NHL Heading Back To Winnipeg

When I wrote my post about the Atlanta Thrashers starting five African descended players, I noted that ownership had been trying to sell the team since 2005.

Well, it happened. A deal was concluded on Tuesday that will bring the Atlanta Thrashers north to Winnipeg.  

For the first time since the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996, they will be back on the NHL hockey map starting in the 2011-12 season.


True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd.ponied up $170 million plus a $60 million relocation fee to purchase the Thrashers.  The announcement of the deal set off a several hour celebration in the city and congratulatory commentary from Canadian politicians.   A season ticket drive has been launched with a goal of selling 13,000 tickets by June 21. 

The deal is even sweeter for True North Chairman and co-owner Mark Chipman.   He was part of the group of Winnipeg businessmen that tried to put together a deal to save the Jets back in 1996 and keep them in town.  15 years later, he's got his team. 


"It is clear that times have changed for Winnipeg as an NHL market. And this is a wonderful time to add a club to Canada," said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Funny, you didn't feel that way when a Hamilton based businessman was trying to buy the Phoenix Coyotes.

This is the second NHL franchise that the city of Atlanta has lost to a Canadian city.   The Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary in 1980, and now it looks like the Thrashers are a lock to be playing north of the border as well in the MTS Centre next season. With 15,015 seats the arena is small by NHL standards and smaller than the Philips Arena where the team used to play, but I'm willing to bet it'll be packed every night. 

The Jets were one of the original teams in the World Hockey Association that my Houston Aeros played in back in 1972 and battled for AVCO Cup supremacy.  When the WHA folded the Jets joined the NHL in 1979. 
         

The deal still has to be approved by the NHL Board of Governors at their June 21 meeting.   As for the new name of the team, True North owns the Manitoba Moose of the AHL and co-owner David Thomson considered transferring the name to the soon to be relocated NHL franchise.

But sentiment of Winnipeggers and Manitobans has been building to rename them the Winnipeg Jets.  The NHL owns the rights to the Jets name and should the new ownership want it, will probably make it available.

The Thrashers aren't the Jets (yet), but Winnipeggers don't care.  They'll have an NHL  team of their own to cheer for this fall whatever its name, and it's past time it happened..