Sabres and Jets Starts The Trade Season

The Buffalo Sabres attempts at earning the number one overall pick became even more obvious and the Winnipeg Jets have found the solution to the Evander Kane distraction by arriving at a stunning trade in anticipation of the NHL Trade deadline season. It's sure to provide talk for days as the hockey world of analysts have been discussing the back story and setting up the drama. Kane wanted out of Manitoba and the Sabres wanted to get even worse than they are this year.

To Jets:

1. Tyler Myers
2. Drew Stafford
3. Joel Armia
4. Brendan Lemieux
5. (Draft Pick)

To Sabres:

1. Zach Bogosian
2. Evander Kane
3. Jason Kasdorf

The Winnipeg Jets have made the better of the deal as it stands right now. They've gobbled up two of the highly sought after defencemen before any other contending team has. Myers, having the potential to grow into the spotlight as one of the biggest defencemen after Chara, brings the Jets to a playoff push. They've currently fought for the 1st wild card position and increasing their defence with both Myers and forward Stafford. It gives them more depth on the roster and continues the turnover from the remaining Thrashers roster. The prospects work great to again add depth to the Jets minor league development system.

Now, Evander Kane is the other side of the coin and it's the part that gets the most attention - mainly because the drama surrounding the Kane career in Winnipeg. When Kane isn't on his social media accounts doing push-ups with stacks of cash on his back or suffering one injury after another (or also allegedly hiding more recent injuries), being late to team meetings and subsequently hazed by his teammates, or allegedly skipping out on dinner tabs, It was a clear thing that the controversial player had worn out his welcome and become a distraction to the Jets. It's almost like a karmic sense of justice that he goes to the worst team (statistically) in the NHL and forced to watch them from the press box. Kane does have scoring talent with 109 goals and 113 assists in 361 games.

On a side note, the Sabres had also made a deal to toss their goalie Jhonas Enroth to Dallas for Anders Lindback. It doesn't seem like this is that big of a deal other than Lindback has the edge as a big body listed as 6ft 6in. tall.

Winnipeg Jets Reveal Jersey for 2011-12 season

Photo: Tumblr.com

I'm glad that the NHL's new Winnepeg Jets decided to hold a press conference and release the official look to the jerseys they are going to use during the upcoming season. I like them!

The jerseys are Reebok EDGE performance cut so, I know right away I'm never going to own one. But as far as the look itself, I think it's a very updated look for a team shedding an identity to a team that is looking for support from patriotic mid-western Canadian hockey fans.

The logo itself has taken on it's share of criticism. It's a sharply angled logo featuring a jet plane within a circled maple leaf. Could have some of the other teams in the league been the inspiration? The look is a classic one, trying to fit in as a Original 6 design. The light blue stripes makes the other navy blue stand out boldly while making the white part of the jersey pop as crisp as the ice surface.

Drawstrings are kind of growing on me now. I own a couple of jerseys that utilize that myself and here, it looks like it compliments the classic look they were going for.

I know some people were disappointed in it not looking anything like the Jets logos of the past. It was clearly designed with the intention of many fans going out and buying this one. Maybe they will use the Jets old jerseys in a throwback setting, but for now, I'll give this a properly themed Top Gun thumbs up salute.

The negative that I would only point out was having the press conference and releasing the image from the back of a Hercules loading dock. I can only imagine the kind of money and effort it took to make it all happen in dramatic fashion. Was a table and a few mics in front of a watermarked backdrop too pedestrian? If the team goes belly-up in 3 years, maybe it's because of shows like this.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]

Tragedy Claims Life Of Second NHL Player

With the demise of Derek Boogard still fresh in the memories of all hockey fans and players, we've learned of another passing to a current roster NHL player.

Rick Rypien, an NHL player expected to appear on the new Winnipeg Jets during the 2011-12 season, was found deceased in his apartment late Monday night. According to the article, Police say that the evidence thus collected has suggested that it's a non-suspicious death.

I've read all over as these are the times that truly drops the division between hockey fans. Twitter was the point that everyone sorrowfully expressed the sad news and mournful messages about Rypien. According to the article, I see that there were also a bunch of players that have also expressed on twitter their shock and sadness.

Rypien was a good player for the Canucks and Moose with just about equal games 119 and 116 in their respective leagues. I remember him as a 3rd liner who bounced up and down from the minors. But the most memorable thing that I can say from his career was the suspension he served from shoving a NHL linesman in Minnesota. Could his actions then be more understood, in retrospect?

