NHL in negotiations for games to be played in Quebec City in 2022-23!

According to La Presse, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has spoken to the Quebec government about the possibility of the Ottawa Senators playing five of its home games at the Videotron Centre in the provincial capital next season.
This would be this ultimate audition for Quebec City to prove it can be a market for an NHL team.

“According to La Presse sources, it was Gary Bettman who himself put forward such a scenario during his virtual meeting with Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard in mid-January. And he seemed convinced that it would be done without too many obstacles, it is confided,” the report said in French.

“At the meeting, the great silversmith of the Legault government asked Bettman what could be done to demonstrate that Quebec City is a market for the NHL. The league commissioner then raised the idea of presenting a few games of a team’s season.”

The report and its details come out at a very odd time in the wake of Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk’s death from a lengthy illness Monday night, though Bettman had reportedly made the suggestion during a meeting with provincial officials Jan. 14, including finance minister Eric Girard.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun calls the timing ‘suspect’.

The talks are said to be preliminary at the moment, Quebec City officials would have to purchase the games from the Senators to host them at the Videotron Centre, but would get the chance to prove it can be a great market for the NHL.

Let’s see what happens next.