Winnipeg wants the Penguins

[Jack_Bauer 1]

I saw this on tsn.ca and I thought it would be of some interest to Takara_Soong, since she was a big Winnipeg Jets fan back before they moved.

 

Report: Winnipeg wants the Penguins

 

TSN.ca Staff with files

 

1/2/2004

 

Seven years after losing the Jets to Phoenix, it appears the city of Winnipeg wants the National Hockey League back.

 

The Winnipeg Sun reported Thursday that the city's deputy mayor Coun. Dan Vandal penned a letter to Penguins owner Mario Lemieux on Dec. 9 to consider moving his team to Manitoba.

In his message sent to Lemieux, Vandal pointed out that the league is facing "difficult decisions" with an imminent labour shutdown, and said Winnipeg was ready to welcome the struggling club if it can't make things work in Pittsburgh.

 

"We have to be cognizant of the changing issues in the NHL, and position ourselves to capitalize on those changes," Vandal told The Sun in explaining his inquiry to Lemieux, which is dated Dec. 9.

 

"The quality of the fan here is second-to-none -- so consider us."

 

Neither Lemieux nor anyone from the team has responded to the letter, and Penguins general manager Craig Patrick told reporters earlier this week that a rumour saying Lemieux would sell without a new arena deal by the time a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached is false.

 

Vandal's letter - not considered to be an official city query - is the first public declaration of another city wanting to house the Penguins.

 

Many expect the league to suffer a shutdown due to a strike or lockout when the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and its players expires next September, and that some teams may not survive a potential work stoppage.

 

 

Have you heard of this already Takara? I don't think it would be too bad since the Penguins won't survive in Pittsburgh. Winnipeg could easily support the team better than Pittsburgh.

Any Penguins fans with a take on this?

[removed 0]

Cool! We could have another Canadian team. (Would they be allowed to rename the team? Name it back to the Jets! That would be killer!)

[Jack_Bauer 1]

Yeah, I'd name them the Jets again. I think the logo could be updated though. I was never really big on the old one.

 

I definitely think that the Pens should move, they won't survive if there's a lockout. I would also like to see existing teams move into Quebec City, Halifax, and either Regina or Saskatoon. The NHL has to realize that the only way to sell the game is to expand in Canada and not puting teams into American markets which cannot support them.

 

I'm hoping Takara sees this topic soon. I'm eager to here her take on this.

[removed 0]

It's true. Alot of American teams, especially the expansion teams, are not doing to well down there. Canada yearns for more teams. I would LOVE to see the Nordiques return. (And keep their old jersey. That's always been one of my favourites!)

 

Yes I want to hear Takara's thoughts on this as well.

[startrektrekkie2003 0]

I mived from texas up there to winnipeg and back to texas and isn't winnipeg the moose?

[Takara_Soong 4]

There has been some talk about it and as usual the same group of people who wanted to get rid of the Jets are being idiots. I'd love to have a team again but I don't think they would be able to use the name Jets. It will depend on former owner Barry Shenkarow.

 

Some people are convinced that Mario Lemieux doesn't like Winnipeg because of all the games he didn't play in when the team was here. I have no idea how he feels but money talks and if there is a chance to make money over losing it then Winnipeg could look good to him.

 

I can say one thing - I don't know of any player who played for the Jets who disliked the city. So all of the people who claim no one wants to play in cities like Winnipeg or Edmonton because of the weather don't know what they are talking about.

 

Startrekkie2003, the Manitoba Moose play in the American Hockey Leauge. I've been to a few of their games but not since the merger of the IHL with the AHL.