Québec Chronicles III - Hockey

One of the few splashes of black and red visible at a Québec Remparts match (Credit: Evan Richards)

Worth much more than the occasional mention in a linguistics class, Québec is a province defined by rich traditions of literature, film and music, as well as an incredibly strong sense of identity. Tired of being asked whether he “really wanted to do his year abroad there”, Evan Richards started this column to illuminate a culture ignored by the curriculum, drawing on stories from his year abroad in la Capitale Nationale (and occasional travels around the continent).

Though my column has mostly focused on the arts, it would be downright negligent to ignore hockey. The one thing that unites Canadians from all provinces and backgrounds, hockey is a cultural institution, a shared language and a source of both pride and heartbreak. In Québec, hockey takes on an even deeper significance. While the Montreal Canadiens have long been the face of professional hockey in the province, the departure of the Québec Nordiques in 1995 left a lasting void – one that some hope may soon be filled in an unexpected way…

The Montreal Canadiens, known affectionately as “Les Habs” (short for habitants, the early settlers in Québec), are one of the most storied franchises in hockey history. With 24 Stanley Cup championships to their name, they are not just a team, but a symbol of French-Canadian resilience and excellence in a league that has historically been dominated by anglophone institutions. Though they have been struggling recently to rebuild the team and restore such success, the Canadiens are nonetheless viewed as la Sainte-Flanelle (Saint-Flannel, after their original jersey material): a near-sacred representation of Québec’s place in the hockey world. However, while the Canadiens remain beloved across the province, they are ultimately Montreal’s team. For many in Québec City and beyond, Montreal’s increasingly bilingual, cosmopolitan identity does not always reflect the broader Francophone culture that defines much of the province. That’s where the Nordiques once came in.

One of the first friends I made in Québec invited me to a local hockey game and, when I asked why no one was wearing Remparts gear, she just laughed. That was my first clue I was missing something. I didn’t recognise the logo surrounding us in the stands; the sea of blue made no sense when the Remparts de Québec sport red and black. Eventually, she let me in on the secret: nearly 30 years after its departure, fans still can’t let go of Québec’s former NHL team. 

From 1972 to 1995, the Nordiques were more than an NHL franchise – they were a counterweight to the Canadiens,  a team that allowed the provincial capital to stand on its own in the hockey world. Their rivalry with the Canadiens was legendary, particularly during the 1980s, when playoff matchups turned into full-scale cultural battles between the province’s two largest cities. When the Nordiques left for Colorado in 1995 due to financial troubles, becoming the Avalanche and winning a Stanley Cup just a year later, it was a gut punch to the city and its fans. Québec City has never truly moved on from losing its team and, despite years of speculation and hope, no NHL franchise has returned.

While NHL expansion has remained elusive, another hockey movement is bringing fresh excitement to Québec. The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), launched in 2023, quickly established itself as a major force in the sport and its Montreal franchise is already making waves. As another point of Francophone representation, the team is officially named La Victoire de Montréal or the Montreal Victoire – keeping the French intact even in English rather than translating it. This choice reinforces the team’s cultural identity, ensuring that Québec’s presence in the league is unmistakably tied to its language and heritage.

Montreal vs Toronto broke the world record for attendance of a women’s hockey match (Credit: Evan Richards)

As the league showcases some of the best players in the world, the presence of Montreal Victoire has reignited discussions about representation in Québec hockey, especially because of one player: Marie-Philip Poulin. Often described as the world’s best women’s hockey player, Poulin hails from Beauceville, just an hour south of Québec City. Her presence in the league has sparked hope that Québec City could once again have a professional team – this time, in the women’s game.

That hope only grew when the Victoire faced Ottawa Charge in a neutral match at the Centre Vidéotron in Québec City this January. The energy in the arena was electric, as if the city was being reintroduced to something it had been missing for years. Among the players on the ice was Catherine Dubois, who grew up in Charlesbourg, just minutes from the arena, further deepening the local connection. A staggering 18,259 fans packed the stands, an overwhelming show of support (particularly considering Montreal’s home arena has a capacity of 10,000) that reignited discussions about Québec City as a potential home for PWHL expansion.

This momentum isn’t new, either. Just last year, Montreal played Toronto at the Bell Centre (the Canadiens’ arena) in front of a sold-out crowd of 21,105 fans, breaking the world record for attendance at a women’s hockey game. With demand for women’s hockey continuing to soar, Québec City’s enthusiastic reception to the recent match against Ottawa suggests that a new chapter in the province’s hockey history might be closer than ever.

In a province where hockey is interwoven with culture, language and identity, the return of major league professional hockey to Québec City would be more than just a sports story. It would be a moment of reclamation, a statement that the province’s second city still belongs on the biggest stages. For now, fans wait, watch and hope that soon, the sound of skates carving through the ice will once again echo through la Vieille Capitale, carrying with it the pride of an entire province.

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Québec Chronicles II - Theatre and Identity