TORONTO

As the structure rises higher with every passing day, so do the hopes of Quebec City hockey fans clamouring for the return of the Nordiques.

No longer just a hole-in-the-ground surrounded by cranes, trucks and, of course, dirt, the Quebecor Arena continues to take shape, fuelling optimism that the projected opening date of Sept. 2015 will be met.

On Tuesday, Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume was joined by Pierre Dion, president and CEO of Quebecor Media, for a visit of the construction site.

Decked out in safety hard hats, they toured the impressive facility which one day both men are striving to see house a National Hockey League franchise.

For his part, Dion still harbours visions of the NHL making a return to Quebec City through the new state-of-the art facility, a $400-million, 18,000-seat arena that is a public-private partnership between Quebec City and Quebecor Media Inc., owner of QMI Agency, Sun Media and Sun News Network. If everything were to fall into place perfectly, Dion would love to see a franchise in place ready to take the ice when the complex opens in 15 months.

“You know that our intentions haven’t changed,” Dion told the QMI Agency on Tuesday. “We are more enthusiastic than ever.

“We are working very hard ... We haven’t hidden our intentions. The goals remain the same.”

While commissioner Gary Bettman has treaded carefully when it comes to answering questions about expansion talk, we do know this: Markets with state-of-the-art arenas certainly are a step ahead in the league’s mind — a large step at that.

If Quebec City builds it, will they come? Well, the city and Quebecor are doing their part to have the rink ready.

“We’re very proud of our 25-year management contract (for the arena),” Dion said. “Naturally, we have a number of projects in this management deal. We want offer an arena to the public that they’ll feel attached to. We have several shows, sports and naturally, we hope to have the Nordiques.

“It’s a project very near and dear to my heart. Those who know a bit about my childhood, I played hockey even up to the university level. It’s a passion of mine. When I launched TVA Sports, I was able to combine my passion for management with my passion for sports and I hope to be able to do it with the Nordiques as well. So it’s a project that’s personal for me.”

He isn’t alone in that desire.

Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney is said to be helping to lead the charge to bring the Nordiques back to Quebec.

Back in March, Labeaume noted that Mulroney, who reportedly is on the verge of becoming board chairman of Quebecor this month, is a key player in the attempts to land a second NHL franchise for the province of Quebec.

“Commissioner Bettman and (ex-)prime minister Mulroney have spoken directly for quite some time, without intermediaries,” Labeaume said three months ago.

The effort is there. And so, too, is the building, which continues to evolve.

RINGING THE BELL



When it comes to the upcoming world juniors, Team Canada will call Montreal its home base for the preliminary round.

The tournament, which will be hosted by both Montreal and Toronto, will see Canada in Group A, meaning they’ll face Slovakia Dec. 26; versus Germany Dec. 27; Dec. 29 against Finland; and Dec. 31 for their now-traditional New Year’s Eve game against the United States. All those games will be held at the Bell Centre.

Group B preliminary round games featuring Sweden, Russia, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Switzerland will take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Canada’s elimination games and medal round contests will be held at the ACC. The gold medal game goes there on Jan. 5.

OH, BABY!

As expected, broadcast legend Bob Cole will be part of Rogers’ incoming cache of play-by-play talent for next season. Also included are Hockey Night In Canada’s Jim Hughson; former TSN CFL expert Dave Randorf, who has called Habs games for the network along with events such as the world hockey championship: and Paul Romanuk, the fine broadcaster who returns to Canada after an almost decade-long stint in Britain.

As for the future of Don Cherry, it rests with Grapes himself, Rogers’ president Keith Pelley said.

“This is Don’s decision and that’s what we told to Don,” Pelley said, adding tha “Don is iconic. Walk down the streets with Don Cherry, there’s not a more famous and respected Canadian.”

LAST MINUTE OF PLAY

After authoring an outstanding Memorial Cup between the pipes last month for the Val-d’Or Foreurs, 20-year-old goaltender Antoine Bibeau was inked to a three-year entry-level contract by the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Bibeau was named the outstanding goaltender at the Memorial Cup in London where he had a 2.76 goals against average and .932 save percentage.