Winnipeg May Get Their NHL Team Back
Fifteen years after their beloved NHL team left for Phoenix, local hockey fans have gathered in downtown Winnipeg bars to wave Winnipeg Jets banners and show their support for the team to return to the city. Being without an NHL team since 1996, the Manitoba capital city has enthusiastically supported junior hockey, minor league hockey, and exhibition games, reflecting the city's undying passion for the game.
A massive TV screen in one of the bars broadcast a Jets playoff game from the mid-1980's as patrons cheered and speculated on possible new names for the Phoenix Coyotes, if they return to Winnipeg. This is not idle speculation amid that franchise's serious financial and ownership turmoil. It is also possible that the Atlanta Thrashers could move to Manitoba for similar reasons. Most fans want to see the Jets name reinstated for whichever team ends up in the city.