Merged threads.
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The NHL owns the rights to the name “Winnipeg Jets” and can deny the Winnipeg team the right to use it. If you don’t think they’d do that out of a sense of spite and psychotic need for control, you don’t know Gary Bettman.
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The True North group is really, really emotionally invested in the Moose brand. They frequently talk about all the money they’ve plowed into promoting it. Of course, that money is a sunk cost and is of no relevance in determining which name/brand would better market the team, and I have to asusme someone in the ownbership group is smart enough to know that. Nonetheless enough has leaked out abuot it that we know for sure they’re super duper committed to keeping the Moose name and brand alive, for some inexplicable reason.
I have no dout at all “Winnipeg Jets” would sell better. There’s no doubt at all. But the NHL might not allow it out of spite, and the True North guys feel no attachment to it, so there’s an outstanding chance it shall be the Winnipeg Moose. A silly name, not as good as Jets, but Manitobans will buy tickets anyway.
And I can see fifteen thousand white Jets jerseys on opening day as a big fuck you to Bettman.
It would be a shame if they weren’t the Jets. But it’s not my team, my money.
It would be great to have the Jets and Nordiques back in the NHL. I doubt we will ever see the Whalers again, though. Just not going to fly in the 2010s.
I would think about buying some Moose apparel.
Winnipeg will get a one-year reprieve from me: they can be my Western team for 2011-2012!
WOO HOO!! Congratulations Winnipeg, and eat it, Bettman!
I’m cracking up listening to the weasel try and make his speech sound like he’s happy about it, despite the fact that it’s pretty much a huge failure in his role as commissioner.
Next up, the Nordiques!!! I want to hate them as much as I should 
Winnipeg Flood, perhaps? Just saying…
I would love to bring out my old Jets jersey to games and my FiL is already going to get season tickets (he also had for the Moose).
My Hubby is thrilled that he’ll be able to take our daughter to a ‘real NHL’ game - they were some of the best memories with his own Dad.
Awesome! Great news!
I was under the impression that it would be “Manitoba Moose” as is the AHL team. I’d prefer the Jets, but either name is better than the rumors that were flying when the Jets left in the first place. For a while, it looked like the Jets’ destination was going to be Minneapolis. The story was that Northwest Airlines was going to have a role in the purchase and move of the team, so the franchise would have become the “Northwest Jets.”
I’m pleased to get the NHL back to Winnipeg.
So how will the conference alignments shake out? Columbus has got to move to the East or they’ll be the next team on the move. They can’t compete in the West and they’d probably see better attendance from visiting East teams.
Supposedly they will stay in the Southeast division for 11-12, which is absolutely hilarious.
At least Vancouver will finally stop whining about having the worse travel schedule in the league.
The team that makes the most sense to move would be Nashville. It fits in well geographically.
However, I’ve heard the NHL won’t make any immediate change to the divisions. I don’t think we’re done with franchise shifts.
They won’t do anything that matters until the 2012-2013 season because it’s too late to change the schedules.
I’m a little annoyed that Detroit likely won’t be moving to the east. We are in the god damned eastern time zone and all.
Other teams need the attendance that Detroit brings? Tough crap. There aren’t enough fans to go to the games that the western conference needs the local Wings fans to chip in? Maybe the teams shouldn’t be there in the first place. Especially Phoenix, who seems to have as many Red Wings fans as Coyotes fans attending the games. And what about the Eastern Conference? They don’t want the draw?
I’ve heard competitive balance mentioned. No trading a bottom feeder for a top team and all that. So what? It’s a sport. Competition is kind of the point. It’s not like Detroit will completely slaughter the poor innocent Eastern Conference and only the mighty Western Conference can handle them. Not particularly flattering to the east either. They can only compete against a team like Columbus or Nashville apparently.
I say fuck it. May as well make a complete farce of it and shove Anaheim or LA into the Eastern Conference. 
Reports were that the NHL had written two schedules, so the lateness shouldn’t be as issue.
Also, the Wings belong in the West. If you’re going to complain about time zones, try being a Wild fan:) The Norris and its successors have been around longer than the Original Six were together. There are true rivalries there that can’t be ignored. My preference for division alignment is for the Thrashers to take the Wild’s spot in the Northwest and for Nashville to move east, replaced by the Wild. That reunites all the markets of the old Norris except for Toronto.
I can’t think of a single good reason.
Reuniting the old Norris division… well, why would we have nostalgia for 1982? Detroit’s in the Eastern time zone. Minnesota is not.
Nashville and Columbus are even further east. Detroit ain’t changing conferences unless there are several more moves (and folds?) brewing.
So is Columbus, move them instead. Better yet, move them to Quebec
If reigniting old rivalries isn’t a good enough reason, there’s not much else I can say. Obviously, losing the Hawks-Wings rivalry isn’t enough to make an impression.
On the other hand, if the only reason for moving Detroit is the time zone argument, there is no good reason for moving the Wings. So long as the Canucks and Wild play in the same division, there is no reason for anyone in Detroit to complain.
how about reigniting the Detroit-Toronto rivalry, you know, the one from the Norris division AND the original six? Or how about we go back to the original Norris division?
The Wings don’t have any traditional rivalry with the Wild, the team we once HAD a rivalry with is in Dallas(and San Jose). I’d give up the Blackhawks rivalry and you’re imaginary Detroit/Minnesota one to be reunited with Toronto and Montreal any day.
I still think, as I said a year ago, that the NHL should go back to four divisions.