Courtesy of (Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette &) Faceoff.com:

An NHL rebirth in Quebec?

"It's the kind of comment that will probably send shivers down commissioner Gary Bettman's spine, but I suspect Canadiens' Ryan O'Byrne was speaking for many NHLers when he was asked about the possibility of an NHL team in Quebec City.

"I'd love to play here," O'Byrne said after the Canadiens dropped a 2-1 decision to the Boston Bruins Sunday night before a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 15,141 at Le Colisée. "This beats playing someplace in the (southern United States) where it looks like there's a hundred people in the stands."

...I'm laughing. I'm laughing really hard.

Yup!

Just keepin' it real, Bettman.

(I can imagine the twerp scrambling to see if he can institute a fine or suspension.)

Man that arena is amazing. Stopped off there for some pics on the way back from MTL last March and the place seems loud even when empty! The seats litterally are right over the ice it seems. Not a comfortable seat in the house but amazing sight lines EVERYWHERE!

I think the league (under different leadership of course) should really consider bringing hockey back to places like Quebec city and Winnipeg (they have a new rink...just add about 3000 more seats and they're good to go) for the next round of expansion. These places need the game and I really think if given the chance it could sell! Also, the Battle of Quebec would be awesome!

A lot will say, "They had teams before and what happened?" But so did Minnisota, Atlanta and Colorado. Now look at those places? All (except) for Atlanta are selling out every game.

Put the teams back where they were NHL, and you'll see fans coming out of the woodworks!

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

The Nordiques - Canadiens rivalry was brutal. Epic! What a terrible loss of a rabid fan-base.

Or, if you're Gary Bettman: Next stop Oklahoma City!

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

"Sooner" Hockey? Ultra Lamesauce.

Funny how Bettman hasn't dared to expand into Seattle. Apparently, the Canucks won't allow it...even though there's no territorial veto in the NHL.

How about expanding down into Mexico? The Coyotes could turn into the Tijuana Tequila Worms

I always thought Seattle would be the perfect spot for a team since I lived there in the 90's. Nice healthy city with the Cannucks a couple hours away for a good rivalry. Young population that could really embrace the sport and support a team.

Quebec lacks two things; an adequate arena, and an owner with deep enough pockets. These are the two things that cost them the Nordiques.

A franchise there would thrive, easily selling out, were these elements in place.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Marry me, Ryan?

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

Surrender Dorothy.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

personally, I wish the NHL had no teams South of West Virginia.

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The Lounge Rat

at least this time bettman is doing some sort of research instead of just putting a team in say phoenix and telling the people to go support the team. though i'm sure he didn't mean to do research.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

what about portland? they have a nice facility (rose garden) and they love the winterhawks...

seattle though, now that the sonics are gone, would be IDEAL for an NHL franchise. key arena wasnt that bad, but it wasnt built for a hockey rink. they have to close one end of the stands and push them and fold them in to fit the rink on the floor.

and what a sweet fuckin logo this is.

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I have a feeling that Bettman would much rather having a team in Quebec City (or Winnipeg) as opposed to in Hamilton.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

To be honest not me, some of the southern teams are doing just fine.

Without teams South of West Virginia, the people who fled the north wouldn't see hockey at all, and with those continuing to flee south, the knowledge of hockey grows. Because they have kids and they get into either the Northern Team or they get into the local team. Of course it won't be as big as the North since it is harder to play outside just in the winter, but it grows. You need to give a team at least one generation of say around 20 years before you call it completely unsuccessful.

That one generation gets into hockey from their northern Parents, thus their kids of say a very young age will get into hockey.

My kids will be in hockey, and they aren't going to ever be born in the North.

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they have hockey in the south. its call the ECHL and AHL. sorry, i dont care if there are snowbirds in the south who want hockey. thats not good enough to warrent sub par fan bases in places like surise, florida, or atlanta, or north carolina. im sure there are a few die hard fans down there, im sure there would be die hard fans if they placed a team in argentina. doesnt mean there should be a team down there.

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Who's going to watch hockey up north when there is no one left there?

Tampa has done pretty damn well with their team, Dallas is doing great, Raleigh is doing just fine, and the California teams are doing just fine, maybe not LA as much but still San Jose and Anaheim.

I'm glad Bettman expanded down south, because the Northerners who moved can watch their favorite teams play. I would never drive 700 miles to watch the Sabres play hockey, I would drive 30 to watch them come here and play instead, and I can see every other team I want to because of it, and I would miss hockey if I couldn't easily see it live.

Just because the fanbase isn't as strong as some of the northern teams does not warrant anything bad, it takes time to get a fanbase in a place that isn't a traditional market.

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Man when I was down there after they won the Cup I tried to get a set of cards for the season and no one had any. They had PGA cards, NASCAR cards, Football and Baseball but not a single pack of hockey cards...right after a Cup win none the less. Yeah tons of fans down there.

do to a lack of attention, I failed to notice that you Sky are South of West Virginia. And you make a valid point. So I retract my previous statement.

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The Lounge Rat