NHL followers in Gatineau, Quebec, are disenchanted they weren’t allowed to attend a Montreal Canadiens watch party of their metropolis’s enviornment as a result of the venue is positioned too near the house of the Habs’ Atlantic division rivals, the Ottawa Senators.
A petition opposing the cancellation of Saturday’s occasion at Gatineau’s Slush Puppie Centre between the Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes has drawn almost 6,500 signatures.
Among the many signatories is Katie Labonté, 37, who bought three tickets for herself and her sons and was trying ahead to experiencing the sport alongside different followers.
“It is too unhealthy … we noticed movies of followers on the Bell Centre and it actually seemed enjoyable,” stated Labonté, referring to latest playoff watch parties at the Habs’ home arena when the staff was taking part in in Buffalo within the second spherical.
Wassim Aboutanos, who was behind the petition and headed a bunch that helped plan the Gatineau watch get together, urged the NHL to permit Gatineau Habs followers to share in the playoff atmosphere.
“Everyone needs to assist the Montreal Canadiens,” he stated.
Aboutanos stated organizers thought they’d the inexperienced mild to go forward when TVA Sports activities, the French-language broadcaster holding NHL rights in Quebec, had licensed the occasion.
However Aboutanos stated that roughly quarter-hour after the ticket sale launched, the NHL knowledgeable his group that the Gatineau enviornment was positioned inside the territory wherein the Senators have unique advertising rights.
“We weren’t given actual affirmation of the gap, nevertheless it gave the impression to be a radius of about 50 miles, so roughly 80 kilometres, across the Senators’ enviornment,” he stated.
The Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau is about 35 kilometres from the Senators’ enviornment on the Canadian Tire Centre.
Aboutanos stated the NHL instructed organizers that regardless that they obtained the go-ahead from TVA Sports activities, the league’s approval was nonetheless required. He stated he contacted the Senators group, which instructed him the matter was an NHL resolution and that the staff would not assist set up “a Canadiens get together in our yard.”
“We had a number of exchanges with the NHL and the Senators, however we finally stopped the ticket sale,” he stated.
Neither the NHL nor the Senators, who had been swept by Carolina within the first spherical of the playoffs, responded to requests for remark. The Canadiens didn’t want to touch upon the state of affairs.
Aboutanos stated about 400 tickets had been offered earlier than the occasion was cancelled, including that every one proceeds had been supposed for a neighborhood psychological well being group referred to as Le Boulev’Artwork de la Vallée. The tickets had been refunded, he stated.
“Relying on attendance, it will have generated between $2,000 and $20,000, with the upper finish based mostly on a full crowd of about 4,000 followers,” stated Aboutanos.
Jean-François Mother or father, government director of Le Boulev’Artwork de la Vallée, stated the cancellation was disappointing, including that the occasion would have been a significant alternative to assist his group.
“We additionally do not see how this might be seen as penalizing an Ontario staff when the Senators did not even make it to the (japanese) ultimate,” Mother or father added.
Aboutanos stated the group is contemplating subsequent steps, together with sending the petition to the NHL and the Senators.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Might 25, 2026.
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