A hockey town: Inside the push to bring pro women’s hockey back to Quebec City

The anticipation is building in Quebec City as the Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge are set to skate out to a packed Videotron Centre on Sunday. This game marks the culmination of more than a year’s worth of work to bring professional women’s hockey to the city, and for those involved in the process, it is a momentous occasion.

Quebec City has made a strong pitch to the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) as a potential expansion location. The city possesses several attributes that make it an ideal candidate, including its geographical location, a passionate fan base, and an arena in Videotron Centre that was purposefully built with the idea of hosting a professional hockey team.

Martin Tremblay, the president of Gestev, the company that manages and operates Videotron Centre, has been actively engaged in discussions with the PWHL regarding expansion. With fewer than 1,000 tickets remaining for Sunday’s game, it is evident that the city is eager to embrace women’s hockey.

Quebec City is one of nine stops on the PWHL’s Takeover Tour, which aims to showcase the league in various cities across North America. The tour has already visited cities like Seattle, Vancouver, and Denver, drawing significant crowds and generating excitement for women’s hockey.

The push to bring a PWHL team to Quebec City began in 2023, with Quebec City councilor Jackie Smith leading the charge. Smith recognized the city’s rich hockey history and the strong economic support it could provide for a professional team. She believes that Quebec City is well-equipped to support a women’s hockey team and hopes that this game will be the first of many in the city.

Quebec City has not been home to a women’s professional team in over 15 years, but there is a growing interest in women’s hockey in the region. Laurence Beaulieu, the director of women’s hockey in Quebec City, has witnessed a significant increase in girls’ participation in the sport and is proud of the progress being made.

The potential expansion to Quebec City presents both opportunities and challenges for the PWHL. While the city has a strong hockey culture and a supportive fan base, it is also the smallest market in the league. However, the league is actively exploring the possibility of expansion and is in discussions with various stakeholders to gather more information.

As the PWHL continues its Takeover Tour and explores the potential for expansion, Quebec City remains a promising candidate for a professional women’s hockey team. The excitement surrounding Sunday’s game at Videotron Centre is a testament to the city’s enthusiasm for the sport and its desire to be a part of the growing women’s hockey movement.