Quebec City has the 7th largest metropolitan area in Canada and their QMJHL club, the Quebec Remparts averaged close to 10,000 fans per game during the 2023-24 season according to HockeyDB, which led the entire Canadian Hockey League. The Remparts did this despite finishing with the second worst record in the QMJHL in a rebuilding year after their Memorial Cup championship the previous season.
Canadian Hockey League Average Attendance 2023-24
Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) – 9840
Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) – 8368
Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) – 7401
Kitchener Rangers (OHL) – 6261
Looking back at the Remparts Memorial Cup run in 2022-23, they drew a maximum capacity crowd of 18,259 in all three of their Home Games Vs Halifax in the league final. This is more than 20 NHL teams averaged this past season with only 12 NHL teams averaging a higher attendance.
When Quebec last had an NHL team, the Nordiques struggled at times to fill their arena, but absence has made the collective heart grow fonder. This is why Quebec City will continue to make its voice heard as a location that deeply desires another NHL team.
Of all the cities in the running for an NHL expansion team, Quebec City arguably has the most NHL-ready infrastructure right now and history of loving the game, even if there remain other questions about corporate support, the Canadian dollar and more. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see a rekindled rivalry between Quebec City and Montreal?
It is time for the NHL to seriously consider bringing an expansion franchise back to Quebec City.