Petition draws nearly 6,500 signatures after NHL blocks Habs watch party in Quebec

MONTREAL — NHL fans in Gatineau, Que., are disappointed they weren’t allowed to attend a Montreal Canadiens watch party in their city’s arena because the venue is located too close to the home of the Habs’ Atlantic division rivals, the Ottawa Senators.

A petition opposing the cancellation of Saturday’s event at Gatineau’s Slush Puppie Centre between the Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes has drawn nearly 6,500 signatures.

Among the signatories is Katie Labonté, 37, who purchased three tickets for herself and her sons and was looking forward to experiencing the game alongside other fans.

“It’s too bad … we saw videos of fans at the Bell Centre and it really looked fun,” said Labonté, referring to recent playoff watch parties at the Habs’ home arena when the team was playing in Buffalo in the second round.

Wassim Aboutanos, who was behind the petition and headed a group that helped plan the Gatineau watch party, urged the NHL to allow Gatineau Habs fans to share in the playoff atmosphere.

“Everybody wants to support the Montreal Canadiens,” he said.

Aboutanos said organizers thought they had the green light to go ahead when TVA Sports, the French-language broadcaster holding NHL rights in Quebec, had authorized the event.

But Aboutanos said that approximately 15 minutes after the ticket sale launched, the NHL informed his group that the Gatineau arena was located within the territory in which the Senators have exclusive marketing rights.

“We were not given exact confirmation of the distance, but it seemed to be a radius of about 50 miles, so roughly 80 kilometres, around the Senators’ arena,” he said.

The Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau is about 35 kilometres from the Senators’ arena at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Aboutanos said the NHL told organizers that even though they received the go-ahead from TVA Sports, the league’s approval was still required. He said he contacted the Senators organization, which told him the matter was an NHL decision and that the team wouldn’t help organize “a Canadiens party in our backyard.”

“We had a few exchanges with the NHL and the Senators, but we ultimately stopped the ticket sale,” he said.

Neither the NHL nor the Senators, who were swept by Carolina in the first round of the playoffs, responded to requests for comment. The Canadiens did not wish to comment on the situation.

Aboutanos said about 400 tickets had been sold before the event was cancelled, adding that all proceeds were intended for a local mental health organization called Le Boulev’Art de la Vallée. The tickets were refunded, he said.

“Depending on attendance, it would have generated between $2,000 and $20,000, with the higher end based on a full crowd of about 4,000 fans,” said Aboutanos.

Jean-François Parent, executive director of Le Boulev’Art de la Vallée, said the cancellation was disappointing, adding that the event would have been a meaningful opportunity to help his group.

“We also don’t see how this could be seen as penalizing an Ontario team when the Senators didn’t even make it to the (eastern) final,” Parent added.

Aboutanos said the group is considering next steps, including sending the petition to the NHL and the Senators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2026.

Charlotte Glorieux, The Canadian Press