QUEBEC - Quebecs premier is downplaying a suggestion from one of his cabinet ministers that the government could get involved financially in the project to get the NHL back in Quebec City.Sam Hamad, who is minister responsible for the Quebec City area, raised the possibility of the Liberal government becoming a financial partner of Quebecor Inc., which has bought naming rights on a $400-million arena due to be completed by fall 2015.Hamad said Wednesday the assistance could be in the form of a guaranteed loan.He said Thursday that Quebecor (TSX.QBR.B) has made no request for financial aid. The media conglomerates controlling shareholder is Pierre Karl Peladeau, a member of the legislature for the Opposition Parti Quebecois.Later in the day, Premier Philippe Couillard responded by saying Quebec taxpayers will not be on the hook for getting a team in Quebec City.Any government involvement could be controversial given that Couillards government is in serious cost-cutting mode as it aims to return to a balanced budget.As a Quebecer, I would like to see a team (in Quebec City) one day, the premier said. But its not true that taxpayers, with public finances as they are, will be up for that.Jean Charests former Liberal government invested $200 million a€” or half the costs a€” in the construction of the new arena in Quebec City.Hamad said public finances would have to be healthy for the government to get involved.If theres an opportunity that the government believes is good for Quebecers, why not.One of Hamads cabinet colleagues was more reserved when asked about the possibility of the government getting involved financially.Economic Development Minister Jacques Daoust said such support is usually made available when a transaction is too risky for financial markets.So, lets ask ourselves a question in case we ever have to answer it, Daoust said. Is it the states role to intervene to buy a hockey team in a situation that is too risky for traditional (financial) markets? Ill stop right there.Daoust insisted he wasnt calling Hamad on the carpet.I share his enthusiasm, he said. I understand people in Quebec City wanting a hockey team. But lets just say that when there is a financial transaction. it will be done my way.Earlier this month, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman vehemently denied the league is considering expansion to Quebec City or anywhere else.We dont want to build up anybodys expectations, he said at a Quebecor-organized event near Montreal. Were not in a position to expand.Were certainly not in position to expand into the East. Weve been very candid and up front that if, in fact, we go through an expansion process, the world will know about it. But were not looking to relocate any franchises, and were not looking to expand. Weve been very clear about that since Day One when we were told about the building of the new arena. Adnan Januzaj Belgium Jersey . Blatter also told reporters Saturday after meeting with Qatars emir that the decision to award the tournament to the desert nation is "not reversible." There have been calls to move the tournament because of Qatars intense heat. Koen Casteels Belgium Jersey . Dwyane Wade took over in the fourth quarter. http://www.belgiumsoccerpro.com/Nacer-Chadli-Belgium-Jersey/ . Parmelee hit a game-ending shot in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame David Ortizs big night to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Tuesday. Thomas Vermaelen Jersey . MacArthur scored two goals, and the Senators outlasted Detroit in a testy third period to beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday night. Jan Vertonghen Jersey . American Lindsey Jacobellis was third, while Japans Yuka Fujimori finished just off the podium. Maltais, from Petite-Riviere-St-Francois, Que., earned bronze at the 2006 Olympic Games and is set to return to the Games this February in Sochi, Russia.Alexandre Bilodeau captured Canadas first gold medal at the 2010 Olympics, while Charles Hamelin was the Canadian teams only multi gold medallist in Vancouver. Erik Guay narrowly missed the Olympic podium four years ago, but hes Canadas most decorated World Cup alpine skier. The next honour one of them could add to an already illustrious career is Canadas flag-bearer for the Sochi Olympics. On Thursday in Ottawa, the Canadian Olympic Committee will announce who will carry the Maple Leaf into the Sochi opening ceremonies, and Bilodeau, Hamelin and Guay, all leaders in their respective sports, are all strong candidates. "Just being among those, its a great honour for me because those are great athletes and there are many more