Mulroney: Low Canadian dollar means Nordiques not returning 'tomorrow morning'

The NHL announced Monday that it's still mulling over expansion bids from Las Vegas and Quebec City, adding that no decisions or recommendations have been made. And according to Brian Mulroney - chairman of Quebecor, which is behind Quebec City's bid - a decision isn't coming any time soon.

There's been a chain reaction of talk regarding expansion, after former NHLer Georges Laraque went on the radio Monday and said Quebec City's application had been denied. The NHL then put out its statement, and Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, went on the radio Monday, as well, and said the low Canadian dollar is playing a factor in the league's prolonged decision. He added that expansion to Quebec City will not happen "tomorrow morning," according to the National Post's Mike Zeisberger.

"Obviously, you know that with the Canadian dollar where it is, it is an extraordinary challenge not only for Quebec, but for all of Canada vis-a-vis the United States. So we must deal with this reality.

"We work well with the NHL and the case, quietly, (might) not advance quickly, but (will) advance as it should. Will it be tomorrow morning? No, I think not. But I think we are high up on the list of important applications to remember in the future."

The Canadian dollar is valued at $0.74 to the American dollar Tuesday afternoon, rebounding from a yearly low of $0.68 in January, according to XE Currency Charts. The dollar has gone up as oil has rebounded from its low of $27.10 per barrel in January.

Either way, the NHL appears to be in a holding pattern on expansion, and both Las Vegas and Quebec City remain in limbo.

- With h/t to Pro Hockey Talk