BREAKING NEWS THAT REALLY ISN'T BREAKING: THE NHL RETURNS TO WINNIPEG.

[Big_Dogg85]

At approximately 12:25PM EST today, the official announcement of the sale and relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers franchise to Winnipeg's True North Sports and Entertainment group was completed today, although it is pending approval from the NHL Board of Governors. A mass season ticket drive begins tomorrow where 13000 tickets need to be sold to satisfy the Board and the NHL then after that the remaining tickets go on sale to the general public.

HOCKEY FANS, SPORTS FANS...

DISCUSS

 

[The Fallen Angel]

I have no problem with another team in Canada, good for them and i think it will be good for the league in the long run

 

[Cokecan]

I want to know what will happen when the nostalgic luster wears off in about 5 years.

Will they need taxpayer subsidy? Will they still be viable? It costs about $75 million to run a hockey team in today's cap world. Can the (Jets) pull it off?

 

[Big_Dogg85]

I want to know what will happen when the nostalgic luster wears off in about 5 years.

Will they need taxpayer subsidy? Will they still be viable? It costs about $75 million to run a hockey team in today's cap world. Can the (Jets) pull it off?

This is what I'm concerned about too but if I had to guess they should really refer to the Senators model for running a "small- attendance market" franchise because they've done a great job. (At least before Melnyk came in...) I have a feeling 'Peggers won't want what happened to the Jets happen again.

 

[Snail Shell]

I'm more interested in what this does to the divisions. If they get put into the Central Division, who goes to the Southeast? St. Louis? Nashville? More interesting match-ups arise.

SS

 

[SlaverTickler]

Yes, it's true, and it was pretty much the worst kept secret in Hockey History.
The best part is that ass hole Bettman is so pissed right now. He's an idiot and has no buisness running the NHL. He should go back to Basket Ball where he belongs.

Just remember who makes your Blackberry Bettman
ST

 

[The Fallen Angel]

I want to know what will happen when the nostalgic luster wears off in about 5 years.

Will they need taxpayer subsidy? Will they still be viable? It costs about $75 million to run a hockey team in today's cap world. Can the (Jets) pull it off?

This is what I'm concerned about too but if I had to guess they should really refer to the Senators model for running a "small- attendance market" franchise because they've done a great job. (At least before Melnyk came in...) I have a feeling 'Peggers won't want what happened to the Jets happen again.

Im just starting to get into hockey seriously over the last year ish. What happened with the team before and why do people seem worried about it going back? What happened to the team back then?

 

[Cokecan]

Im just starting to get into hockey seriously over the last year ish. What happened with the team before and why do people seem worried about it going back? What happened to the team back then?

Back in 1996 the Jets closed up shop and moved to the hockey hotbed of Phoenix, Arizona.

Yeah, 15 years later I'm still trying to figure that one out.

 

[Backstep]

It's a shame that the NHL expanded too quickly over the last few decades and into too many U.S. markets where there wasn't enough of a solid base to suport it.

Imagine an alternate universe where the NHL has 24 teams, 12 each in the US and Canada and the conferences are divided as such. A shorter, more intense playoffs exist and each year is a battle between countries for Lord Stanley's Cup.

 

[Snail Shell]

It's a shame that the NHL expanded too quickly over the last few decades and into too many U.S. markets where there wasn't enough of a solid base to suport it.

Imagine an alternate universe where the NHL has 24 teams, 12 each in the US and Canada and the conferences are divided as such. A shorter, more intense playoffs exist and each year is a battle between countries for Lord Stanley's Cup.

They tried that at the All Star game for a year or two; North America vs. the World. That's wasn't any fun either. While I believe East vs. West is the way to go, I'm intrigued by the system they had this year of electing two captains and having a draft.

SS

 

[Cokecan]

They tried that at the All Star game for a year or two; North America vs. the World. That's wasn't any fun either. While I believe East vs. West is the way to go, I'm intrigued by the system they had this year of electing two captains and having a draft.

SS

The All-Star game is to hockey as the home run derby is to baseball.

I can't even bring myself to watch it anymore.

 

[Big_Dogg85]

The All-Star game is to hockey as the home run derby is to baseball.

I can't even bring myself to watch it anymore.

The Jets ended up folding due to the fact that NHL contracts were paid out in US dollars yet Winnipeg was getting revenue in Canadian dollars and in 1996 our dollar was in the middle of a royal tank job, costing about $1.40 Canuckian to get $1 US dollar. The Jets faithful actually pulled together to keep the team one more season than originally planned but only delayed the inevitability of the Jets moving to Phoenix to become the Coyotes. As for why there is any worry of it going back or not happening, it's a matter of identity for Winnipeg when it comes to Canada as having an NHL team is one step of separating itself from the rest of the country and joining the other cities with NHL teams in terms of importance; not to mention the amount of outside appeal re: travellers and clients coming to see Winnipeg to watch NHL hockey.

Given that the Winnipeg team reached it's season ticket goal within 17 minutes of the general public sale should be enough of a big exclamation mark for the BoG to acknowledge and approve of it.

 

[Cokecan]

The Jets ended up folding due to the fact that NHL contracts were paid out in US dollars yet Winnipeg was getting revenue in Canadian dollars and in 1996 our dollar was in the middle of a royal tank job, costing about $1.40 Canuckian to get $1 US dollar. The Jets faithful actually pulled together to keep the team one more season than originally planned but only delayed the inevitability of the Jets moving to Phoenix to become the Coyotes. As for why there is any worry of it going back or not happening, it's a matter of identity for Winnipeg when it comes to Canada as having an NHL team is one step of separating itself from the rest of the country and joining the other cities with NHL teams in terms of importance; not to mention the amount of outside appeal re: travellers and clients coming to see Winnipeg to watch NHL hockey.

Given that the Winnipeg team reached it's season ticket goal within 17 minutes of the general public sale should be enough of a big exclamation mark for the BoG to acknowledge and approve of it.

I hear what you're saying, but talk to me in 5 years. Especially if the new team (Jets or no Jets name) sucks a golf ball through a garden hose for those 5 years.

Hamilton should get a team. Problem is if Hamilton gets an NHL team Toronto will want one too.

 

[Knox The Hatter]

You watch. More likely is that five years from now, the Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta's gonna be pressing the NHL for yet another expansion team. They never, ever give up.

I'm happy for the people in Winnipeg. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and you're not going to make Phoenix a hockey town, no matter what Gary Bettmann says. Moving there was a mistake. I say send them to Hamilton.

People want them to be the Jets. Let them be so.