athletes that deserve to carry the flag and deserve to be in the front row when it comes to Canada and to be role models," Bilodeau told The Canadian Press in Montreal on Wednesday. "It would be a tremendous honour to do that for my country and well see (Thursday), but its definitely something very special to be flag-bearer and whomever its going to be, were going to be proud." When asked if hed been tipped to be in Ottawa, Bilodeau laughed and said "I havent been contacted yet, so if its already decided, Im not the one." Bilodeau won moguls gold on the second day of the Games, and the image of the freestyle skier celebrating with his brother Frederic is one of the most enduring of Vancouver. Hamelin claimed two of Canadas record-setting 14 gold medals, but even more remarkable is the fact the short-track speedskater, whos also an eight-time world champion, won them within half an hour of each other, winning the 500 metres before returning to the track as part of the victorious 5,000-metre relay. Guay posted a pair of fifth-place finishes in Vancouver, in the downhill and super-G, missing a medal in super-G by just three hundredths of a second. In December, he won his 21st World Cup medal, breaking the Canadian record for podium performances held by Steve Podborski. Guay will be in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Thursday, where hes racing in a World Cup. Canadas flag-bearer traditionally generates plenty of conversation, and this time is no different, with Canadian hockey stars Sidney Crosby and Hayley Wickenheiser garnering much support. Crosby, who created one of Vancouvers golden moments when he scored the winner in the final versus the U.S., isnt expected to be in Sochi for the opening ceremonies as his Pittsburgh Penguins have a game that night versus the New York Rangers. While Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara is missing two of Bostons NHL games to carry the flag for Slovakia, when asked about the possibility of carrying Canadas flag, Crosby said last weekend "It hasnt been brought up (by the Canadian Olympic Committee).dddddddddddd." Wickenheiser, meanwhile, is Canadas biggest womens star and a pioneer of the game who will make her fifth Olympic appearance. According to Hockey Canada, the womens team will march in the Feb. 7 opening ceremonies, despite playing their opening game the following night versus Switzerland. Wickenheiser, however, was a participant in the 2010 opening ceremonies -- she read the athletes oath. Plus, womens hockey player Danielle Goyette carried the flag into the opening ceremonies in 2006 in Turin, Italy. Long-track speedskater Clara Hughes carried the flag in the 2010 opening ceremonies while figure skater Joannie Rochette, who captured bronze just days after the death of her mom, was chosen to carry it out. Other favourites for Sochi include figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who won Canadas first ice dance gold medal in Vancouver, and three-time world champion Patrick Chan. With the new team event starting the day before the opening ceremonies, however, Virtue and Moir have said they wont march. Two-time world champion Kaillie Humphries, who teamed up with Heather Moyse in Vancouver to win Canadas first ever womens bobsled medal, is another favourite. She and Moyse will be gunning for gold again in Sochi. And long-track speedskater Christine Nesbitt also won gold in Vancouver, and is a seven-time world champion and has won a whopping 39 World Cup titles. Theres a Facebook pace supporting skier Larisa Yurkiw for flag-bearer that has over 3,500 likes. Yurkiw missed the Vancouver Games after suffering a bad knee injury in 2009, and then was forced to go pounding on doors for financial support after she was cut from the national team program. Yurkiw bounced back to qualify for Canadas Sochi-bound team. Each sport nominates an athlete as a candidate for flag-bearer. But some athletes see the responsibility as a distraction. Diver Alexandre Despatie told reporters before the 2012 London Games that he would decline any offer to carry the flag. "Its a great distraction, although it is the greatest honour an athlete can receive," the two-time Olympic silver medallist said. Moguls skier Jean-Luc Brassard finished fourth at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, and blamed his disappointing performance on the fact hed carried the flag a day earlier. Among other recent flag-bearers named recently: Japan selected womens curler Ayumi Ogasawara, Italy chose two-time Olympic mens luge champion Armin Zoeggeler, and Spain will hand its flag to figure skater Javier Fernandez. ' ' '