When the Quebec Nordiques were still a part of the NHL, they had a love/hate relationship with the Boston Bruins. Their games would be hard fought and occasionally bloody affairs. The only thing that Nordiques and Bruins fans could agree on is that they hated the Montreal Canadiens more than each other.
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Quebec City should be the next city to get a NHL expansion team. They’ve got the right market, they’ve got a stadium built and ready to go, and the province of Quebec has a fantastic fan base that is more than willing to bring the franchise home.
Unfortunately, Gary Bettman and the front office don’t seem to see it that way. In Bettman’s mind, he seems to believe that more hockey in the desert is a fantastic idea. (Perhaps he still seems to forget that the last such foray into desert hockey cost the league over half a billion dollars when the Arizona (formerly Phoenix) Coyotes found themselves in receivership. While Las Vegas seems the likely new city for a NHL team, it seems that the NHL is entirely giving up on Quebec City.
The NHL announced that the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will play a preseason NHL game at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City on Oct. 4, 2016. While it’s just another page in the storied rivalry between two of the oldest clubs in the National Hockey League, it may be more than that.
The slumping Canadian dollar was the biggest reason why Bettman and company put the temporary kibosh of bring the Nordiques back to Quebec City. If the Videotron can achieve sellout or near-sellout status at this event, it may be the signal to the NHL front office that Quebec City is ready to come back to the NHL family (Here’s a tip, Mr. Bettman, THEY ARE!).
The last time the Bruins and the Canadiens squared off in Quebec City was the 2009-10 preseason. Tuukka Rask helped the Black and Gold earn a 2-1 win. It would be nice to see history repeat itself when the B’s take on their ancient enemy in the home of a potential new enemy (and ally) this October.