Around the NHL in 30 Days – Winnipeg Jets

FanSided’s Around the NHL in 30 Days concludes today in Winnipeg at the Hockey At The Forks blog. Even as I am writing this, it seems surreal that the Winnipeg Jets are back in the NHL. Being a Canadian I remember all of the sadness surrounding the Jets’ departure from Winnipeg in 1996. The move to Phoenix certainly wasn’t due to a lack of fan support, but rather an economic issue. In honor of all the great fan support in Winnipeg I have to share this clip from MikosWpg of YouTube. The clip is of former Jet Eddie Olczyk (pronounced Ol-chuck) saying a speech before the last game played by the “old” Winnipeg Jets back in ’96. *Also the photos in this clip make me laugh!

Continue reading for what lead writer Fetch has to say at the Jets’ blog Hockey at the Forks! Enter in the “new” 2011 Winnipeg Jets, formerly the Atlanta Thrashers. The franchise is rejuvenated and ready to prove that Winnipeg is a viable place for NHL hockey to survive. The goaltending is looking solid again this year with starter Ondrej Pavelec and the usually consistent Chris Mason backing him up. On the blue line there’s the “Big Buff,” Dustin Byfuglien and shutdown D-Man Zach Bogosian. Upfront there is captain Andrew Ladd, Brian Little, and exciting young gun Evander Kane.

Here’s a snippet of what lead writer Fetch has to say about his Jets:

"I think Winnipeg will finish somewhere around 12 or 13 in the East and have a pretty high lottery pick next summer, when they will start to stock the farm system. But, no matter how things go in the standings, the prevailing sentiment is that it’s great to just be playing some NHL hockey in Winnipeg again. We’re back baby."

Last year in the lone game against the Atlanta Thrashers the Sharks were beaten by a score of 4-2. It’s tough to read into these games against the Eastern Conference, because the Sharks simply don’t play the eastern teams enough times. But as a true homer I will say that the loss came at the start of last season, when the Sharks as a whole were struggling. As for the Jets this year, my heart wants to believe that they will make the playoffs, but in reality I agree with Fetch. I think they will miss the playoffs, get a good position in next year’s draft, and start to rebuild this hockey team.

*** Missed any of the FanSided previews? Check them all out right here!

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