the team to Salt Lake City thanks to a strong bid from owner Ryan Smith.
Recently it came to light that billionaire Luc Poirier had offered to relocate the Coyotes to Quebec City willing to pay the $380 million that NHL executives Gary Bettman & Bill Daly were asking for. However the league declined the offer & Poirier claimed it was clear the NHL had no interest in returning to Canada.
Poirier was also reportedly ready to spend $800 million to secure another team, but someone else, likely the Seattle Kraken, made a better offer. Despite having the financial backing, a solid arena & a passionate fanbase, Quebec City remains without an NHL team. For now it seems the league is more focused on growing the game in the US leaving Canadian fans in Quebec waiting.
