Globe and Mail reports that NHL may be loaning money to Phoenix Coyotes

Any reason why they wouldn't take the Jets' name? Do the Coyotes still have rights to it? I know the Moose name has been in place for a number of years with the AHL/IHL team, but I would think Jets would have a bit more cache.

 

When the Flames left, I was devastated. Daniel Bouchard was my favorite player. Oh, throw in Vail, Plett, Jean Pronovost at the end. Jiggs and Boom Boom on the broadcasts.

Anybody know what Pat Riggin is up to? One time, with Craig in the fold, Riggin did the color alongside Jiggs at Chicago Stadium.

Thrashers? Never really got into them after the first few seasons.

 

So would the team be any more successful in Winnipeg? Would Don Waddell still be in charge?

 

A thought: If the team moves to Winnipeg, does the NHL move the ThrashJets into the Central and flip the Predators into the Southeast?

 

I've seen a couple different proposals, including moving Detroit or Columbus to the Northeast, putting Boston in the Atlantic and Philly in the Southeast. Moving Nashville into the Southeast would be the easiest, most sensible answer.

 

I believe True North, the group working to bring a team to Winnipeg, is the current owner of the minor league Manitoba Moose, so they already own the name and logo (and have a built-in fan base, not that it would be an issue).

I can't imagine they own the rights to the Jets name or logo.

Ted Leonsis said he looked into changing the Wizards back into the Bullets and discovered it would be a 2 to 3 year slog to work through intellectual property rights and other issues. I have no idea how comparable the legal issues would be in Canada, but keeping it simple is probably pretty attractive.

 

That's a good point, but leagues sometimes keep the rights to departed franchises, like the NFL did with the Browns.

Also, I did read/hear Leonsis' comments, and he pretty much did everything but rename the franchise with the jersey changes.

 

I would expect there would be a call to put Winnipeg in the Northwest with the Oilers, Canucks and Flames.

Maybe Colorado winds up in the Pacific. Dallas slides to the Central and moves to the Nashville to the Southeast.

And, yeah, if the Jets name & logo is available they should grab it.

 

The idea of a Canadian-centric division is appealing, but does the NHL want to put all its eggs in one basket?

I also saw Winnipeg/Manitoba to the Northwest, Minnesota to the Central and Nashville to the Southeast floated.

 

Well, if they do put them in one division then the four of them are playing each other all the time so NBC can really ignore them. Out of sight, out of mind.

And Minnesota is practically Canada anyway...

 

I believe I heard Lou Nanne on KFAN in the Twin Cities saying that the NHL owns all of the logos/names of former teams. He was saying that in reference to the Minnesota North Stars unis and merchandise not belonging to Dallas but to the league. I think that would leave the Jets open for Winnipeg, if it so desired.