Pierre-Karl Péladeau will never forgive Gary Bettman for publicly stating that he had never received an offer from him for the return of the Nordiques to Quebec.
In a powerful interview with Hockey30, Quebec media mogul Sylvain Chamberland defended Pierre-Karl Péladeau in the face of scathing attacks from the NHL commissioner.
The former vice-president of Quebecor Media went to the front to defend Péladeau in the face of the controversy that is shaking the world of hockey and the Quebec media universe.
Sylvain Chamberland is one of the greatest in the Quebec media world. He is also the former director of information at TVA and -. Founder of Arsenal Media, owner of 26 radio stations in Quebec, when this man speaks…we listen.
Remember that Bettman added fuel to the fire by loudly asserting that Péladeau never submitted a concrete offer to bring an NHL team to Quebec, not even during the official 2015 bid.
During his press conference at the Bell Center before the game between the Canadiens and the Penguins on October 14, Bettman was simply scathing:
“No one has presented a serious plan, with the necessary money, to bring a team back to Quebec. It’s never been done. »
This statement hit hard, shattering Péladeau’s credibility and sowing doubt about his true intentions.
Bettman insisted that the doors of the league are not closed to Quebec, but that the minimum conditions for a serious candidacy have never been met:
“What is missing is an investor capable of supporting this project in the long term. So far, no group meets the requirements. »
Faced with these accusations, Pierre-Karl Péladeau responded during a subsequent press briefing, calling Bettman’s comments simplistic and dishonest:
“Quebecor has invested hundreds of millions in the Videotron Center and in TVA Sports to demonstrate our seriousness.
To say that we have done nothing is an insult not only to me, but to all Quebecers who dream of the return of the Nordiques. »
The tensions between Bettman and Péladeau are not new. Since the 2015 candidacy, where Quebec officially submitted a file to obtain an expansion franchise, relations between the two men have deteriorated.
Bettman then preferred to grant a team to Las Vegas, a decision seen as a betrayal by Quebec fans.
According to sources close to the matter, Bettman always saw Péladeau as a problematic potential partner, considering him too unpredictable and difficult to control.
For his part, Péladeau has never hidden his contempt for Bettman, whom he considers to be an obstacle to the Nordiques’ dream.
These two will always hate each other. No matter how hard Péladeau tries, Bettman will never trust him.
It’s not just about money. There is clearly a personal dimension here. Bettman simply doesn’t want Péladeau as a partner.
This quarrel between Bettman and Péladeau only further pushes away the dream of seeing the Nordiques reborn. Quebec hockey fans, already disillusioned by past failures, find themselves caught in the middle of a battle of egos and personal conflicts that seem insurmountable.
The interview between Hockey30 and Sylvain Chamberland offered fascinating insight into the tensions between Pierre-Karl Péladeau and Gary Bettman, commissioner of the NHL.
Chamberland, founder of Arsenal Media and former high-level executive at TVA and -, brought a unique perspective on this controversy which is shaking the world of hockey and the Quebec media universe.
During his press conference at the Bell Center last October, Gary Bettman directly criticized the Quebec businessman, suggesting that Péladeau never had the financial means to bring back the Nordiques.
Bettman even insinuated that the absence of a concrete plan demonstrated a lack of seriousness on the part of the CEO of Quebecor.
These statements hit hard, calling into question the image of Péladeau as a potential savior of hockey in Quebec.
Bettman notably pointed out that no solid group of investors had emerged to date to meet the league’s demands, indirectly pointing the finger at the alleged instability of Quebecor.
Sylvain Chamberland got straight to the point in defending Pierre-Karl Péladeau in the following video clip:
He said Bettman’s comments were not only unfair, but intentionally destructive. He maintains that Quebecor did indeed have a coherent strategy to bring back the Nordiques, of which the creation of TVA Sports was an integral part.
Chamberland recalled that Péladeau had invested massively in the Videotron Center, a project which, according to him, illustrates Quebecor’s commitment to preparing the return of an NHL team.
You don’t build an infrastructure of this scale without a clear plan to attract a franchise.
It is also necessary to emphasize the personal aspect of this dispute.
Bettman’s contempt for Péladeau goes beyond financial considerations. It’s not just a question of money. Bettman never wanted Péladeau in the NHL ownership circle.
This contempt dates back to 2016, when the league preferred to grant an expansion team to Las Vegas rather than Quebec, despite the submission of an application by Quebecor.
Bettman sees Péladeau as a difficult personality, a man he cannot control, while the NHL’s official criteria often serve as a pretext to exclude candidates deemed incompatible with the culture of the league.
Although Chamberland vigorously defended Péladeau, he admitted that the astronomical costs of acquiring an NHL franchise pose a considerable challenge.
The entry fee for an expansion team now exceeds US$1 billion, not including annual operating expenses.
Bettman’s criticisms, while exaggerated, reveal an uncomfortable truth: Quebecor may not have fully assessed the financial and political requirements of becoming a team owner.
Chamberland nevertheless shares our vision: Quebec will never return to the NHL, because finding a group of investors capable of meeting the league’s expectations is simply impossible.
Without forgetting Bettman’s contempt for Quebec.
Chamberland, however, deplores the fact that Péladeau’s ambitions are systematically discredited by Bettman.
It’s time for the NHL to stop playing this political game and admit that it never gave Péladeau a fair chance.
Sylvain Chamberland’s interview reveals the extent to which the tensions between Gary Bettman and Pierre-Karl Péladeau go beyond the simple question of finances.
Behind the public declarations lies a struggle of egos and values which prevents the return of the Nordiques, to the great dismay of Quebec hockey fans.
While Quebec continues to wait for its “white knight” who will never come, to ask the question is to answer it: the NHL is not ready to overcome its prejudices to bring hockey back to the Old Capital.
And that’s not Péladeau’s fault.
