Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks during a visit at the Beauce-Appalaches Cegep on Friday in St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper kicked off Friday's news conference in St-Georges, Que., by saying he would like to see more than six National Hockey League teams in Canada.

"Of course, as a big hockey fan, I would certainly like to see more teams created here in Canada," the prime minister replied.

"I think the cities of Quebec, Hamilton and Winnipeg are all able to support a team."

Harper directed any further questions on hockey franchises to the NHL, adding he didn't want to be dragged into a local political debate.

Quebec City is in the middle of a municipal election, and its incumbent mayor, Régis Labeaume, is campaigning on a promise to build a modern arena that could attract an NHL team.

Labeaume wants the provincial and federal governments to fund almost all of its projected $400 million cost.

The city lost its Nordiques team in the 1990s.

In May, Harper said southern Ontario could support a second NHL club. At the time, Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie had submitted a $212.5-million US offer to buy the financially ailing Phoenix Coyotes.

Balsillie's bid to purchase the Coyotes and relocate them to Hamilton ended in failure on Sept. 30, with the co-CEO of Research in Motion Ltd., maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, choosing not to appeal an Arizona bankruptcy judge's rejection of his bid.