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The History of the Quebec Nordiques

A look at the Quebec Nordiques, from their start in the WHA to their hard luck years in the NHL

By Clyde E. DawkinsPublished about a year ago 6 min read
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My name is Clyde E. Dawkins, and I am a Quebec Nordiques fan. That was my team when I started following hockey at the age of seven. I was fascinated by the team names when I read them in the sports section. Whalers, North Stars, Flames, Islanders. I would see team names I saw in other sports: Rangers, Oilers, Jets. But the name that stood out the most to me was "Nordiques." At the time, I knew very little about hockey. Also, this was the early 1990s. As I would find out, I wouldn't have time to enjoy the Nordiques, as the team moved away in 1995. I would learn about hockey history and each team's history as I got older and after I got cable, making it easier to actually watch hockey. Because of this, I can properly detail the history of the Quebec Nordiques, as shaky as it is.

The Nordiques started off in the World Hockey Association in 1972, which was the year that the NHL's rival league debuted. The league only lasted for seven seasons, and was during the team's (as well as the league's) fifth year that the Nordiques won their only championship--the Avco Cup. The league ended up folding after the 1978-79 season, and as for the Nordiques, they were one of four teams who joined the NHL, along with the Edmonton Oilers, the Hartford Whalers, and the Winnipeg Jets.

The Stastny brothers: Marian, Peter, and Anton

When the Nordiques joined the NHL, it marked the league's first provincial rivalry: the Battle of Quebec with the Montréal Canadiens, which predated the Battle of Alberta by a year. Despite this, Quebec's two franchises didn't become division foes until the 1981-82 season, when the Habs moved to the Adams Division. The Nords' first stars in their NHL tenure were the famous Stastny brothers: Marian, Peter, and Anton. The latter two defected from the former Czechoslovakia and were signed by the Nords in 1980, while Marian followed suit a year later. In 737 games with the Nords, Peter Stastny scored 380 goals and racked up 668 assists, totalling 1,048 points, the highest point total in the history of the Nordiques.

The Nords finished last in the Adams Division in their first year in the NHL, but Year Two saw them in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, only to lose the Preliminary Round to the Philadelphia Flyers. That year would start a postseason streak for the Nords, as they qualified for the playoffs for seven straight seasons. The Nords reached the Wales Conference Final twice in 1982 and 1985, losing both times (swept by the New York Islanders in 1982, and lost in six games to the Flyers in 1985). Their first of only two division titles came in the 1985-86 season (the only time they won the Adams Division), but the playoffs saw them swept in the opening round by the Whalers.

Joe Sakic was drafted by the Nordiques in 1987

After a seven-game loss to the rival Canadiens in the Adams Division Final in 1987, the Nordiques would have two first-round picks in that year's draft. One of them, the 15th pick, was used to draft my all-time favorite player in the overall history of the franchise: Joseph Steven Sakic. He would be a huge player for the Nords, but the 1987-88 season would see the team finish in last place in the Adams Division, and fail to reach the playoffs for the first time since their first year in the NHL. This would start a five-year playoff drought that was marred with faulty play, and the drama surrounding the team drafting Eric Lindros, who had no desire to play for the Nords, in 1991. Famously, Lindros was traded a year later to the Flyers, and in return, the Nords received Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, two draft picks and $15 million American. One of those two draft picks became Jocelyn Thibault. More on all of this later.

The 1992-93 season ended up being the Nordiques' best in their 16 years in the NHL: 47 wins, 27 losses, 10 ties, 104 points--the only time the Nordiques cracked the century mark in points. Unfortunately, the Nords lost a six-game Adams Division Semifinal series to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, the Montréal Canadiens, in what would be the final playoff meeting between the two teams. After failing to reached the playoffs in the following year, which saw the conference and division names change to geographical titles, the shortened 1994-95 season saw the Nordiques finish first in the renamed Northeast Division, but they were upset in the opening round by the then-defending Stanley Cup Champions, the New York Rangers.

That season would be the Nordiques' last in Quebec. The team had financial problems during their last years, as well as problems dealing with rising player salaries and a weakening Canadian dollar. The language barrier was also an issue. Not only was Quebec City a very small market, it was primarily French, and had little to no Anglophone broadcast representation. All of these factors resulted in the Nordiques leaving Quebec City and heading to the centerpiece of the Rocky Mountains--Denver, Colorado--and becoming the Colorado Avalanche.

I mentioned the Lindros trade. So what was the result of all of that madness? Well, Peter Forsberg won the Calder Trophy in what would be his only season in a Nordiques jersey. Hextall was traded to the Islanders a year later for Mark Fitzpatrick and a first-round pick; Fitzpatrick would end up with the Florida Panthers in the expansion draft, while the pick would become a known name to us fans: Adam Deadmarsh. And then there's Jocelyn Thibault. Whatever happened to him? Well, in December of 1995, just months into the Avalanche's first season in Denver, Thibault was traded to the Canadiens for some guy named Patrick Roy. All that happened as a result of this was the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup in 1996. That's all.

The Nordiques and Canadiens faced each other in the playoffs five times

I have to talk about the Battle of Quebec. A joke I often make is this: the only reason why I don't hate the Montréal Canadiens is because I was born too late. If I was about 5-10 years older and had watched hockey during the 1980s as a Nords fan, I would have despised the Habs. Again, this was the first provincial rivalry; the Battle of Alberta didn't start until a year after this one, and the Battle of Ontario started with the Ottawa Senators' debut in 1992. I can admit this: the Nordiques were to the province of Quebec what the Mets were to New York City--second-class citizens. It sucks, but it's true. Here we were, this upstart team from a rival league, while the Canadiens were the most prestigious team in the NHL. In 113 regular season matchups, the Canadiens won the overall series, going 62-39-12 against the Nords. The two teams met five times in the playoffs, with the Habs winning three of them, while the Nords won in 1982 and 1985.

Representing my favorite team--in both forms

Overall, the team I've been rallying behind for over 30 years is in Year #50 in play. That's part of my reason for this story. The other part is this photo. I am proudly representing both halves of my favorite team: the Quebec Nordiques and the Colorado Avalanche. I didn't really get to enjoy the Nordiques; I followed hockey via the sports section and didn't have cable as a kid. By the time I did get cable and get to watch more hockey, the team was in Denver playing as the Avalanche, but I have enjoyed watching the Avs show out, kick ass, and win three Stanley Cups. In the time that has passed, I've learned more and more about who my team used to be, and I continue to be in awe of everything Nordiques--from the rivalry with the Canadiens, to the logo and jersey. It sucks that we couldn't win one Cup in Quebec, but we are still champions regardless--three-times over.

hockey
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About the Creator

Clyde E. Dawkins

I am an avid fan of sports and wrestling, and I've been a fan of female villains since the age of eight. Also into film and TV, especially Simpsons and Family Guy.

Feel free to follow my social media:

Twitter - Facebook - Tiktok - Instagram

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Comments (2)

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  • Gina C.about a year ago

    Really great article, so informative! I loved the little bit of backstory at the beginning as well :) I always learn something when I read your reviews :)

  • Cathy holmesabout a year ago

    Great article. I remember the provincial rivalry well. And I always cheered for the Nord over the Habs. Well done.

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