Winnipeg Jets return

[PartyMcFly 0]

I see Nashville as the logical move to the southeast division as a replacement for the Thrashers with Minnesota moving to the central to make room for the Winnipeg/Manitoba franchise in the Northwest with Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. You could also make a case for Dallas moving to the central and colorado moving to the pacific, but they will likely do whatever will have the least impact.

I know a lot of people want Detroit to move to the east, but there isn't any good way to move them over to the east. Nashville is more "southern" than any other team that isn't in the southeast.

I totally agree with you on all those moves there.

Imagine the task of having to re-align the division system, or facing the option of eliminating it. No matter how well it's done there will be at least a half-million hockey fans across North America cursing Bettman (any reason to is a good reason, right?) flaming message boards, and generally being annoying about it. I do not envy the people who have to work on this situation over the next year.

[freestyla 0]

7 minutes after opening sale to the public they sell out the 13,000 season tickets. Wow.

[RadioGaGa 162]

The more I think about it...the more I like the idea of calling the team the "Falcons". A nod to the mid 1920's team that represented Canada and won Gold at the Olympics:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_Falcons

[TeamHonda401 54]

7 minutes after opening sale to the public they sell out the 13,000 season tickets. Wow.

They definately made a statement there. I heard a comment on the radio this morning that was pretty fitting, "What is an ATL fan going to say now, we could have done that?!?"

[Chadd 916]

The question has always been about revenue derived from corporate boxes and advertising as well as interest four or five years down the road. Especially if they aren't competitive.

[bigdmac 12]

The question has always been about revenue derived from corporate boxes and advertising as well as interest four or five years down the road. Especially if they aren't competitive.

No matter what happens, Winnipeg will always be a better fit for hockey than Atlanta, without a doubt. Selling 13,000 season tickets in 7 minutes is pretty incredible seeing the average Atlanta attendance this year was about 13,000.

[Chadd 916]

No matter what happens, Winnipeg will always be a better fit for hockey than Atlanta, without a doubt. Selling 13,000 season tickets in 7 minutes is pretty incredible seeing the average Atlanta attendance this year was about 13,000.

Better fit, absolutely. Able to support a team over the long term, we'll see. I really hope it does work out this time.

[JTully317 11]

13,000 season tickets in 7 minutes is quite impressive, even for fans that have been looking forward to getting a team back. Hopefully this is a good sign and the Winnipeg team will be in the NHL for the long haul.

[Law Goalie 147]

Official word from CBC was that the remainder of the 13,000+ tickets were spoken-for in TWO minutes; it then took another 5-15 minutes to complete the transactions. And these were not one-year subscriptions: they were 3-5 year subscriptions. They also maxed out the waitlist with another 8,000 $50 non-refundable deposits in position. The only reason they didn't sell every seat in the building was the NHL's rule about leaving some for pre-game sales. This also gives them enormous leverage in asking the province to help fund the expansion of the building.

The question has always been about revenue derived from corporate boxes and advertising as well as interest four or five years down the road. Especially if they aren't competitive.

Exactly: window on those tickets means the team has, realistically, about four years to show some life in Winnipeg. I don't even necessarily mean winning in a big way, I just mean competing with some sort of defined, supportable team identity, and maybe making the playoffs once, or at least threatening to.

Corporate and advertising haven't (I don't think) been talked about yet, beyond vague indications of interest and support; they were probably waiting on the ticket sales too.

[_RH_ 1]

I still do wonder what could've been if Atlanta had inherited a good team. I mean look at Denver. Sure they had great attendance for a great team, but now that the Avs struggle they haven't exactly been packing the house. Atlanta might have been a whole different story if given a better team/ownership group.

[Chadd 916]

I still do wonder what could've been if Atlanta had inherited a good team. I mean look at Denver. Sure they had great attendance for a great team, but now that the Avs struggle they haven't exactly been packing the house. Atlanta might have been a whole different story if given a better team/ownership group.

You can say that about nearly any city. It wasn't long ago that the Chicago Wolves drew more people than the Blackhawks on the same night.

[Quintin 16]

Craig Hartsburg's left the Everrett Silvertips... Possibly a candidate for the head coaching job?

[shoeshine boy 242]

They definately made a statement there. I heard a comment on the radio this morning that was pretty fitting, "What is an ATL fan going to say now, we could have done that?!?"

as an ATL fan (my #2 team behind the Pens) I can tell you that Thrashers fans don't wonder about "does Winnipeg deserve a team more than we do?". Thrashers fans wonder, "how the hell did we get stuck with the one of the worst ownership groups EVER in professional sports??"

Atlanta Spirit Group NEVER wanted to own the Thrashers. they bought the package knowing that they could only realistically financially support one team and since the majority of them are basketball fans it was going to be the NBA's Hawks. even when owners did bother to show up at games they spent 90% of the game in the club lounge watching basketball games on the tv.

ASG never did a damn thing to promote the team or the sport of ice hockey in the metro area. you can't bring a team into a "non-traditional market", not attempt to grow the team and expect it to be a success.

I'm not surprised that Winnipeg sold it's STH allotment deposits out so quickly. those people have been hungry for NHL hockey for 15 years.

[Chadd 916]

Craig Hartsburg's left the Everrett Silvertips... Possibly a candidate for the head coaching job?

As a hawks fan I can only say, don't do it.

[Law Goalie 147]

The Sens under Hartsburg were one of the most miserable teams I've ever seen -- on and off the ice.

[Chadd 916]

Hartsburg hired by Calgary, related posts moved to new topic in the "off season transactions" forum

[shotty 7]

I know a lot of people want Detroit to move to the east, but there isn't any good way to move them over to the east. Nashville is more "southern" than any other team that isn't in the southeast.

apparently every single western conference team wants DET to stay in the west. geographically speaking, it makes sense for them to move to the east, but i dont think it will happen. they are a large draw for road game attendance.

[Chadd 916]

apparently every single western conference team wants DET to stay in the west. geographically speaking, it makes sense for them to move to the east, but i dont think it will happen. they are a large draw for road game attendance.

It doesn't make sense if the opening is in the southeast. Philly is the southernmost team in the east that isn't in the southeast division.

[Tondog 12]

Atlanta was a LOUSY hockey town but if Winnepeg as a town is anything like it was during the early 80's, it's gonna make Youngblood hockey look like the NHL's all star lineup.

[chippa13 1844]

To be fair, it was kind of hard to judge Atlanta as a hockey town when the team was awful more often than not. The cities where fans continue to buy tickets to a perennial loser are few and far between.

[shoeshine boy 242]

To be fair, it was kind of hard to judge Atlanta as a hockey town when the team was awful more often than not. The cities where fans continue to buy tickets to a perennial loser are few and far between.

not only that but the ownership group was pathetic. they never wanted a hockey team. all they wanted was to look like big shots at NBA games. it was well known that when the owners would come to Thrashers games they would spend 90% of the game in the club lounge watching basketball games on the tv. they never did a damn thing to promote the team or the sport in the metro area.

[yf51 0]

so, dont they plan to announce their name before the draft? Picked players are suppose to wear something i guess.

[shotty 7]

as reported, players will wear the generic NHL jersey and hat for photographs.

[yf51 0]

nice... Had it been like this before?

[Chadd 916]

as reported, players will wear the generic NHL jersey and hat for photographs.

Great way to market a new brand. Then again, it's better than rushing out a crap product. Of course that only holds true if the final product isn't crap.