NHL returning to Winnipeg?

• stlouiedipalma

  Last night there was a lot of speculation that the Atlanta Thrashers were being sold to True North, who would then relocate the team to Winnipeg. The NHL is denying that any deal is not complete, but Gary Bettman wouldn't rule out that scenario.
  
  Having spent a good deal of last year in Winnipeg, I can say that the folks there are eager for the NHL to return. They have a great new arena and it would seem that True North is on good financial footing, something which doomed the Jets when they left for Phoenix. The subject of a team relocating in Winnipeg is something that is mentioned every week up there, and the citizens are tired of rumors. Is this the real deal, or just another attempt to squeeze a buyer in the Atlanta area?
  
  http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6568200
• Laley23

  

  Sounds to me like it is going to happen.
• gerb131

  

  I'd say its going to happen. Although I'd rather see a Florida team move.
• wildcats20

  

  So is this a good thing?
• gerb131

  

  wildcats20;774883 wrote:So is this a good thing?

  
  Not if you like the Thrashers.
• Tiger2003

  

  I sure hope they move to Winnipeg. I would rather drive 45 minutes then 4 hours to St Paul to watch NHL hockey.
• wildcats20

  

  gerb131;774884 wrote:Not if you like the Thrashers.

  
  Derp.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  gerb131;774880 wrote:I'd say its going to happen. Although I'd rather see a Florida team move.

  
  Because Georgia is so much different than Florida....
• gerb131

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;774888 wrote:Because Georgia is so much different than Florida....

  
  Take the whole SE (Carolina ok) and ship em out.
• gerb131

  

  wildcats20;774886 wrote:Derp.

  
  Couldn't help it!
• jordo212000

  

  The NHL really shot themselves in the foot by expanding into the SE. Nobody cares about hockey down there. Very few kids/adults in south have probably ever had the opportunity to play hockey.
• Tiger2003

  

  jordo212000;774924 wrote:The NHL really shot themselves in the foot by expanding into the SE. Nobody cares about hockey down there. Very few kids/adults in south have probably ever had the opportunity to play hockey.

  
  I agree. There is also alot of talk about the NCAA really making a big fuck up by having the Frozen 4 in Tampa next year. Yes they have the Lightning but it is not a Hockey state. If you ever watch the Lightning game half of the stands are filled with the opposition fans.
• j_crazy

  

  i read somewhere on twitter that the city/fans have until monday to save the team.
• stlouiedipalma

  They're holding their annual season ticket seat location thing on Saturday and there is a rally planned to show support. If it's anything like the support the Braves, Falcons and Hawks get I'd say the Thrashers are gone. Let's face it, Atlanta isn't a good sports town when it comes to attendance.
• ts1227

  

  jordo212000;774924 wrote:The NHL really shot themselves in the foot by expanding into the SE. Nobody cares about hockey down there. Very few kids/adults in south have probably ever had the opportunity to play hockey.

  
  And they keep shooting at the same foot until they blow it clean off in terms of their stubbornness to let these failed southern expansion teams move (see the Coyotes). Hopefully Bettman swallows his pride and just lets the thrashers move.
• stlouiedipalma

  ts1227;775012 wrote:And they keep shooting at the same foot until they blow it clean off in terms of their stubbornness to let these failed southern expansion teams move (see the Coyotes). Hopefully Bettman swallows his pride and just lets the thrashers move.

  
  Good point. The Coyotes were the subject of much speculation in Winnipeg all last year as everyone watched that soap opera unfold in Arizona. If I lived in Glendale I would be highly pissed at the amount of money that community has given to the NHL. They got a nice arena in a bad location (access, etc.) and they all get the luxury of paying on all of this for years with no owner in place. They just voted to give the NHL more money to run the franchise until a buyer can be found. I guess Florida isn't the only place where hockey hasn't caught on.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  link from deadspin confirming the move
  
  http://deadspin.com/5803918/dont-cry-for-me-philips-arena-atlanta-burned-again-as-thrashers-jet-north
• queencitybuckeye

  wildcats20;774883 wrote:So is this a good thing?

  
  For the (yuck) Red Wings, possibly.
• GoPens

  

  Heard that if they move, then it's possible that either Columbus, Nashville, or Detroit would move to the Eastern Conference. This could be huge for the CBJ's who would get to play more in their own time zone and start to develop more regional rivalries--like the Pens.
• ts1227

  

  GoPens;775178 wrote:Heard that if they move, then it's possible that either Columbus, Nashville, or Detroit would move to the Eastern Conference. This could be huge for the CBJ's who would get to play more in their own time zone and start to develop more regional rivalries--like the Pens.

  
  This needs to happen.
• jordo212000

  

  I agree with everything that is being said about Atlanta. It is a complete joke as a sports town. The city gets 25% of the blame for this and the NHL gets 75% of the blame for being dopes.
• Little Danny

  

  How much longer until the CBJ moves? Reports are they lost $25M last year and $14M the year before. Let's be honest, there are some devout hockey fans in town, but it is not as if hockey is #1, 2, or 3 on most people's priority list in Central Ohio either. NHL Hockey teams should be in places that actually care about hockey.
• september63

  

  The Atlanta Thrashers are not going to Winnipeg. Just my opinion!
• jordo212000

  

  Common Man and the Torg say that they think as long as the current group owns the Blue Jackets, the team will remain in Columbus. Apparently they are central Ohio businessmen and they think moving the Blue Jackets would murder their other businesses (fan backlash/protest)
• jordo212000

  

  They said on PTI that team in Winnipeg would not be called the Jets. Early front runner is supposedly Manitoba Moose