Multiple NHL stars call for an expansion team in Quebec City!

For as long as I can remember there has been a vocal contingent of hockey fans that have been demanding the return of a National Hockey League franchise to Quebec City. Quebec City is the former home of the Quebec Nordiques, an NHL team that operated there between 1979 and 1995 when it was moved to Denver, Colorado and rebranded as the Colorado Avalanche, and many have felt that the city and it's fans are deserving of a hockey team once again.

While it's one thing to hear the conversation take place among fans, its another matter entirely when players currently in the league also state their case for a return to the home of the Nordiques. Recently ESPN writer Greg Wyshynski caught up with a number of NHL players during the All-Star Game and asked them where they would like to see the NHL expand next, and a surprisingly large number of those players responded by pointing to Quebec City.

"I got to play in Quebec at the [2016] World Cup of Hockey for an exhibition game," revealed Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau as per ESPN. "They had awesome fans, it was a great city to play in. So I think that'd be pretty cool."

Troy Terry of the Anaheim Ducks cited the fact that the city has a brand new arena as a reason to give Quebec City an expansion team.

"I went to Quebec City when I was a peewee," said Terry. "That was always a city I found really cool. I think there's even a new rink there now. But regardless, just the city and the history and everything I found really cool."

Canadian Nazem Kadri, who currently plays for the Calgary Flames, also suggest that Quebec City could be a good fit, although admittedly he did include some other options as well.

"Anywhere in Canada, really," said Kadri. "Quebec is always intriguing to a lot of people, but I'd like to see it in a bigger town too, maybe like Houston. Expand the game and market the game in a big state."

Like Kadri, Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets also tossed Quebec City out as a potential nomination while also throwing out some other candidates that he would like to see.

"It would be nice to see more teams in Canada," admitted Morrissey. "Quebec City has been wanting one for a while. I've heard Houston tossed around. When I played in the minors, Austin was a great city that's growing like crazy too."

The fans want it. It seems like even the players want it. The only thing that needs to happen now is for the NHL's owners to want it as well.