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The NHL’s Ottawa Senators will play two pre-season games at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City later this year, but owner Michael Andlauer has played down the possibility of the team relocating to the city.
The Senators will face off against the New Jersey Devils on September 28 before a matchup against the Montreal Canadiens on September 30. While in Quebec City, the Senators will hold public practice sessions and take part in community initiatives.
Videotron Centre opened in 2015 and has a capacity of over 18,000. Last year, the arena hosted two NHL pre-season games involving the Los Angeles Kings.
Quebec City was formerly home to NHL franchise the Nordiques from 1972 to 1995 before the team relocated to Colorado and rebranded as the Avalanche. Videotron Centre was developed chiefly to support Quebec City’s bid to regain an NHL team.
Andlauer believes playing in Quebec represents a growth opportunity for the Senators but he has ruled out relocating the franchise from Ottawa.
“Quebec deserves, in my opinion, an NHL team, but that will not be on my file,” he said, according to Sportsnet. “In the future, I hope we can play a few regular-season games in Quebec City. If we can play in Sweden, we should be able to play in Quebec City. That’s a decision the NHL must make.”
The Senators have been pursuing a new arena in Ottawa, and in September the team took a key step forward after announcing a land deal.
Capital Sports Development (CSDI), the company leading the project for the Senators, and the National Capital Commission announced an agreement in principle regarding the sale of land to bring a major events centre and arena district to LeBreton Flats.
Andlauer, a Toronto billionaire, completed his acquisition of the Senators in September 2023, promising to listen to fans when deciding on a location for a potential new arena. The Senators have played at the Canadian Tire Centre since the arena opened in 1996.
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