Fansided

Gary Bettman explains why Quebec City didn’t get NHL expansion team

By Jason Parker

Jun 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at a press conference with the Stanley Cup before game one of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final between the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at a press conference with the Stanley Cup before game one of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final between the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gave two reasons why Quebec City did not get an expansion team while one was awarded to Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, the first professional sports team was given to the city of Las Vegas when the NHL announced that it was granting an expansion franchise to the city known for show girls and slot machines and not a lot of ice and toothless Europeans with sticks.

Along with the city in the desert, the thought was that the NHL may have also given a franchise to Quebec City, who has been talking about wanting to bring a franchise back for the first time since the Quebec Nordiques up and left to become the Colorado Avalanche over two decades ago.

After announcing Las Vegas’ new home town team (which could be joined by a NFL team and a MLB franchise before it’s all said and done), NHL commissioner Gary Bettman explained the two reasons why the country of Canada was turned down…money and location:

"…The fluctuation of the Canadian dollar throughout the process, including its decline to a low of 68 cents this year was a factor.Unfortunately the state and volatility of the Canadian dollar undermined the achievement of that objective relative to the Quebec City. Moreover, the league’s geographic imbalance with 16 teams already in the Eastern Conference and 14 — now to be 15 — teams in the Western Conference undermined the achievement of that objective relative to Quebec City’s application, as well."

The money thing is something over my pay grade here at FanSided to figure out, so we’ll just assume Bettman knows what he’s talking about with that.

As for the conference factor, there is a very simple formula: Move the Detroit Red Wings back to the Western Conference (where they belong with their natural rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks) and all of a sudden you have 16 teams in each conference.

It has been a sad year for Canadian hockey, from not having a playoff team to being turned down in favor of a city known for $1.99 lobster and the mafia.

For more NHL news, check out our NHL hub page.

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