Is Quebec City ready to welcome back the Nordiques? Part Trois

There is a bug buzz in town these days as things start to move faster towards the return of an NHL franchise back in Quebec City. Last week, Radio hosts Denis Gravel and Jerome Landry of CHOI Radio X, launched a Quebec Nordiques fan club called Nordiques Nation, a Website dedicated to show political authorities how serious people are about the construction of a new Colisee in Quebec City in order to bring back the Nordiques and to make possible a bid for the Winter Olympics.

After only a few days of operation the fan club has already reached 32,000 members even though, there isn’t any professional team in town. And other fans have organized different events to engage other hockey fans, politicians, and public figures such as La Marche Bleue (The Blue March) that will occur on October 2nd, 2010 at 1PM on the Abraham Plains in downtown Quebec City. You can also follow the event on Twitter

Also, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has urge Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper to commit personally to helping Quebec City build a new hockey arena after Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume have shown their support to the cause.

Duceppe added Wednesday that a new arena is critical for Quebec City to have any chance of landing another NHL team and playing host to the 2022 Winter Olympics. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed the above statement at the World Hockey Summit in Toronto this week when asked the question. He said the construction of a new arena is mandatory if Quebec City wants the return of a NHL franchise in town.

Several hockey figures also gave their support to the cause. Former Detroit Red Wings and new Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said that the city of Quebec deserve a NHL hockey team.

“Things have changed since the Nordiques left, said Yzerman while in Toronto during the World Hockey Summit. Quebec is a good market that would be able to support an NHL team. The current economy favors small markets.”

Players also showed their support as new Tampa Bay Lightning player Simon Gagne said: “I am convinced that Quebec City’s new Arena would be full capacity every game.” Columbus Blue Jackets centre Antoine Vermette was also positive yesterday while interviewed on CHOI Radio X. Vermette said that more and more NHLers are talking about the return of the Nordiques and Jets in Winnipeg. He added that players don’t like to play in empty arenas in southern cities like Atlanta and Phoenix.

The Ernst & Young feasibility study on a multi-functional arena, which was delivered earlier this summer to the regional Minister Sam Hamad, received positive feedback from Hamad. The Minister was very enthusiastic about the report. “I think these are good news. It’s a favorable report.”

You can read more about the study here Is Quebec City ready to welcome back the Nordiques? Part One and here Is Quebec City ready to welcome back the Nordiques? Part Deux

While we’re still waiting to hear Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s answer on the return of the Nordiques to Quebec City, below you will find a nice History Will Be Made Video:

Harper is currently on a business trip in the Canadian Arctic to consolidate Canada’s relationship with its arctic neighbors.

Finally, the Montreal Canadiens will face the New York Islanders at the Colisée Pepsi on October 2nd, 2010 for their final exhibition game before the 2010-11 NHL regular season begins.