The meeting scheduled between the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, and the commissioner of the NHL to talk about a potential return of the Nordiques to Quebec will take place Thursday morning, in a virtual manner.
The information was first reported by The duty and was subsequently confirmed at Journal, both by the NHL and by a member of the minister’s office.
“We are looking forward to this meeting and we are happy to be listening,” Assistant Commissioner Bill Daly replied via email, when asked to express his expectations.
The Parliamentary Bureau has meanwhile obtained confirmation that Bettman and his right-hand man Daly will represent the NHL, while Mr. Girard and his Deputy Minister Pierre Côté will speak on behalf of Quebec at this meeting.
As to whether the one who is nicknamed the “Minister of the Nordics” will make himself available at the end of the meeting with the monks of the National League to give his impressions, his cabinet informed the Journal that “it is not planned at the moment”.
The Nordiques left for Colorado in May 1995 and the government would like to convince circuit leaders that Quebec’s economy is stronger than it was then.
Not in New York
It was during the summer that Mr. Girard was mandated by Prime Minister Legault to work on this file. The information was spread in November and the opposition parties quickly denounced what they saw as a diversionary method so that the government was less hounded in its management of the pandemic.
Initially, the meeting was to take place in New York, at the offices of the NHL, but COVID-19 thwarted plans. The spread of the Omicron variant has chilled the parties involved.
Bettman does not promise anything
In December, during the NHL Governors’ meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., Bettman alluded to the meeting.
“I don’t know what the expectations are [du gouvernement] and that is why there is a meeting. Do not try to deduce anything. After the meeting, I’ll be happy to tell you what has or has not happened, ”he said.
Faithful to his habits, he had taken care not to rekindle the flame of the enthusiasts of the return of the Nordics.
“The problem is still the same. Do we have a team that wants to move? At present, this is not the case. Will we want to do another expansion? As we speak, we don’t have that wish. I am going to have this meeting and I am happy to listen to what the Government of Quebec has to tell me, ”he explained.