Fans gather 5,999 signatures after NHL cancels Canadiens

A petition opposing the NHL's cancellation of a Montreal Canadiens playoff watch party in Gatineau, Quebec, has garnered nearly 6,000 signatures. The event, scheduled for Game 2 of the third-round series between Montreal and the Carolina Hurricanes, was to take place at the Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau, located across the river from Ottawa.

Wassim Aboutanos, who leads the group that helped plan the watch party, said the NHL informed organizers that the arena is situated within a territory where the Ottawa Senators hold exclusive marketing rights. According to league policy, this prevents another NHL team from being promoted at that venue. Aboutanos stated that approximately 400 tickets had been sold before the cancellation. Proceeds from the event were intended to benefit a local mental health organization.

Neither the NHL nor the Ottawa Senators responded to requests for comment regarding the decision. The petition, initiated by Aboutanos, urges the league to allow Gatineau-based Canadiens fans to participate in the playoff atmosphere.

The situation highlights the complexities of NHL territorial marketing rights, which are designed to protect the commercial interests of...