Thanks to a report out of Montreal on Friday afternoon the Carolina Hurricanes relocation rumors have started to surface once again.
It has not taken long for the Hurricanes to respond and do their part to silence them, at least for now.
Hurricanes president Don Waddell said on Friday night, via Chip Alexander of the News & Observer, that “any relocation rumor is false and that nothing has changed from a year ago.”
He also added that team owner Peter Karmanos has not turned down an offer for the team and that the financial health of the team is in its best shape ever.
This response was prompted after 98.5 sports in Montreal reported earlier in the day that Karmanos is looking to get his money out of the team and sell it, even if that means the team relocates.
No matter what Waddell, Gary Bettman, Peter Karmanos or anybody else has to say on the subject these rumors and reports are probably always going to surface as long as a city like Quebec City has an empty arena without an NHL tenant and the Hurricanes sit at the bottom of the league’s attendance sheet. Given that the league is expanding by only one team next season -- the yet-to-be-named Las Vegas team -- relocation will continue to be a big talking point for cities desperate for a team.
The Hurricanes moved to Carolina before the 1997-98 season after spending 18 seasons in Hartford.