Written by Casandra Anderson
So it is official for now, Winnipeg is now the new home to a blossoming NHL team and Winnipeggers could not be any happier or prouder. May 31 is the new unofficial holiday for Canadian hockey fans. As Gary Bettman, Mark Chipman, David Thomson and countless media press like Sportsnet, CBC, fan 590 and even the famous Stephen Brunt gathered at the MTS center to give a press conference regarding the purchase of Georgia’s own Atlanta Thrashers.
Brunt leaked information regarding this purchase on May 19 leading to Winnipeggers taking Portage and Main to start a street hockey game. A celebration that continued throughout all the reports indicating fans should “cool their jets”. Brunt has been an incredible sports reporter, very well respected, and has worked for The Globe and Mail since 1989. This confusion lead to a cluster cuss of reports as to who Winnipeg and Canada was to believe.
Journalists took to the streets of Vancouver to pester once Moose hockey players, on their thoughts of an NHL team moving back to Winnipeg. Many responded with recognition to Winnipeg’s love for the game, while others reminded reporters politely that they would like to remark but they had other issues at hand, like the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Drive to 13,000 is the new campaign designed to secure season tickets to present to the NHL Board of Governors by June 21. It is doubtful that Winnipeg will have a hard time in achieving this goal especially when the cheapest tickets range below the $40 mark. If Winnipeg is serious about the team, this should not be a hard task, especially since over 20 000 people are apart of the same facebook group regarding the simple “take over portage and main” idea the second a team is announced coming back to Winnipeg.
Over 6 000 people have signed a petition, also, to beg Truth North Sports and Entertainment to find a way to keep the beloved “Jets” name. The name “Winnipeg Jets” is not considered to be a bad start, since many great players like Bobby Hull and Teemu Selanne both wore the crest, however some are still in want of a fresh new start.
Personally as a young child in this city, it was my dream to marry a Winnipeg Jets player, and if you promise not to tell anyone it was Bob Essensa, so I’d welcome the name back with open arms. The only other name I’d consider being as great as the Winnipeg Jets would be the Winnipeg Falcons, strictly for its place in hockey and Winnipeg history.
Those who believe the only reason we were called the Winnipeg Jets was because of Bobby Hull can be corrected right now. Yes he was known as the Golden Jet, but that was his nick name prior to becoming a Jet, the name the Winnipeg Jets derived from a famous Western Canada Hockey League Team. It’s considered and looked upon that Bobby Hull was one of the first Jets, and most certainly was one of the most famous of the Jets, but the team was sadly not named after him. Even if it were though, how bad would it be to not consider naming it after one of the greatest NHL players of all time? Not bad at all, I say, not bad at all.
Though the name is posing a large concern for ticket buyers. Perhaps some do not want to buy tickets unless they know for sure that the team will, in fact, be named the Jets. Some people on the streets indicated “No Jets, No Tickets”. It is apparent that the outcry for the name “Jets” is larger than the outcry for a new name. How possible is it though, how easy is it going to be for Thomson and Chipman to talk with Bettman, yet again, and ask for another favor? Is it possible that Bettman agreed to the move of the new Winnipeg NHL team on the condition that they were not to be named the “Jets”?
When the claims came out this rainy day that Stephen Brunt was in fact correct in his report that the Atlanta Thrashers had been sold to True North, what held that press conference back? It didn’t appear that Bettman wasn’t too thrilled that Winnipeggers were already partying in the streets. Winnipeg’s own, Sam Katz, didn’t seem to mind that the busiest intersection in Winnipeg was closed down by avid Jet fans.
There is a proper way to conduct business in the NHL, I’m positive, there is also a correct way to play the game of hockey itself. Firstly, without waving the nationalist flag, it’s a Canadian birth right to love the game of hockey, especially in Winnipeg. Winnipeg is known for being the coldest city in Canada, in fact many times throughout the cold harsh winters, temperatures are estimated higher than the actual north pole. We are born on the ice, many of us learn how to skate before we can walk. This only poses the question as to why the NHL was removed in the first place.
I can give you three reasons off the top of my head: 1. Gary Bettman (and the owners), the traveling to Winnipeg posed as a large problem in the NHL due to the division the Winnipeg Jets were placed in. This is fixable, return to the idea of the original 6 and Winnipeg can play Canadian teams more often than southern American teams. 2. The Canadian Dollar. As of now the Canadian dollar is near par with the American dollar. The bank of Canada website indicates it’s at 0.9688, which is fantastic news! Also in the lock out with the NHL a salary cap has been placed on NHL players, Winnipeg will actually have a chance in continuing to bring good players to their team. Finally, 3. Winnipeg needed a new arena. Since the opening of the MTS center, taking away all claims of the 15,000 seating capacity, Winnipeg has hosted over 1,000 memorable events. Many still do miss the old arena with its concrete walls and scent of hockey sweat, but we live in a new day and age, and the MTS center is the cat’s pajamas.
So Winnipeg you have your NHL team now, what is going to happen with the Manitoba Moose? Sources say there are two large considerations. The first is St. Johns Newfoundland. They once had an AHL team on that lovely shore line, and I’d be proud to have a Canadian city holding true my NHL affiliate team. For those who do not know the Manitoba Moose are owned by David Thomson, and he will continue that ownership leading that franchise to become the new affiliate team to the new Winnipeg NHL team. Vancouver will be on the look out in the mean time for a new AHL team. Second recommendation for the Moose will be to Thunder Bay. Another great idea, since there is not much hockey between Winnipeg and Toronto, except maybe the Hamilton Bull Dogs, the affiliate team for the Montreal Canadiens.
Whatever the future holds for Winnipeg and hockey in general I know that Winnipeg deserves this team. They never should have lost on in the first place, and I’m thankful that so many young adults held on to the glory of their youth. So without further ado “HERE COME YOUR WINNIPEG JETS”
Sign the petition to keep the name “The Winnipeg Jets” – http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39649/sign.html
Drive to 13,000 Season Tickets – http://driveto13.com/
Keep up to date with the move of the Manitoba Moose and their new name – http://www.moosehockey.com
