Homer Simpson rooting for the NHL to return to Quebec City

Homer Simpson is joining the hordes of longtime fans holding out hope for the NHLtoreturn to Quebec City.The famous yellow patriarch of the FOX animated seriesTheSimpsonshasrevealedhimself to be asurpriseNordiquesfan.

In the latest episode which aired Sunday, Homer watchesthe NHL draft, rooting for his favourite player Lubachek to be drafted to the Phoenix Coyotes.

• Don Cherry approves of NHL expansion to Quebec City
• CBC Archives:Nordiques, au revoir

Several years ago, the Coyotes were rumoured as a potential team that could move to Quebec City. On Sunday's episode, Homer's hopes are dashed when a player named"Cdric Blanger" is drafted instead.

The Nordiques were also mentioned in a 2014 episode.

Simpsons writer is Canuck

It's no surprise with these hockey references, that thewriter behind themis Canadian.

Tim Long hails from Exeter, Ont. andhas been writing and producing episodes for theSimpsonsfor over a decade.

"We had a little thing where Homer was obsessed with the fact that the QuebecNordiquesmoved to Colorado and became the Avalanche," he told CBC's Quebec AM.

"For some reason that we never established, he took it very hard. He's one of many people who would like to see an NHL team back in Quebec City."

The fact that a player was named "CdricBlanger" is also notrandom.

We are taking a stand that we want theNordiquesto come back to Quebec.- Tim Long, writer,

After the show first referencedthe Nordiquesin 2014,Longreceived calls from several Quebec-based journalists, includingCdric Blanger of theJournal de Quebec. He made a lasting impression, and Long kept his name in the back of his mind.

"In the re-write room, we were looking for the name of someone who sounds like they could be drafted in the NHL naming characters is the hardest thing to do," he said.

"It felt like Lubachek could be someone from Western Canada, and Ithought someone from French Canada might be good, and I was like, 'Oh I got a name!'"

According to Long, Blanger "wasn't furious" to hear himself referenced on the show.

"If anything, his family got a kick out of it."

Long says we can expect this won't be the last Nordiques reference on the show.

"We don't like to take stands on too many things we're not taking a stand on the U.S. elections but we are taking a stand that we want the Nordiques to come back to Quebec."