Senators turn their backs on Quebec City in new chapter of this saga

It was announced on Wednesday morning that the Ottawa Senators have entered a bit to host the 2023 World Junior Championship with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.

However, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the Senators organization chose to break away from plans to enter a bid with Quebec City.

This comes just days after La Presse reported last week that the Senators were discussing the possibility of playing five home games in Quebec City’s Videotron Centre next season. While the report was dismissed by Senators president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc, he specified at the time that the club has had discussions about a joint bid to host the World Juniors with Quebec City and while the possibility of the Senators playing neutral site games at the Videotron Centre was tabled by Quebec government officials during those discussions. But he was adamant that the negotiations never went any further.

As he goes on about the breaking news reports, Garrioch adds that the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads and the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League are allegedly working on a bid to host the tournament, as well as Vancouver and Victoria, B.C., London and Kitchener, Ont., and Regina and Saskatoon, Sask.

A lot of competition for the Senators, who decide to break away from Quebec and might therefore hinder their chances.

Hockey Canada is expected to decide on the host later this month.