Courtesy of NHL.com
The wait is officially over. Winnipeg is back on the National Hockey League's map.
The League's Board of Governors gave its stamp of approval for the sale and relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to the group from Winnipeg at its meeting in midtown Manhattan on Tuesday. It's the first franchise relocation in the NHL since 1997, when the Hartford Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes.
True North Sports and Entertainment purchased the club from the Atlanta Spirit group for a reported $170 million and paid the NHL a $60 million relocation fee to move the team to Winnipeg, which hasn't been an NHL city since the Jets left for Phoenix after the 1995-96 season.
"We are very honored by the NHL Board of Governors unanimous decision today," said Mark Chipman, Chairman of the Board, True North Sports & Entertainment. "We know that the fans of this province have an appetite for NHL hockey that is rivaled by few in the league and intend to work very hard to make Manitobans proud of our franchise for years to come."
The still unnamed Winnipeg franchise will begin play in the Southeast Division in 2011-12 with the expectation that it will be moved to the Western Conference starting in 2012-13.
Winnipeg will play out of the 15,015 seat MTS Centre, which was previously home to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. The MTS Centre will be the smallest arena in the NHL, but it likely won't feel that way with 13,000 season tickets already sold.
True North announced earlier this month that 7,158 season tickets were sold in a three-day pre-sale and the remaining 5,842 were purchased online in four minutes and officially processed in 17 minutes.
"Words are escaping us right now," Jim Ludlow, True North president and CEO, told NHL.com on June 4. "(The four-minute completion of the 13,000 season ticket drive) is a culmination of the passion for NHL hockey that has existed in this community for a long, long time ... that passion is second to none."
Winnipeg has already been operating as a franchise with Kevin Cheveldayoff hired as the team's general manager on June 8, replacing Rick Dudley, who was not retained despite having three years left on his contract. Craig Heisinger, formerly the GM of the Moose, was also hired on June 8 to be Winnipeg's Director of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager.
Cheveldayoff and Heisinger are currently in the process of hiring a new coach to replace Craig Ramsay, who was told on Monday that he will not be back with the team even though he still has one year left on his contract. Chicago Blackhawks assistant Mike Haviland and Manitoba Moose coach Claude Noel are reportedly the top two candidates for the Winnipeg coaching job.
Marcel Comeau, who was the Thrashers head scout since 2003, is expected to implement Winnipeg's draft strategy this weekend at the NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul, Minn. Winnipeg has the seventh selection in the first round Friday night.
Dan Marr, who was the Thrashers director of amateur scouting and player development, is no longer with the franchise.
Winnipeg did not have any representation at the Board of Governors meeting because it still was not officially a member, but former Thrashers President Don Waddell was here representing his now defunct franchise.
Showing posts with label relocation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relocation. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
NHL coming back to Winnipeg
Courtesy of the Sports Network
Winnipeg is again getting an NHL team as the Atlanta Thrashers are on their way to Manitoba for the 2011-12 season.
True North Sports and Entertainment held a press conference on Tuesday to announce that the Thrashers, who began play in Atlanta in 1999, are heading to the city that hosted the Jets until their departure to Phoenix in 1996.
"I would like to welcome the NHL back to Winnipeg," said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who got a round of applause after the announcement. "As is obvious by the fact that we are here today, True North reached an agreement to bring the Atlanta franchise back to this city."
The deal is still not official yet as it still needs approval from the NHL's Board of Governors, which is scheduled to meet on June 21 in New York.
"This transaction is still contingent upon the approval of the NHL's Board of Governors," said Bettman. "We don't like to move franchises, but sometimes we have no choice. We are not happy about leaving Atlanta, but it was never about whether Winnipeg was better than Atlanta."
True North Sports and Entertainment owns and operates the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League and the MTS Centre, which is expected to house the NHL team.
"This venue will be a fine home for the NHL club," said Bettman. "And we get to be back in a place we wish we never had to leave in 1996."
The Manitoba Moose are the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, who will open up the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday against the Boston Bruins.
It is not yet known if the Moose will remain the Canucks' minor league team, or if the AHL will restructure in light of the new situation.
"Our Manitoba Moose have been the benchmark in the AHL since they came into the league," said True North president Jim Ludlow. "They have helped us establish a confident base to move forward. We knew if we saw the right opportunity we would take the next logical step and we are thrilled with our purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers."
