Thrashers Move To Winnipeg

Pretty much every situation where a team leaves a city is a different situation. Minnesota lost their team because the owner basically said, "screw you, I'm moving" and then went to Dallas. That was a situation that had nothing to do with the fans. Minnesota sold out every single home game they played since they came back into the league. The streak ended this season with fans growing frustrated at management's inability to ice a competitive team, but the fan support for an NHL team and NHL hockey has always been there.

NHL teams are a business first and foremost, and if the owners of a business are bad businessmen, the business is going to fail.

Right, the reason for the Jets leaving had nothing to do with no fan support, it was ownership, where as the Thrashers are a mixture of both.
 
Definetly not a done deal but it seems like its nearly a done deal.
As much as I hate to see an American team go to Canada, the simple fact is that the Thrashers have been severely mismanaged and have very little fan support. If the folks in Winnipeg are going to run the team better and support the team better, then its the right decision.
As for realignment of the league, the popular story seems to be that Detroit would go to the East. Personally, Im not a fan of the Blackhawks losing their most hated divisional rival but if you look at the map it makes a lot of sense to have Detroit as an eastern conference team.
It will be interesting to see what happens, Id like to have seen a city that hasnt had a team yet get a chance but the problem you have is that a lot of other potential cities dont have an existing arena for the team and a potential owner with deep pockets.
I know that Hamilton, Quebec and Kansas City have been throw around as a potential new home for the Coyotes but the problem with all of those is they lack good arenas and they lack $$$.
Id love to see Milwaukee get thrown into the conversation too but we have the same problems here. The Bradley Center would need to get renovated and we'd need to find the money to bring the team here and support it. (Not to mention we would need for find a new home for the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals)
 
Definetly not a done deal but it seems like its nearly a done deal.
As much as I hate to see an American team go to Canada, the simple fact is that the Thrashers have been severely mismanaged and have very little fan support. If the folks in Winnipeg are going to run the team better and support the team better, then its the right decision.
As for realignment of the league, the popular story seems to be that Detroit would go to the East. Personally, Im not a fan of the Blackhawks losing their most hated divisional rival but if you look at the map it makes a lot of sense to have Detroit as an eastern conference team.
It will be interesting to see what happens, Id like to have seen a city that hasnt had a team yet get a chance but the problem you have is that a lot of other potential cities dont have an existing arena for the team and a potential owner with deep pockets.
I know that Hamilton, Quebec and Kansas City have been throw around as a potential new home for the Coyotes but the problem with all of those is they lack good arenas and they lack $$$.
Id love to see Milwaukee get thrown into the conversation too but we have the same problems here. The Bradley Center would need to get renovated and we'd need to find the money to bring the team here and support it. (Not to mention we would need for find a new home for the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals)

Kansas City has a relatively new arena (within the last four years) waiting for an NBA/NHL team.
 
I have seen no evidence of fan support from Atlanta..

apparently they organized a rally for the team to stay in ATL, out of the 5 million people living there, a measly 150 people showed up.. .00003 of the population.


Meanwhile in a city of 600,000 when the Jets left we had a 40,000 person rally.
 
Looks like it's a done deal (well, 99.9999999% done).

Betting that they do bring back the Jets name, which is cool with me.
 
I have seen no evidence of fan support from Atlanta.
I went to the Blackhawks @ Thrashers game this season. It was AWESOME! Not only because it went to shootout, but because the stands were full of Hawks fans. I'd guess it was nearly 60/40 on the Chicago side. The place was rocking....for the 'wrong' team.

For the Hawks game alone, I will miss the Thrashers. I guess I'll have to go to Tampa now.

Edit to add: I grew up on WHA hockey. The Jets were in the league with the Indianapolis Racers. That was some good old fashion fun times right there!
 
I would LOVE to see the Jets name back with a modern swing on their old jerseys... That was a quality logo.

I would highly doubt we'll see the Jet's back as when they left they became the Coyotes! But it will be interesting to see what they do with a name and logo.
 
I have seen no evidence of fan support from Atlanta..

apparently they organized a rally for the team to stay in ATL, out of the 5 million people living there, a measly 150 people showed up.. .00003 of the population.


Meanwhile in a city of 600,000 when the Jets left we had a 40,000 person rally.

You must remember, we do not grow up playing hockey, I feel it is the biggest factor in southerns being cool (pun intended) to hockey. I have only attended one game in my life, and while I really enjoyed it live, I have never watched it on TV, or been really tempted to return to see another game.
 
Yeah I've been to a few games, but it's not the end of the world...heck this isn't the first time we've lost a hockey team, but I bet it's the last :peace2:
 
With the Jets back, who will I cheer for when my home team starts losing?
I guess it's the Nordiques now. Undefeated in their original name since the mid 90s....
 
They're baaaaaack!

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They are indeed back. The only thing I look forward to is seeing what they be called. I pray it's not the Jets. Our NHL team "Manitoba Moose" had a good name and great jerseys.

ahl_moose_jersey.jpg
 
I'm hoping they can expand to Atlanta again so the Quebec Nordiques can be up next to get a struggling franchise from Atlanta.
 
We will certainly miss the Thrashers in Atlanta. Oh well, they are probably better suited for Canada anyway.
 
Yuss!! I love the Moose logo.. I used it on a hockey forum as everyone called me Moose for some reason, just with a little colour change!

I wouldn't hate that decision at all. I think the Moose logo and name are substantially better.
 
I would highly doubt we'll see the Jet's back as when they left they became the Coyotes! But it will be interesting to see what they do with a name and logo.

Yeah, but crazier things have happened, right? Winni has a TON of fans who still hang on to that logo and franchise, so it might make just a little bit of sense to bring it back..

Either way, I just hope it's not something lame. And I swear if they don't get creative with the colours, and be another boring team, I'll be very disappointed.
 
Any word on where the Moose will end up?
 
I was reading this morning that they want a 13,000 seat season ticket commitment for 3 years as part of the sale and relocation. That seems a bit steep. I know people want the team back but to be forced to buy 3 seasons worth of tickets up front is a bit much.
 
I agree with the move from Atlanta. The south is just not fan based enough to support a pro hockey team. The Thrashers or whatever the team will be called, will do much better in Canada.
 
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