In the wake of this tragedy, I would hope that the NHL comes to some agreement to start making PSAs about depression and helping those seek out alternatives to suicide. The NHL has been a true leader in the fight against cancer as well as plenty other causes. Should we see this mental illness get addressed by the Leagues' PSAs?

My good thoughts and prayers go towards the Rypien family.

[Via: New York Daily News]

Winnepeg Jets Logo Revealed

The new logo for the Jets was released today in anticipation for the 2011 NHL season. So far, it's been the latest talk of the hockey town in a time of the summer that the news, speculation, and trade rumors hit a slide into silence.

Below is the new design released by the True North Sports owners group as they near the new season. It looks like a real far off distancing from the previous logos of the Winnipeg Jets franchise. Even the silver in the secondary logo and script doesn't look anything like the original WHA/NHL team's predecessor. I was mostly expecting this to happen when most people who attended Jets rallies wore the throwback jerseys. This way, True North thinks people will want to start buying new jerseys in the Manitoba province.

Courtesy: True North Sports & Entertainment

As for the logo itself, I think it's a sharp militaristic design with heavy influences to both the US and Canadian air forces.They were smart to go with as much Maple Leaf presence in the logo as they could, that way it can possibly favor those Canadians outside the Winnipeg area. It's got a lot of patriotism in it's design.

On the negative side of things, it doesn't quite look like the old Jets logo at all. If you were really going to cater to the hockey fans within the Province, then tying it into the previous franchise was supposed to be a given. The first knee jerk reaction to the main logo in the circle was that it bears some resemblance to the Maple Leafs Square logo with the sharp pointed angles of the leaves.

Over all, I'd say that it will have to be seen on an actual uniform and get into action before I would warm up to it. It will be on an Rebook Edge jersey so, I won't buy it. But I am hearing whispers of rumors that the they may have a third jersey next year that looks like the Jets old logo.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet and TSN]

Winnipeg Franchise Will Honor Snyder's Retired Number

Even though the team may change cities, the proof that true hockey people are more classy than compared to the other major professional sports, the Thrashers number 37 will continue to be retired in Winnipeg.

Classy and impressive. It's a PR move that is certain to smooth over some bitterness of knowing that a fan base in Georgia did just lose their team.

As you may recall, Dan Snyder was a promising young player for the Atlanta Thrashers until an off-season high speed car accident witch then prompted the team to honor the late teammate by retiring his jersey number while prominently positioning the number in the rink boards.

No word thus far as to weather or not the former Winnipeg Jets retired numbers (who are honored in Phoenix) will continue to be honored with this new team.

Winnipeg Free Press

NHL Plans for Winnipeg team on Schedule

The Coyotes are practically one foot out the door now that the main two competing investors that were willing to keep the Phoenix Coyotes back in Arizona have been frustrated with every road block known to man. So, having an investor who is willing to buy the team and return them to Winnipeg as early as next season.

Schedule makers have built a model which sees Winnipeg in the Northwest Division alongside Vancouver, Calgary, Minnesota and Edmonton. The current fifth team, Colorado, would fill the Phoenix void in the Pacific Division.

I like the potential re-alignment that would correct a glaring geographical error. But I suspect that the divisions were set up so that more parity could be achieved and not all of the powerhouse teams would be in one division to themselves. This move would mean a real heartbreak to a set of fans who have loyally supported hockey in the desert. They successfully fought off "the Carpetbagger" now only to see that the Coyotes may return back to the city that they once called home. On one hand - this is only fair for them to go back to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and not elsewhere.

Of course, this news has really got a lot of Canadians psyched and the tinfoil toque wearing canuckleheads speculating in overdrive. I have tried and tried to talk sense into the thick headed and stubborn fans who think that hockey still isn't viable to the United States. The anecdotal visual evidence suggests that fans would support a winning franchise in warm climates. But that is an blog argument for another time.

I have often wondered just what would the Winnipeg Jets Rebook EDGE jerseys look like had they continue to stay there the whole time. Would it be similar to the Blue Jackets with red piping and blue arm sleeves.

This story is developing, so I am sure to follow this as the deadline approaches for the NHL to sell the team to a buyer who will either keep it in Phoenix or move it back to Winnipeg for the next 2010-2011 season.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]