Quebec National Assembly wants fans in Gatineau to be able to watch the Canadiens at Centre Slush Puppie

The Ottawa Senators' Jake Sanderson defends against the Montreal Canadiens' Jayden Struble during a game in December 2025. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

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The Battle in Quebec continues to rage.

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After the organizers of the watch party in Gatineau of the Eastern Conference final between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes put tickets on sale, they were forced to cancel the sales because the National Hockey League didn’t green-light the event.

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Politicians from both sides of the floor at the National Assembly in Quebec City came together on Tuesday to unanimously pass a motion to urge the NHL to allow Canadiens playoff games to be broadcast at supervised public gatherings in Gatineau and elsewhere in the Outaouais region.

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The NHL rules state that teams own the regional territorial rights within 80 kilometres of their city limits, which means the league is simply acting in the best interests of the Ottawa Senators in this case.

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Organizers planned to sell seats to the event, which was to be held at the 4,000-seat Centre Slush Puppie, which is located 40-kilometres from the Canadian Tire Centre.

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“I think this is a serious mistake,” Transport Minister and Gatineau MP Steven MacKinnon told reporters on Parliament Hill on Wednesday.

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The Habs faced the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the series on Wednesday night at home.

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The motion at the National Assembly was tabled by Parti Québécois MNA Pascal Bérubé, who stated that hockey is “a powerful symbol of our sporting and francophone culture throughout Quebec.”

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He asked the NHL to “reconsider its decision and allow the playoffs to be broadcast at supervised and accessible gatherings in Gatineau and elsewhere in the Outaouais region.”

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“This motion will be sent to the president of the National League,” Bérubé said.

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As noted in this space last week, if the Buffalo Sabres had advanced to the East final instead of the Habs, a group in St. Catharines wouldn’t be allowed to hold a watch party in that city because it’s part of the Toronto Maple Leafs region.

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The Senators have no comment and have referred all questions on this matter to the NHL’s headquarters.

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“We appreciate the passion and excitement surrounding the Stanley Cup Playoffs,” a league spokesperson from the NHL’s head office in New York said in a statement sent to the Ottawa Citizen on May 21.

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“However, this planned event, organized by an independent promoter, never received the necessary authorization required by the NHL, Senators or Canadiens for large showings of our games.”

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This motion likely won’t change anything because the National Assembly doesn’t govern the league.

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Organizers from the Grands Feux du Casino Lac-Leamy had partnered with the Festival Outaouais en fête and Vision Multisports Outaouais (VSMO) to show the game.

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The arena is home to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Gatineau Olympiques, and it’s an area where the Senators are trying to gain a foothold to help grow their fan base.

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The Ottawa Citizen confirmed last month that Andlauer, who was a partner in the ownership of the Habs before buying the Senators, had had discussions with the owners of the Olympiques about buying a portion of the franchise.

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_ With files from the Montreal Gazette

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