Winnipeg was previously home to the Jets, who began life in the World Hockey Association in 1972 before joining the NHL in 1979. The franchise moved to Phoenix for the 1996-97 season and has not hosted an NHL regular-season game since.
"We are just thrilled to have the NHL back in Winnipeg," said Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger. "True North and Jim Ludlow have shown perseverance in getting a team back here and this team is a symbol of the faith we have in this province. The NHL is going to be here and it's going to be here for good."
This is the second time an expansion team has failed in Atlanta. The city first hosted the Flames from 1972 until their departure to Calgary in 1980. The Thrashers made the playoffs just once during 11 seasons in Atlanta, suffering a four-game sweep at the hands of the New York Rangers in 2007.
During their time in the city, the team posted a mark of 342-437-123 along with winning the Southeast Division in the 2006-07 season.
"Our objective was always to find a solution to keep the team in Atlanta, and we spent a considerable amount of time, effort and resources trying to do so," said Atlanta co-owner Bruce Levenson. "This is not the outcome we wanted and it's extremely disappointing that a buyer or significant investor did not come forward that would enable us to keep the team in Atlanta."
Earlier this month, Thrashers ownership began serious negotiations with the Winnipeg group and the Winnipeg Free Press reported that the league was working on two separate schedule drafts for next season -- one with Atlanta and one with Winnipeg.
Winnipeg is again getting an NHL team as the Atlanta Thrashers are on their way to Manitoba for the 2011-12 season.
True North Sports and Entertainment held a press conference on Tuesday to announce that the Thrashers, who began play in Atlanta in 1999, are heading to the city that hosted the Jets until their departure to Phoenix in 1996.
"I would like to welcome the NHL back to Winnipeg," said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who got a round of applause after the announcement. "As is obvious by the fact that we are here today, True North reached an agreement to bring the Atlanta franchise back to this city."
The deal is still not official yet as it still needs approval from the NHL's Board of Governors, which is scheduled to meet on June 21 in New York.
"This transaction is still contingent upon the approval of the NHL's Board of Governors," said Bettman. "We don't like to move franchises, but sometimes we have no choice. We are not happy about leaving Atlanta, but it was never about whether Winnipeg was better than Atlanta."
True North Sports and Entertainment owns and operates the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League and the MTS Centre, which is expected to house the NHL team.
"This venue will be a fine home for the NHL club," said Bettman. "And we get to be back in a place we wish we never had to leave in 1996."
The Manitoba Moose are the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, who will open up the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday against the Boston Bruins.
It is not yet known if the Moose will remain the Canucks' minor league team, or if the AHL will restructure in light of the new situation.
"Our Manitoba Moose have been the benchmark in the AHL since they came into the league," said True North president Jim Ludlow. "They have helped us establish a confident base to move forward. We knew if we saw the right opportunity we would take the next logical step and we are thrilled with our purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers."
Winnipeg was previously home to the Jets, who began life in the World Hockey Association in 1972 before joining the NHL in 1979. The franchise moved to Phoenix for the 1996-97 season and has not hosted an NHL regular-season game since.
"We are just thrilled to have the NHL back in Winnipeg," said Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger. "True North and Jim Ludlow have shown perseverance in getting a team back here and this team is a symbol of the faith we have in this province. The NHL is going to be here and it's going to be here for good."
This is the second time an expansion team has failed in Atlanta. The city first hosted the Flames from 1972 until their departure to Calgary in 1980. The Thrashers made the playoffs just once during 11 seasons in Atlanta, suffering a four-game sweep at the hands of the New York Rangers in 2007.
During their time in the city, the team posted a mark of 342-437-123 along with winning the Southeast Division in the 2006-07 season.
"Our objective was always to find a solution to keep the team in Atlanta, and we spent a considerable amount of time, effort and resources trying to do so," said Atlanta co-owner Bruce Levenson. "This is not the outcome we wanted and it's extremely disappointing that a buyer or significant investor did not come forward that would enable us to keep the team in Atlanta."
Earlier this month, Thrashers ownership began serious negotiations with the Winnipeg group and the Winnipeg Free Press reported that the league was working on two separate schedule drafts for next season -- one with Atlanta and one with Winnipeg.
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