NHL Expansion: Quebec City's Bid Held Back by Ownership Group

The National Hockey League (NHL) has been exploring expansion opportunities for years, and Quebec City remains one of its top targets. However, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly revealed that a major obstacle preventing the city from securing an expansion franchise is the lack of a willing ownership group.

Daly spoke on The Eye Test Podcast, stating that the league has maintained active interest in the Quebec market for over a decade and has explored potential expansion opportunities alongside Las Vegas. He emphasized that the biggest issue with Quebec City is finding an owner who can commit to paying the price to acquire a team or operate it long-term.

While economic concerns like the Canadian dollar exchange rate are often cited as barriers for Canadian markets, Daly noted that the league considers the broader sport state in Canada to be fundamentally sound. He acknowledged that challenges exist but believes the state of hockey in Canada is strong.