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Gary Bettman avoids the subject of Quebec City
Credit: Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images
Yesterday, Gary Bettman announced major payroll news for 2024-2025. It will rise to $88 million.

A four-million-dollar bonus will give NHL teams more leeway to improve their clubs.

On Saturday night, on TVA Sports, Félix Séguin spoke with the NHL commissioner before the start of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

A number of topics were discussed, including the Four Nations Tournament, but one in particular caught the eye: Quebec City.

For several years, many fans, mainly in the provincial capital, have been hoping to see the Quebec Nordiques return to the NHL.

Félix Séguin asked Bettman if there was any news on Quebec City.

To this, the commissioner was quick to reply that there is no development, as if he absolutely wanted to avoid the subject.

“No news. If there was any breaking news, you (Félix Séguin) would be the first to know.” – Gary Bettman

Interesting enough that the TVA Sports analyst would be the first to know about a development on this subject, which is pretty touchy.

It seems to me that if news of this magnitude for Quebec had to be announced, Bettman wouldn’t go through Seguin, even though they seem to have a good relationship.

Afterwards, Séguin asked him how his meeting with Quebec Finance Minister Éric Girard had gone.

“We always have good, candid meetings. We’re very aware of his interest. There’s Quebec City, Atlanta, Houston and Kansas City. We’ve also heard about Ohama and Cincinnati. There’s no lack of interest [in the NHL]. So far, we’re not considering expansion.” – Gary Bettman

Several of these cities have been candidates for a long time, as has Quebec City, but others have been added in recent years.

If there is a new expansion team, it will be the city that offers the most to the NHL in the end, even if the candidate in question hasn’t been in discussions for very long.

Let’s wait and see if there are any new developments on NHL expansion, even if it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen any time soon.


In gusto

– The 21-year-old Spaniard becomes the youngest player in history to win a major tournament on three different surfaces.

– It wouldn’t be for Josh Anderson’s wedding after all, but the guys seem to be very happy all the same.

– What could be the return for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

– Things aren’t going well for the boxer.

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